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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XXI. 



framework of the figure is in the Perso -Indian style, at any rate 

 this and the corresponding equestrian figures represent foreign 

 nations, regarded as living far away in the north-west. The 

 whole series of these figures — those mounted on goats and lions — 

 presents a distinct contrast to the Hindus riding on elephants." 



We find, moreover, traces of Greek influence in decorative 

 elements on buildings of the Asoka period, third century b.c. 

 In the Gandhara sculptures of the beginning of the Christian era 

 Greek art more or less of a decadent character predominates. 



Here are a few examples :— 



Slide 5. Birth of the Buddha, representing persons drawing 

 a. curtain round Buddha's mother (Mahamaya Devi), while she 

 is holding the branch of the sal tree to give birth to Buddha. 



Slide 6. Represents angels receiving the child in a golden net. 



Slide 7. Searching the ten directions and finding no one like 

 himself, he took seven strides and sang the song of victory. 



Slide 8. Buddha about to leave the palace. 



Slide 9. Channa bringing out the horse Kanthaka. 



Slide 10. The renunciation. 



Slide 11. Buddha preaching. 



Slide 12. Buddha's Mahaparinirvana. 



Slide 13. Buddha's Mahaparinirvana witl^sdla trees, between 

 which the couch was prepared. 



The Gandhara school of Indian art , to which all these sculptures 

 belong, flourished during the first four centuries of the Christian era. 



The development of this art from Greek, Roman, and even 

 Christian patterns has been fully discussed : it is superfluous to 

 dwell upon it here. 



My object in showing these examples is simply to point out the 

 fact that though they are the results of foreign influence, yet the 

 artists who produced them were not foreigners. They belonged to 

 one of the North-west Indian tribes, whose religion was Buddhism ; 

 and this must be borne in mind in considering the antiquity of stone 

 architecture in India. 



Let us now revert to the early Indian school. 



As stated before, no monuments of any importance belonging 

 to this school have yet been discovered either in India or in Ceylon 

 which can be ascribed to a period anterior to the time of As6ka or 

 Devanampiya Tissa ; that is to say, anterior to the first half of the 

 third century b.c. The earliest monuments belong to the As6ka 

 period , and they consist of stambhas, stupas, ehaityas, vilidras, &c. 



Slide 14. Pillars, most of them monolithic, with lion or 

 elephant capitals surmounted by religious symbols such as the 

 dharma chakra, "the wheel of the law." Copies of them may be 

 seen carved on the Sanchi gateways. 



Some of the finest pillars were those erected by As6ka, 

 either to proclaim his Government policy, or to commemorate an 

 important event connected with his religion, which was Buddhism. 



