Kneeling and Seated Mourners

Buddhism is the name of the religious system founded in the 6th century B.C.E. by Siddhartha Gautama (also known as Shakyamuni), an Indian prince from a small kingdom bordering present-day Nepal. Having abandoned the pleasures of the royal court to search for the true meaning of life, Siddhartha achieved nirvana, or enlightenment, one night, while meditating under a banyan tree. He conceived a doctrine, known as the Middle Path, to free humanity from its suffering. This teaching rejects the extremes of indulgence and asceticism in favor of a life of good intentions, with the ultimate goal of achieving enlightenment —release from the endless cycle of birth and rebirth in this world.

> This scene of seated and kneeling mourners and elephants is most likely the lower register of a relief carving depicting the parinirvana or Death of the Buddha, in which Siddhartha—having achieved final extinction of all earthly desire thereby achieving perfect enlightenment—lies on his funeral couch surrounded by his mourning disciples.