Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology
by Sreyashi Ray chowdhuri | 2018 | 90,477 words
This page relates ‘defeat of Mara’ of the study on Amaravati Art in the Context of Andhra Archaeology, including museum exhibitions of the major archeological antiquities. These pages show how the Buddhist establishment of Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) survived from 4th century BCE to 14th century CE. It includes references and translations of episodes of Buddha’s life drawn from the Avadanas and Jatakas which are illustrated in Amaravati art.
The defeat of Māra
[Full title: Depiction of scenes from the life of Buddha: The defeat of Māra]
Story:-
The episode of the assault of Māra and Māra Vijaya is an event of utmost importance in the spiritual quest of Buddha. In Buddhist literature Mara is described as the God of pleasure, love and death, the personification of evil, the sovereign of illusion and tempter of Buddha. He is the personification of rāga (passion) dvesa (hate) and moha (delusion). He is the leader of the army of demons (Mārasenā) and can entrap anyone is sensory pleasure and bondage (Māra bandhana). Māra’s daughter’s are Taṇha, Aratī and Rāga. While Buddha, then Bodhisattva, was on the way of acquiring perfect knowledge enabling escape from the perpetual cycle of rebirth (saṃsāra), he had to encounter the temptation of Māra. This was because Buddha’s Enlightenment signified freedom from all bondages. Mara decided to fight and win over Bodhisattva. In several ways Māra along with his army and his daughters tried to distract him but were not successful in their attempts. The Nidānkathā[1] , Lalitavistara[2], Buddhacarita[3] and Mahāvagga[4] gives account of this fight. However it may pointed out that although Buddhacarita mentions both the hurling of weapons and terrifying appearances of Māra’s army but it does not mention the participation of the Mārakanyās.
Depiction:-
Representation of Māra’s episode is visible on different architectural components of the Mahācaitya of Amarāvatī. The inner face of a railing pillar from Amarāvatī now preserved in the British Museum, illustrates the scene of Māra’s attack. The pillar is sub divided into seven registers. Here the top middle fluted section depicts Mara’s episode. In this portion one can see the empty throne and foot prints under the Bodhi tree encircled by kneeling and standing worshippers. Here Buddha’s symbolic presence is suggested by the empty throne and foot prints. On the right side of the panel are seen fleeing male figures, some with hands raised in worship and others with backs turned away from Enlightenment scene. These fleeing male figures can be identified as a part of the Mārasenā.
Again in the lower fluted region one can see a relief associated with Māra’s assault. This portion is subdivided into three subsections. In the left hand section Bodhisattva is represented aniconically in the form of foot prints below the throne. This is the occasion of Māra laying claim to the Bodhisattva’s seat. The central fluting area depicts dwarfs with arms and stones, probably trying to attack the throne. To the left is the group of standing female figures possibly Mārakanyās using the giles to the deter Bodhisattva from the path of Enlightenment. The right hand section narrates the defeat of Mārasenā. Here the dwarfs and men on horses and elephant flee from the scene[5].(Pl 22c)
Another illustration of the Mara’s episode is found on the drum pilaster from Amarāvatī. It is preserved in the British Museum. The pilaster is in four registers of which the second register narrates the incident of Mara’s assault at the time of Master’s nirvāṇa. The nimbate Buddha is seated with the right hand raised in the varada mudra and not in bhūmisparśa mudrā. It appears that Buddha had already won and attained nirvana. The throne is flanked by female figures, one with hands raised in worship and the other posed seductively. At the foot of the throne is a group of four dwarfs who may be a part of the Māra’s army. The treatment of the scene makes it look very dynamic and highly expressive[6].
A portion of a stūpa slab from Amarāvatī in the Madras Government Museum illustrates the episode of temptation. The relief is very suggestive. Instead of the presence of Mara, the host of demonic army is represented by three dwarfs groveling under the throne of the Supreme Being. The large sized figure of Buddha is indicative of the mighty power of Buddha in comparison to the small insignificant dwarfs signifying the incapacity of the evil one. The Mārakanyās are carved in moderate proportions. Here the sculptor focused more on the ravishing beauty of women to show to the world how great was the temptation[7].
A very badly abraded drum pilaster from Amarāvatī narrates Māra Vijaya. The pilaster is divided into four registers. The second register depicts the temptation scene where the army of Māra is again shown by a group of dwarfs at the foot of the throne. Like the previous relief the Master raises his right hand in the varada mudrā[8]. This is preserved in the British Museum.
This event found representation in Nāgārjunakoṇḍa (Pl 22d), Ghaṇṭaśālā (Pl 23a) and Goli.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Davids T.W Rhys, 1972, Op.cit, pp 190-198.
[2]:
Goswami Bijoya, Op.cit, pp 278-311.
[3]:
Johnstone E.H (1995 Tr), Ashvaghosa, Buddhacharita or Acts of Buddha, Delhi, canto XIII, pp 188-203.
[4]:
[5]:
Knox Robert, Op.cit, pp 53-56, fig 8 (inner face).
[6]:
Ibid, pp 157-158, fig 83.
[7]:
Sivaramamurti C, Op.cit, pl LX, fig 1.
[8]:
Strong John S, Op.cit, pp 73-76