Eight Great Events

The ''Eight Great Events'' (''ashtammaha-pratharya'') are a set of episodes in the life of Gautama Buddha that by the time of the Pala Empire of North India around the 9th century had become established as the standard group of narrative scenes to encapsulate the Buddha's life and teachings. As such they were frequently represented in Buddhist art, either individually or as a group, and recounted and interpreted in Buddhist discourses.

The ''Eight Great Events'' are: the ''Birth of the Buddha'', the '' Enlightenment'', the ''First Sermon'', the ''Monkey's offering of honey'', the ''Taming of Nalagiri the elephant'', the ''Descent from Tavatimsa Heaven'', the ''Miracle at Sravasti'' and his death or ''Parinirvana''. Each event had taken place at a specific location, which had become a place of pilgrimage, and there was a matching set of " Eight Great Places", ''"Attha-mahathanani"'' in Pali, where the events took place. Apart from his birth in modern Nepal (just, some 10 km from the border), all the events took place in Bihar or Uttar Pradesh in north-east India.

Before and after this period there were other groupings, both smaller and larger, with 4, 5, 20, and other much larger groups found. A grouping of four events, the ''Birth, Enlightenment, First Sermon'' and ''Death'' was the most prominent, consisting of very important life-events. Larger groups, such as the 43 on the 20th-century ''Ivory carved tusk depicting Buddha life stories'' in New Delhi, tend to have more from the Buddha's early life. A 15th-century Tibetan painted thanka has 32 scenes, of which 15 precede the Enlightenment.

A common iconography for steles in relief had a larger central Buddha figure, normally showing the ''Enlightenment'', surrounded by smaller scenes showing the others. The death, with a reclining Buddha, is normally at the top, over the larger figure, with the rest three high on each side. In small versions of such a scheme the space available means that events are distinguished largely by the ''mudra'' or hand gesture of the Buddha. Sets of paintings, which only survive from rather later, show all eight at similar sizes.

Arrangement and iconography

The iconography of the events reflects the elaborated versions of the Buddha's life story that had become established from about 100 AD in Gandharan art and elsewhere, such as Sanchi and Barhut, and were given detailed depictions in cycles of scenes, typically rectangular, on the many spaces provided by large stupas and other Buddhist constructions. From early on, the accounts of some events varied considerably. Small reliefs only allow very compact depictions of the scenes, with very few if any other figures than the Buddha. These are simplified versions of much larger relief sculptures of each individual event. Larger depictions, such as paintings, are by contrast often crowded with other figures.

Apart from the ''Birth'' and ''Death'', the other events divide into two scenes where the Buddha is normally standing, the ''Descent'' and taming Nalagiri, leaving four where he is sitting in a meditation position, although in ''The Monkey's offering'' he is sometimes seated on something, with his legs coming down. The steles are typically arranged with the horizontal scene of the death across the top, above the main image, then the two scenes where Buddha stands the highest on each side. The ''Birth'' is normally at the bottom of one side, more often the viewer's left, and the meditating scenes fill the other spaces, including the larger main image.

A bronze model stupa from 8th or 9th-century Nalanda has the events arranged around a middle drum section. Later works, from the following centuries and several different countries, continue the broad stele format with variations, and often differences in the scenes depicted.

; Relief groups with the Eight Great Events

File:MET 11r1 61B (cropped).jpg, Stele of the eight events, 10th-century, perhaps from Nalanda pilgrim souvenir of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya, 11th century, 6.7 inches high.
File:Seated Buddha presented to President John F. Kennedy by Jawaharlal Nehru (cropped).jpg, 11th-century, Bihar, 22 inches high. A diplomatic gift from Jawaharlal Nehru to President Kennedy
File:Eight Great Events Stele MET DP-592-001 (cropped).jpg, 11th or 12th-century, Bihar, 10 inches high
File:Buddhist stone sculpt NMND-5 (cropped).JPG, Pala, 12th-century, 47.5 cm high
File:WLA vanda Scenes from the Life of the Buddha Steatite Pagan Burma.jpg, Pagan, Burma, 12th-century stone stele

The events

Birth of the Buddha

Queen Maya, mother of the Buddha, was returning to her parent's home to give birth. She stopped for a walk in the park or grove at Lumbini, now in Nepal. Reaching up to hold a bough of a sal tree (''Shorea robusta''), labour began. Maya standing with her right hand over her head, holding a curving bough, is the indispensable part of the iconography; this was a pose familiar in Indian art, often adopted by yakshini tree-spirits. Maya's feet are usually crossed, giving a graceful tribhanga pose. The Buddha emerged miraculously from her side, which is usually shown in small depictions with him as though flying. In larger ones two male figures stand to the left, representing the Vedic gods Indra, who reaches out to hold the baby, and Brahma standing behind him. Maya's sister Pajapati may support her to the right, and maids may stand on the right, and apsaras or other spirits hover above.

The Buddha was able to stand and take seven steps almost immediately, ending by standing on a lotus flower, and the baby standing on this may be shown; in East Asia this subject became popular by itself, the most famous and one of the earliest at the Todaiji in Nara, Japan. ''Buddha's first bath'' is also sometimes shown in the same scene; two Nagaraja (Nāga kings) perform the bathing, and maids may attend. Symbolic re-enactments of this form part of the rituals celebrating Buddha's birthday or Vesak in many countries.

File:Four Scenes from the Life of the Buddha - Birth of the Buddha - Kushan dynasty, late 2nd to early 3rd century AD, Gandhara, schist - Freer Gallery of Art - DSC05128.JPG, Kushan dynasty, Gandhara. At right two female Nāgas stand ready for the bath.
File:Clevelandart 1959.349.jpg, Pala Empire, c. 800. Indra holds the standing baby at left.
File:La naissance de Siddartha (Vat Mai, Luang Prabang) (4337271339).jpg, Wood relief from Laos
File:Swayabhunath Temple-IMG 3406.jpg, ''Seven Steps'', Kathmandu, Nepal

Enlightenment of the Buddha

This took place at Bodh Gaya, under the famous Bodhi Tree, a probable descendent of which survives beside the Mahabodhi Temple. Buddhist tradition recounts that the enlightment was preceded by the "assault of Mara", a demon king, who challenged the Buddha's right to acquire the powers that enlightenment brought, and asked him for a witness to attest his right to achieve it. In reply Buddha touched the ground with his right hand outstretched, asking Pṛthivi, the devi of the earth, to witness his enlightenment, which she did.

The foliage of the Bodhi Tree may be shown above Buddha's head. Buddha is always shown seated in the lotus position, reaching the fingers of his right hand down to touch the ground, which is called the ''bhūmisparśa'' or "earth witness" mudra. Larger depictions may show Mara and his army of demons, or his three beautiful daughters, who attempt to prevent the Buddha's enlightenment by distracting him from meditation with seductive movements; modern South-East Asian depictions of this can be rather lurid.

This event in Buddha's life is most commonly the large central scene in groups, as in the Jagdispur stele, where dozens of small demons surround the Buddha.

File:MaraAssault.jpg, An aniconic representation of Mara's assault on the Buddha, with an empty throne, 2nd century, Amaravati style, India
File:MAK - I 10198.jpg, Assault of Mara, Gandhara
File:Versuchung des Buddha Museum Rietberg RVI 25.jpg, Temptations of the daughters of Mara, Gandhara
File:FireLanceAndGrenade10thCenturyDunhuang.jpg, Detail of painting on silk, Mogao Caves, 10th-century.

Buddha's first sermon

This is also known as the "Sermon in the Deer Park", and is recorded in the text called the ''Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta'' ("The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of the Dharma Sutta"). Among other key Buddhist doctrines it set out the Four Noble Truths and the Middle Way. It was delivered at Sarnath, some weeks after his enlightenment, to five named disciples, who may be shown if they can be fitted in. Buddha is seated, normally in the lotus position, and his hands are always shown in the Mudra#Dharmachakra Pravartana Mudrā, ''Dharmachakra Pravartana Mudrā'', where his two hands mime his metaphor of "setting in motion the Wheel of the Dharma". This is generally only used in images of the Buddha when representing this moment.

This or the ''Enlightenment'' are usually the main large scene in stele groups. In larger groups a wheel may figure, as in Buddha Preaching his First Sermon (Sarnath), a 5th-century stele at Sarnath, and sometimes one or two deer, referring to the location. These may be on the front of the base of Buddha's throne, where the disciples may also appear, much smaller than the Buddha.

File:Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath. Gandhara.Met.jpg, The Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath. Gandhara
File:Gautama Buddha first sermon in Sarnath.jpg, The Buddha's first sermon at Sarnath. Gandhara

The monkey's offering

This took place during the Parileyyakka Retreat at Vaishali. It is also called the ''Monkey's Offering of Honey''. A monkey offers honey to Buddha, who is shown in the lotus position, with his begging bowl in his lap. In some versions the Buddha initially rejected the honey because it had bee larvae, ants or other insects in it, but after the monkey carefully removed these with a twig his gift was accepted.

It is the most obscure of the events, and relatively uncommonly depicted before it became one of the ''Eight Great Events'' around the 8th century. It is also rather unclear from the texts why it is connected to Vaishali, but this was an important city with other connections with the Buddha, who preached his last sermon there. He left his begging bowl in the city when he departed, and this, which became an important cetiya or relic, is the indispensable identifying element in the most reduced images, when even the monkey is not shown. The monkey may be shown, and also an elephant who also protected Buddha and gave him water. Each of these had divergent and initially unhappy after-stories. The monkey, overcome with excitment when his gift is accepted, fell or jumped down a well in some versions, but was later saved and turned into a deva, or was reborn as a human who joined Buddha's sangha as a monk.

File:Door casing life of the Buddha Guimet MA18849 n02.jpg, One of the few Gandharan depictions of the money offering honey. His gift accepted, the monkey dances excitedly.
File:Indian Museum Sculpture - Buddha with Bowl, 10c, Bihar (9217927185).jpg, Buddha with small monkey at left; both have bowls.

Taming Nalagiri the elephant

The Buddha's cousin and brother-in-law Devadatta is portrayed in Buddhist tradition as an evil and schismatic figure. He is said to have attempted to kill Buddha by setting the ferocious elephant Nalagiri on Buddha, at Rajgir. Buddha pacifies the elephant, who kneels before him. Buddha is usually shown standing, with his hand in the ''abhayamudra'', with his right hand held open and the palm vertical. The elephant is usually much smaller, often at the scale of a small dog compared to Buddha, and shown bowing to Buddha. Sometimes a small figure of Ananda, a close disciple, stands by Buddha, as in some texts of the story he remained with Buddha during the episode.

File:Indian Museum Sculpture - Subjugation of Nalagiri, 2c, Mathura (9218037271).jpg, Nalagiri subdued, rear of a pillar with the Bhuteswar Yakshis, 2nd century.
File:Periodo pre-murya, sculture dallo stupa buddista di amaravati, presso guntur, a. pradesh, addomesticamento dell'elefante nalagiri, 150 dc ca. 01.jpg, Amaravarti, c. 150
File:Subjugation of Nalagiri by Buddha - Yu Suf Zai - Gandhara - Indian Museum - Kolkata 2012-11-16 1921.JPG, Subjugation of Nalagiri by the Buddha, Gandhara
File:64. Buddha-10th century CE-Basalt- Bihar-3769-A25153--Sculpture Gallery of Indian Museum-Kolkata-West Bengal.jpg, ''Taming Nalagiri the elephant'', who appears at hedgehog size at left, with Ananda at right.

Descent from Tavatimsa Heaven

Some years after his enlightenment, Buddha visited the Tavatimsa heaven, where he was joined by his mother (from the Tushita heaven). For three months he taught her the Abhidhamma doctrine, before descending again to earth at Sankassa. Larger depictions show the Buddha descending the central one of three ladders or steps, often attended by Indra and Brahma, lords of the Tavatimsa heaven, who may remain at the top of any steps, but in simplified depictions they flank a standing Buddha on either side, at a much smaller scale, sometimes one holding a parasol over the Buddha. Buddha makes the ''varadamudra''. A small figure of the nun Utpalavarana may be waiting for the Buddha below. The event is still celebrated in Tibet, in a festival called Lhabab Duchen.

File:Bharhut Ajatasattu Pillar - Descent From Tavatimsa.jpg, Descent from Tavatimsa Heaven, in Bharhut, 2nd-1st century BC (aniconic)
File:Buddha Panel from Afghanistan.jpg, Descent from Tavatimsa Heaven, in the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara.
File:Life Scenes of Buddha - Birth-Enlightenment-Descent from Heaven-First Sermon-Passing Away - Circa 2nd Century CE - Rajghat - ACCN 00-H-1 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5843.JPG, Descent from Tavatimsa Heaven (central scene), 2nd century AD, Mathura.

Miracle at Shravasti

This is also called the Twin Miracle, performed at Shravasti (Sravasti etc). In a "miracle contest" with the Six Heretical Teachers, the Buddha performed two miracles. The first and more commonly depicted is known as the "multiplication of Buddhas", where Buddha baffles the others by multiplying his form into several Buddhas, who preach to the assembled crowd. In small pieces, however, only one Buddha figure may be shown.

In the other, Buddha makes flames rise up from his upper body, while water flows from the lower parts. This is more rarely depicted, with only five reliefs known from Gandhara. The depiction indicates both elements by patterns on the relief, with the Buddha standing with his hand in the ''abhayamudra''. Another miracle, with the miraculous growth of a mango tree, is shown in earlier reliefs at Sanchi, but not in depictions of the ''Eight Great Events''.

File:Buddha in Multiplied Forms - Miracle of Sravasti - Saranath - Uttar Pradesh - Indian Museum - Kolkata 2012-11-16 1995.JPG, The ''Multiplication of Buddhas'', Sarnath, 5th-century
File:Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sravasti Miracle.jpeg, The ''Multiplication of Buddhas'', manuscript illustration, Nalanda

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