Page 10 | The island, Tuesday 3rd May 2005 | Features |
Buddhist art on ancient coins.
By Brig Siri Munasinghe[retd] [ sirimuna@sierra.lk].
The first of these events the birth is symbolically shown on Sri Lankan coins of the 1 Cent BC. These coins are now called Laksmi Plagues. The Buddha’s mother Maya-devi is shown standing on the centre of a lotus flower holding on to two stalks emanating from either side capped with lotus flowers at shoulder height. Standing on these lotus flowers ,sprinkling water over the of her head are two elephants. The origin of this art form is described in length in JCBRAS – Centenary Volume- Numsimata Zeylanica by DPE Hettiaracchi, from which most of the information is obtained. The only other local examples of this scene is found on the outer Stelae of South end of the West front piece of the Abayagiri Dagaba at Anuradhapura. Unfortunately the standing figure between the two elephants has been mutilated.
Fig 1
This very same type appears not less than 6 times on square dies of the gateway of Stupa I at Sanchi[ Fig 1] , India . The sculptures of the gateway is reserved exclusively for the four miracles- the Nativity, Illumination, First Sermon and Decease of Buddha. On the Sanchi sculptures Maya-devi the mother of Buddha is shown both in standing and seated postures been bathed by two Elephants.
Fig. 2
Here the Nativity of Buddha is only a symbolic representation, since during that period to show Buddha in bodily form was not yet permissible. Major R. Raven Harts in his book ‘Where the Buddha Thread’ describes this art form of the elephants pouring water over his mother as symbolizing the first bath of baby Siddartha. Maya devi and the Elephants stand on full blown lotus flowers, and at the side are lotus[the tree of fortune], with birds amoung the leaves and flowers.[Fig 2].
The Sala was the totem tree of the Sakayans, to which tribe the Buddha was born. The Buddha’s Mother Maya may well have kept all the observances then in force, in a manner of most Indian women of what ever class and historical period, bathing in the sacred lotus pond before the delivery of a child.The Sala trees were sacred to the mother goddess Luminni who was worshipped at Lumbini. The worship of goddess Luminni has survived for over 2500 years, at this very same spot which was identified as the place of birth of Buddha in 1896 by A. Furher. Until this time the sculpture there was known as Rupa devi, the Goddess of the Sala Forest. A sculptured representation of birth , with the mother holding on to Sal tree branch is in the present Hindu Temple.
Buddha as born in the groove of Sala, after Maha-maya devi had bathed in the adjoining sacred investure Pushkara or the artificial lotus pond of the Sakyans. The Pushkara or the Lotus pond and its association with fertility ritual baths and for consecration of Kings and Priests by sprinkling of water goes back to the Mesopotamian and Indus Civilization, perhaps the successive waves of Aryan that swept through Mesopotamia and Indus may have picked up these traditions from the people they conquered as they moved on into India.
Lumbini is mentioned in ancient manuscripts in the Island as well as in many early Chinese and Tibetan writings. An early Chinese translation describing the large numbers of the Great Chaitiyas in ancient India states “ First is in the city of Kia-pi-lo[ Kapilawastu] in the Gardens of Lu-mi-ni [ Lumbini]on the spot where the Buddha was born”. Fah Hien and Huen Tsian visited lumbini in the 5th and 7th Cent AD. Fah Hien description is brief. But Huen Tsian provided a detail description of the site. His descriptions of the birth place starts where the Maya Devi bathed prior to the birth of Sidartha ending with the pillar. The position of each and every event during the birth of Buddha was marked by a Stupa. He writes “ Here is the bathing tank of the Sakayas…..To the north of this, a stupa built by Asoka Raja on the spot where the baby Prince was bathed…. Etc.
The Mother Maya is seated or standing on a lotus, which is long regarded as a sacred plant, the lotus and its flower aptly symbolizes life’s fulfillment. With its roots in the earth, its stem in water, its blossoms in the air, and blooming in the rays of the sun, the lotus thus symbolizes four elements. It is also a symbol of rebirth; its seeds pass from the air to the water and then into earth where they germinate. It also symbolises purity as well as Nirvana- the spiritual goal of Buddhism
Ananda Coomaraswamy an authority of ancient eastern art totally agrees with this interpretation to quote ‘but at the same time the origin of this formula in his view was nothing specifically or originally Buddhist in early imagery, whether visual or verbal. For the artists before Buddha this meant the miraculous birth witnessed every morning when Ushas rose from the ocean and the mystic Bramha Lotus, the creators throne unfolded its rosy petals. Usha was the celestial maiden who opened the doors of the sky and was bathed by Indra’s elephants, the rain clouds. In Buddhist times the meaning of the myth changed. Brahma is dethroned and Ushas become the mother of the blessed one under the name of Maha Maya Devi, the great illusion, the cause of pain and sorrow, from which the Buddha showed the way to light. . Maya devi cult as a mother God was worshipped in many South- East Asian countries.
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| Fig. 3 | Tissamaharama-Coin | |
The famous Paleolithic sculpture Venus of Willendorf and Luussel are parallels of the mother god Image in Europe. Images of naked female figures found in India may well depict a mother goddess. Two such examples of pregnant females are depicted on copper struck coins found at Akurugoda, Tissamaharama.The reverse of the coin has a railed swastika , the Royal emblem of the Sinhala King. This may have been the imagination of the minter of the coin or the engraver, but the inspiration had been the Fertility the continuation of the human race or the worship of the cult of Maya devi.[ Fig 3].
This subject was later interpreted with matriarchal elements had won over by identifying the mother goddess with the wife or mother of some male Gods examples of which are Pravati the wife of Siva and Lakshmi for Vishnu.[ Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline-DD Kosambi]. This symbolizes Lakshmi, the bright goddess of the day, greeting her consort Vishnu, the preserver as he rises victorious from his conflict with the spirits of darkness and bringing with her the nectar of immortality from the cosmic ocean” as worded in the Handbook of Indian art.
The earliest art of these design is found in India are on the seals of the court of Vadrantapa 6th Cent AD. On paleographic evidence the year 500 AD has been put down approximate terminus ante queen of these seals found in India. Ananda Coomaraswamy writes in1927 “ The nativity of the Buddha represented by a figure of Maya devi seated or standing on a lotus with or without elephants pouring water from a inverted jar….. but after the third century AD disappear from Buddhist… art and invariably represent the Hindu goddess Sri or Laksmi. Thus it is evident that the figure of Laksmi referred to by Codrinton will not rightly fit into the frame as our plaques undoubtedly date back to a period of great activity in Ceylon during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.
Most Sri lankan coins of this period symbolized the main events of the life of Buddha. The Multi strike Elephant and swastika coins, the four main events are symbolized by the Elephant, the Bodhi Tree in enclosure, the Railed Swastica and the Chaitiya is emblematical of his birth, his reaching enlightenment, his promulgation of the doctrine and his decease.. The small Elephant and Swastica coin represents the birth of Buddha , and the Tree and Swatica Coin the attainment. Perhaps the Chaitiya under the Lion in Lion and swastika the Nirvana.
The two Elephants may represent Rain clouds may be associated with the last of Buddha’s incarnations before he was born Goutama in Vessantara Jatakaya. Here he donates the White Elephant who had the magical power of producing rain. This elephant curved in and around the pond at Meghagiri[ Mountain of Clouds] now known as Issurimuniya , with the statues of Angi and Parjanya[ Rain God] is believed to represent Clouds.
This Coin of Mayadevi with the railed swastika in the reverse is found in large quantities at most ancient Buddhist sites such as Anuradapura, Tissamaharama, Kantarodi etc. The different types are shown on Table 1. Though buried for over a two thousand years some coins display intricate design of miniature art. Few show signs that they had been worn as talismans as indicated by the hole drilled in them. There are many variations and denominations of these coins which the collectors look for .The current price for a good piece is between Rs 1000/ to Rs 2000/.
This symbol[the Birth of Buddha] in also found on the coins found at the great Buddhist centres in India along the Uttarapatha,the northern trade route to Persia and beyond and mainly on the Dakinapatha the Southern Trade Route to South India. Along with this symbol is found the symbols - Tree in enclosure, the Elephant etc which are commom to Sri Lankan Coins. Few examples of these coins from the catalogue of Coins of Ancient India by J Allen belong to the 3 -1 Cent BC is shown in Table 2
STANDARD TYPES OF COINS SYMBOLISING BIRTH OF BUDDHA
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Type |
Size |
Obverse |
Reverse |
Photos and sketch of Ms Chandrika Jayasinghe. |
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TYPE I Cast coins of an alloy of lead, copper and other metals. |
Six denomination standard and sizes From over 20 gms to |
Standing Female facing front standing on lotus |
A Railed Swactica turning right, rare case left . Various symbol on either side of railing affixed to swastica |
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TYPE II. Struck coins on copper on rectangular plague |
Two or three denominations |
Same as above |
Same as above |
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TYPE III |
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Female figure seated on large lotusgrasping in her handsstalks springing from either side of flower beneath her and endingabout then level of the soulders, on which satnds twomelephants sprinkling water over the head |
A swastica mounted on shaft surrounded by a railing indicated by four strokes., beneath is a structure with 3 horizontle lines. |
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TYPE IV |
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Female figure re-struck on Elephant & swastika Multi strike Coins, |
Railed Swastika and other symbols found. |
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TYPE V |
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Seated female figure above level of shoulder in a small blossom , upon each stands a two elephants sprinkling water over the head of figure. |
Similar to Type I & II |
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Inscribed Coins 1 |
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Female standing facing front. Two elephants sprinkling water from either side |
Swastica Inscribed Sujatpusara |
Tissamaharama |
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Inscribed Conin 2 |
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Female standing facing front. Two elephants sprinkling water. |
Inscription Nata atapanaya |
Tissamaharama < |
Table 1- Coins Found in the Island.
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PROVENANCE |
WT |
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OBVERSE |
REVERSE |
INSCRIBED? |
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Ayodaya 2 Cent BC J Allen Pg 133 |
74 grs |
0.9 in |
Elephant facing left. Inscrition |
A seated figure of Maya sprinkled by a pot over her held by two Elephants. |
Sivadatasa |
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Kausambi 3 Cent BC J Allen Pg 149 |
100 grs |
1.1 in |
Tree in railing and three other symbols found on PMCs. |
A seated figure of Maya sprinkled by a pot over her held by two Elephants. |
un-inscribed |
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Matura 1 Cent BC. J Allen pg 187 |
92 grs |
0.7 in |
Female standing between two symbols |
A Female standing anointed by two elephants |
Mahakhatapanasa Rajuvulasa |
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Matura 1 Cent BC. J Allen Pg 190 |
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Female standing between two symbols |
figure standing sprinkled by two elephants of pedestal |
Makhatapasa putasa Khaapasa Sodasasa |
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Ayodaya Pg 131 J Allen.
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56 grs |
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female standing facing. Elephants on either side on pedestal anointing her |
Five symbol , ncluding Tree in enclosure |
Visakhadeva |
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Ujjayini J Allen Pg 252 |
59 Gr |
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Female seated facing, Tree in enclosure and 8 spoked wheel ending in arrow heads |
Ujjain symbol |
No Inscription |
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Table 2 - Coins found in India