The Buddha and the Sacred Site

This image of the Buddha, shown performing the earth-touching gesture (bhumisparsha mudra), evokes Bodh Gaya, the place of the Buddha's enlightenment. The carving in the lower register shows the earth as a female with a water vessel, who witnesses the enlightenment. To the right is a kneeling male figure holding a flower garland, enacting a pilgrimage custom. The Bodhi Tree, under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, is indicated by leafy branches that curl above the figure of the Buddha. The abraded surface of this relief suggests that it received repeated touching and libations in the course of rituals.