Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait561880roya).pdf/245

 Lumbini, surrounded by guards and attendants.

Plate XLIII. 55. The Buddha is born. His mother, recovered from her pains, is exalted on a pedestal, resting her left hand on the arm of one of her women, and holding a flower in her right hand. The new-born child, showing his divinity by his exemption from the weakness of infancy, is standing up, receiving the homage of those about him, while a shower of celestial flowers descends upon him. Possibly the picture is intended to represent him taking the seven steps of the legend. (See Photograph No. 5.)

Plate XLV. 59. The widowed SUDDHODANA sitting with SIDDHARTHA upon his knee, and attended by the women of the palace.

Plate XLIX. 67. This plate is interesting, because it represents one of the bas-reliefs which CRAWFURD has given in the "History of the Indian Archipelago," and he interprets it in a different manner from M. WILSEN. CRAWFURD sees in it SIVA in his ear, and recognises in the projections from the head of the central figure (which in WILSEN's plate is almost obliterated) the crescent of SIVA. WILSEN considers that the sculpture represents the young SIDDHARTHA in a chariot with his father and others, and sees in the projections from the head, the ends of the peculiar head-dress which is worn by the child in some others of the scnlp. tures.

Plate L. 69. The young SIDDHARTHA astonishing his royal father, a learned Brahmin and others (possibly the students in a school) by his early-developed intelligence.

Plate LIX. 87. The assembly of the young Sakyas challenged by the prince to a contest in scholarship and athletics. SIDDHARTHA illustrating the triumph of intellectual over moral force by taming an elephant.

Plate LXXI. 111. SIDDHARTHA seated in his chariot meeting the poor old man. The child with the aged pauper probably signifies that he is blind.

Plate LXXII. 113. SIDDHARTHA the next day meeting the sick man at the point of death.

Plate LXXIII. 115. SIDDHARTHA meeting with the dead man.

Plate LXXIV. 117. The fourth encounter. The hermit is in the attitude of a man who is demonstrating some problem. The charioteer CHANNA, whose memory is so carfully [sic] preserved in the