112—114. The Buddha is received in various cities

Then the Tathagata went to Rohitavastu, then to Uruvilvakalpa, then to Anala and then to the city of Sarathi. In all these places the Tathagata was invited by the heads of families to partake of food and to stay. Thus he came gradually to the banks of the river Ganges (406: 1 9).

The Buddha, according to the text, is entertained in four cities and we are given a picture of no less than three receptions. Unrestricted by the text, the sculptor is free to use his own taste in the manner and design of his scene. He gives us three quite distinct reliefs, finely conceived and varying in detail.

112. On this relief the Buddha sits on a plain throne quite to the right under a canopy supported by columns. Near to the left is a pendapa decorated with flowers and garlands, in which on a bench a copious meal is set forth, the large ball of rice in the centre with numerous small dishes round it of sambalans and other delicacies. An umbrella is fixed up in the middle of the pendapa; on the other side of it three men are seated, two of them with a dish of food or gifts, maybe money bags and fruit for dessert. Then outside the pendapa three women approach, a fourth is kneeling, the front one has a dish with a cake or a wreath, the second an object broken off a stick, perhaps a fly-whisk, the third has a small dish from which something has been knocked off, perhaps a jug. Quite on the left' just to shew it is a city, we see a small building in the simplest style of temple with fly-whisk-ornament on the top.

113. The banquet has not yet begun but the invitation is being given to the Buddha approaching from the right; he stands on the lotus cushion, while a naga kneeling further on the right holds an umbrella over him. The hosts are on the other side of the Buddha, separated from him by an incense-burner; they are two men in handsome clothes accompanied by an umbrella-bearer, the front one kneels with his hands on the ground, the second sits, making a sembah. Behind stand two women, one with what looks like a mirror, the other with a fly-whisk. Next we see the throne ready for the Buddha, large and wide, the legs with small standing lions, and the back with little rampant lions on an elephants head at the sides, on the seat a large cushion with smaller lotus cushion on it, the back of the throne ornamented with arabesques terminating in a makara-head; the canopy spreads above it all, waving with pennons. On the other side of the throne some male and female followers stand and sit; one of the latter holds an incense-burner and fan.

114. This last scene is very simply designed. The Buddha in the centre on an ordinary kind of chair with back, his right hand in vitarka-mudra; on the left a standard with a perfume homage piled up in a pyramid shape, then the citizens who receive him, men to the right, women to the left, in a standing and a sitting row. Among the men is an umbrella-bearer; the front one sitting holds an incense burner with a handle, the front standing one, a bowl and brush. Several others, especially women!), have the usual dishes with food, flowers and other gifts.