68. The Bodhisattva receives the russet monks frock
And again the Bodhisattva thought: "What has the life of a wandering monk to do with ka,cika-clothing? It would be well that I got russet garments suitable to wear in the forest". Thereupon the thought came to the Quddhavasakayika gods: '`The Bodhisattva is in need of russet garments." Then one of the gods sons put off his divine form and stood, in the shape of a hunter in russet dress, before the Bodhisattva. Then said the Bodhisattva unto him: "If thou, worthy man, givest me thy russet dress, Iwillgive thee these ka`~ika-garments". He answered: "Those garments suit you and these suit me". The Bodhisattva said: "Iimplorethee."Then the gods son in hunter's dress gave the russet clothes to the Bodhisattva and received the kac,ika-robes. And the gods son respectfully, with both hands, placed the garments upon his head and departed to the world of gods to adore them. Now this was seen by Chandaka. (225: 20).
The sculptor has taken no notice of the last statement. On one of the Gandhara-reliefs we can see Chandaka present at the exchange of clothes I). He is not given a place on this Barabudur scene, nor do we find further on, any trace of the lengthy episode, related in the text, of his return to Cuddhodana's court (p. 229—237). It is just possible that the words "Now this was seen by Chandaka", may have been added later to the text 2) and we might suppose that this addition did not appear in the text used for the Barabudur reliefs. However this conclusion is not necessary, for the sculptor makes free too with another detail in the exchange of clothing; the text speaks expressly of a gods son in the shape of a hunter and the Gandhara-relief actually lays some game at his feet, while at Barabud. ur the artist has not taken the trouble to disguise him and he hands over the garment in his ordinary divine costume.
The righthand side of the relief is taken up by scenery; rocks and trees, animated with a pair of birds and a den in which two tigers lie asleep. On the left of them stands the Bodhisattva, rather dilapidated and headless; he is of course in his undergarments, just receiving the monk's frock from the hands of the god's son who stands opposite to him, separated by a large incense-stand. Behind him kneels another god with some object that is broken off, on Wilsen's drawing a flower; behind stands a third with a bowl of flowers and then comes a whole group seated, many of them with gifts of honor in the hand, up to the edge of the relief, and a tree or two in the background. As seen above, the text makes no mention of all this godly company.