Dipankara Buddha and the Prophecy of Sumedha
Style
Burmese Buddhist narrative art depicting Dipankara Buddha (Dīpaṅkara) and the celebrated prophecy of Sumedha, the ascetic destined to become Gautama Buddha. According to Buddhist tradition, Sumedha encountered Dipankara and, in an extraordinary act of devotion, lay across a muddy road so that the Buddha could pass without stepping into the mud. Recognising the purity of his aspiration, Dipankara foretold Sumedha's future Buddhahood.
The subject expresses the continuity of the Buddha lineage and the ideals of devotion, sacrifice, aspiration and the Bodhisattva path. It is a particularly meaningful theme in Buddhist narrative art, illustrating the beginning of Gautama Buddha's extraordinarily long journey toward enlightenment.
Period
Early Konbaung Period, late 18th–mid-19th Century, Burma (Myanmar). The early Konbaung and Amarapura periods saw the continued development of Burmese Buddhist sculpture, with bronze remaining an important medium for both devotional images and narrative representations.
Material
Cast bronze with an aged surface.
Size
Length: approximately 20 cm.
Provenance
Belgian collection
Condition
Good