Indo Hellinistic Influences on Borobudur Design?

Dr Uday Dokras Phd Stockholm, SWEDEN’

The mystery of the design elements and creation of the design have fascinated may authors least
of all me. This and that,up and down, local and foreign all kinds of influences have been
attributed to the design. This is the advantage a monument with almst no record has- it stimulates
discussion. How boring it would have been to have an inscription in f ront of the Stupa tell us all.

READ MY PAPERS ON BOROBUDUR for more INFORMATION all on

academia.edu & researchgate.net
1. Gunadharma
2. DID BOROBUDUR GET INSPIRED FROM INDIAN STUPAS
3. From darkness into light --the Idea of Gunadarma behind the design of Borobudur Dr
uday Dokras
4. Borobudur BIG BUDDHA as a complete exposition of doctrine
5. Who Built BOROBUDUR(long)
6. Who built Borobudur (SHORT)
7. The river Saraswati and the Goddess Tara in Buddhism and Hinduism
8. The Mystery of the Saraswati - Dr Uday Dokras and ms Wasudha Korke
9. Cakravartinship of Buddha Maitreya
10. VERTICAL COSMOLOGY OF BOROBUDUR
11. Battle for the Maitreya Buddha
12. Is Borobudur waiting for the Maitreya Buddha
13. THE PATH of the BUDDHA and of the Borobudur temple
14. Spiritual Tech at Borobudur
15. Indian design Influences on Indonesian Stupas

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 16. Gunadharma
17. Grand iteration of Buddhist Monumentation and world heritage site DID BOROBUDUR
GET INSPIRED FROM INDIAN STUPAS
18. From darkness into light --the Idea of Gunadharma behind the design of Borobudur
19. Borobudur BIG BUDDHA as a complete exposition of doctrine
20. DID BOROBUDUR GET INSPIRED FROM INDIAN STUPAS?
21. The Mound and Ruins of the Square Plan stone temple in India
22. Mount Meru and SE asian art
23. Cosmology Shapes Design of Angkor Wat Temple
24. Cosmology of the Abhidharma
25. Will the real soovarna bhoomi please stand up
26. Tamils constructed Angkor ????
27. French Cousine in the Angkor Plains
28. Mount Kailash is MOUNT MERU Lord Shiva
29. books n papers on BOROBUDUR written by Dr Uday Dokras
30. Hetroclite Monument Borobodur

Traditional accounts say that, around 589 BCE, Siddhartha Gautama, ( Lord of Kapilavastu) a
young prince who saw the suffering of the world and wanted to end it, reached the forested banks
of the Phalgu river, near the city of Gaya, India. There he sat in meditation under a peepul tree
(Ficus religiosa or Sacred Fig) which later became known as the Bodhi tree. According to
Buddhist scriptures, after three days and three nights, Siddharta attained enlightenment and the
answers that he had sought. In that location, Mahabodhi Temple was built by Emperor Ashoka in
around 260 BCE.

In approximately 250 BCE, about 200 years after the Buddha attained Enlightenment,
Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire visited Bodh Gaya in order to establish
a monastery and shrine on the holy site, which have today disappeared.
There remains however the Diamond throne, which he had established at the foot of the Bodhi
tree. The Diamond throne, or Vajrasana, is thought to have been built by Emperor Ashoka of
the Maurya Empire between 250 and 233 BCE, at the location where the Buddha reached
enlightenment. It is worshiped today, and is the center of many festivities at the temple.
Representations of the early temple structure meant to protect the Bodhi tree are found at Sanchi,
on the toraṇas of Stūpa I, dating from around 25 BCE, and on a relief carving from the stupa
railing at Bhārhut, from the early Shunga period (c. 185–c. 73 BCE
While Asoka is considered the Mahabodhi temple's founder, the current pyramidal structure
dates from the Gupta Empire, in the 5th–6th century CE.
However this may represent a restoration of earlier work of the 2nd or 3rd century: a plaque
from Kumrahar dated 150–200 CE, based on its dated Kharoshthi inscriptions and combined
finds of Huvishka coins, already shows the Mahabodhi Temple in its current shape with a
stepped truncated pyramid and a small hemispherical stupa with finals on top. This is confirmed
by archaeological excavations in Bodh Gaya.

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The stupa finial on top of the pyramidal structure. Images of the site include Avalokiteśvara (Padmapani,
Khasarpana), Vajrapani, Tara, Marichi, Yamantaka, Jambhala and Vajravārāhī. Images
of Vishnu, Shiva, Surya and other Vedic deities are also associated with the site.

It is thought that the temple in the shape of a truncated pyramid was derived from the design of
the stepped stupas which had developed in Gandhara. The Mahabodhi Temple adapted the
Gandharan design of a succession of steps with niches containing Buddha images, alternating

3
with Greco-Roman pillars, and top by a stupa, as seen in the stupas of Jaulian. The structure is
crowned by the shape of an hemispherical stupa topped by finials, forming a logical elongation
of the stepped Gandharan stupas.
This truncated pyramid design also marked the evolution from the aniconic stupa dedicated to
the cult of relics, to the iconic temple with multiple images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. This
design was very influential in the development of later Hindu temples. The "shikhara" tower with
an amalaka near the top is today considered more characteristic of Hindu temples.
The Temple was restored by the British and India post independence.
A R C H I T E C T U R E

Artist: Crockatt, James (1755/6-1804)

Medium:  Watercolour- Watercolour drawing of the Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya in
Bihar, by James Crockatt (1755/6-1804), c. 1800. Inscribed on back in ink: 'East
view of the Hindoo temple at Bode-Gya, in the neighbourhood of Gya in Behar';'
taken by Capt. Crokatt.'

Mahabodhi Temple is constructed of brick and is one of the oldest brick structures to have
survived in eastern India. It is considered to be a fine example of Indian brickwork, and was
highly influential in the development of later architectural traditions. According to UNESCO,
"the present temple is one of the earliest and most imposing structures built entirely in brick
from Gupta period" (300–600 CE). Mahabodhi Temple's central tower rises 55 metres (180 ft),
and were heavily renovated in the 19th century. The central tower is surrounded by four smaller
towers, constructed in the same style.
The Mahabodhi Temple is surrounded on all four sides by stone railings, about two metres high.

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The railings reveal two distinct types, both in style as well as the materials used. The older ones,
made of sandstone, date to about 150 BCE, and the others, constructed from unpolished
coarse granite, are believed to be of the Gupta period. The older railings have scenes such
as Lakshmi, the Hindu/Buddhist goddess of wealth, being bathed by elephants; and Surya, the
Hindu sun god, riding a chariot drawn by four horses. The newer railings have figures
of stupas (reliquary shrines) and garudas (eagles). Images of lotus flowers also appear
commonly.
Brick was a popular medium for constructing buildings then and examples of brickwork are
found through history as far back as the Bronze Age. The fired-brick faces of the ziggurat of
ancient Dur-Kurigalzu in Iraq date from around 1400 BC, and the brick buildings of
ancient Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan were built around 2600 BC. Much older examples of
brickwork made with dried (but not fired) bricks may be found in such ancient locations
as Jericho in Palestine, Çatal Höyük in Anatolia, and Mehrgarh in Pakistan. These structures
have survived from the Stone Age to the present day.

During the time of the Buddha (c. 563/480 or c. 483/400 BCE), Buddhist monks were also in the
habit of using natural caves, such as the Saptaparni Cave, southwest from Rajgir, Bihar. Many
believe it to be the site in which Buddha spent some time before his death, and where the first
Buddhist council was held after the Buddha died (paranirvana). The Buddha himself had also
used the Indrasala Cave for meditation, starting a tradition of using caves, natural or man-made,
as religious retreats, that would last for over a millennium. During the Mauryan period, rock-cut
caves were generally used as viharas, i.e. living quarters, by the Jain also. While the early caves
were used by the ajivika sect, later, they became popular as Buddhist monasteries. The caves
during Mauryan period were marked by a highly polished finish of the interior walls and
decorative gateways.

The construction of rock caves continued in Post-Mauryan period as in the Mauryan period.
However, this period saw the development of two types of rock caves – Chaitya and Vihar.
While the Vihars were residential halls for the Buddhist and Jain monks and were developed
during the time of the Mauryan Empire, the Chaitya halls were developed during this time. They
were mainly quadrangular chambers with flat roofs and used as prayer halls. The caves also had
open courtyards and stone screen walls to shield from rain. They were also decorated with
human and animal figures.

Comparing the significant features of Jaina and Buddhist rock-cut cave architecture one finds
that…

 Jaina caves were cut in sandstone which is easy to cut but not good for sculpting. But
Buddhist caves were cut into hard rocks and were better for sculpting.
 The Jaina caves had no congregation halls or rock cut shrines. Later, however, some cells
were enlarged into shrines. The Buddhist caves on the other hand had clear halls and the
shrine area.
 The Jaina cave cells were cut wherever the rock permitted. There was no planning. The
Buddhist cave structure on the other hand was well laid out.
 The Jaina caves were simple and reflected the asceticism of jina monks. The cells were
tiny (not tall enough to stand, not long enough to stretch while sleeping, small entrances

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 so as to bend very low).
The only luxury was occasional shelves cut into rocks and sloping floor acting as a pillow
but actually designed to keep of water from accumulating. Only the outer portions were
carved sometimes. The Buddhist caves on the other hand were an elaborate and spacious
affair.
 The Jaina caves are of two types – those without pillars in verandah or those with pillars.
Without pillars had cells cut along three sides of the verandah. Pillars were square at top
and bottom and octagonal at middle.
 In terms of similarities, the sculptures use similar motifs like animals, plants. The
honeysuckle style is similar too. Examples of such caves are Khandgiri and Udaigiri in
Puri

At the time the Borobudur was built, the Mhabodhi temple and the sanchi Stupa were both in
existence and famous sites of Buddhist Pilgrimage. Therefore it would be natural to assume that
both were in the focal point of those who constructed the Borobudur and if so the Gunadharma
the chief architect may have been inspired by it. Gunavarma was an Indian monk from Jibin
(ancient Gandhara). He traveled to Java from Sri Lanka around the beginning of the 5th century
A.D. Not long after his arrival, the Javanese king Po-duo-jia suffered from a foot injury caused
by an arrow in a war. Gunavarma healed the king's injury and won his trust and friendship.
Showing respect and gratitude to Gunavarma, King Po-duo-jia decided to rule his kingdom with
Buddhist belief.

As a Buddhist cakravartin, he gave all his possessions to the poor and the people were ordered to
abstain from killing. The people were also instructed to respect Gunavarma and even to receive
the 5 precepts from him. The Chinese sources do not say that Gunavarma helped King Po-duo-jia
to implement the belief in the descent of Buddharaja Maitreya. However, we may surmise that
Gunavarma did this from the fact that he was officially invited to China by Emperor Wen of the
Song (424-453) and from his activities in the Song. We describe these below. About 9 years after
Faxian had brought the painting of Nagapuspa back to the South, Emperor Wen of the Song
decided to implement the belief as his political ideology. In the 9th month of the first year of the
Yuanjia reign (424), the monks Huiguan and Huicong persuaded the emperor to send letters to
the Javanese king and Gunavarma, respectively, inviting Gunavarma to China. Later, the monks
Fachang, Daochong and Daojun etc., were despatched to bring Gunavarma to China.

Gunavarma arrived in China in the year 431. Another Indian monk, Senghavarma also arrived in
433. Both subsequently translated the Suhrllekha for the emperor. The Suhrlleka was a letter sent
by Nagarjuna to King Satavahana persuading him to practice Buddhism and to implement the
cakravartinship to rule his kingdom. Gunavarma must have been an expert in promoting the
belief in the descent of Buddharaja Maitreya. Otherwise, he would not have been invited by
Emperor Wen of the Song to China. Besides translating the Suhrlleka for Emperor Wen,
Gunavarma was also appointed by him to oversee the ritual of Bodhisattva pratimoksa.
Bodhisattva pratimoksa. is the most important ritual that initiates an emperor to become a
cakravartin or a Buddharaja. Soon after his arrival at the capital of the Song, Gunavarma was
appointed to perform this ritual. But due to an internal revolt that erupted suddenly, Emperor
Wen immediately dropped the idea of becoming a cakravartin/Buddharaja Maitreya.
The Chinese sources tell us that Gunavarma had stayed and preached the Dharma in Sri Lanka

6
for quite a while thus making him an expert in the implementation of the belief and it is likely
that he would have helped the Javanese king to promote it. One can surmise that in 2 succession
of countries he transmitted the belief i.e. to Java from Sri Lanka

Based on inscriptions found on some of the stones of the monument, archaeologists agree that
construction of Borobudur was probably begun around 760 AD and completed by about 830,
the Golden Age of the Sailendra dynasty, under the reign of King Samaratunga. It was King
Dharanindra(775—800) his capital was Mataram, Central Java. He also ruled Srivijaya in
Sumatra, and could have constructed the  Manjusrigrha temple. He is also credited with
conceptualizing and starting the construction of Borobudur (c. 770), He ruled the land identified
as Ligor in Java and Southern Cambodia (Chenla) (c. 790).
Ligor inscription is an 8th-century stone stele or inscription discovered in Ligor, Nakhon Si
Thammarat, Southern Thailand Malay Peninsula. This inscription was written and carved on two
sides, the first part is called-
1. Ligor A inscription, or also known as Viang Sa inscription. Ligor A inscription tell about a
Srivijayan king named Dharmasetu, the king of kings in the world, who built the Trisamaya
caitya for Kajara. while on the other side is called the -
2. Ligor B inscription written in Kawi script dated 775 CE. This B inscription was probably
written by Mahārāja dyāḥ Pañcapaṇa kariyāna Paṇaṃkaraṇa (Panangkaran), king
of Shailendra dynasty. This inscription was connected to the kingdom of Srivijaya and
the Shailendra dynasty.

While the Ligor B inscription, dated 775 CE, written in Kawi script, contains the information
about a king named Visnu who holds the title Sri Maharaja, from Śailendravamśa (Wangsa
Syailendra) hailed as Śesavvārimadavimathana (the slayer of arrogant enemies without any
trace).
The stone inscriptions that point towards the Shailendra Dynasty

According to recovered stone inscriptions from Sumatra, the Shailendra Dynasty may have ruled
the Medang Kingdom of Central Java, as well as the Srivijaya Kingdom in Sumatra. The
Shailendras created stone inscriptions using three languages: Old Javanese, Old Malay and
Sanskrit, in either the Kawi alphabet or pre-Nāgarī script.

This use of different languages has generated speculation of the Shailendras’ possible origins.
The use of Old Javanese seems to establish them politically in Java, whereas their use of Old
Malay seems to place them with Sumatran origin; meanwhile, their use of Sanskrit strongly
indicates the official and/or religious nature of the events described on the inscription stones.

7
Sojomerto inscription (dated 725 CE). Click to enlarge.

The Sojomerto inscription (c. 725 CE) found in the Batang Regency of Central Java had the
names ‘Dapunta Selendra’ and ‘Selendranamah’ inscribed. The name ‘Selendra’, a different
spelling of ‘Shailendra’, suggests that Dapunta Selendra could be the founder of the Shailendras
in Central Java. The inscription suggests that the family were originally Hindu Shaivites, a
dominant school in the Hindu tradition that worships Shiva as their main deity. This practice
took place before their conversion to Mahayana Buddhism.

  Kelurak inscription, displayed at National

Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta
Material-Andesite stone
Writing-Pranagari script in Sanskrit
Created-700 Saka (778 CE)
Discovered-Lumbung temple in Kelurak
village, Klaten Regency, located not far north
of Prambanan temple, Central Java, Indonesia
Present location-National Museum of
Indonesia, Jakarta
Registration-D.44

 There are some different interpretations regarding the king mentioned in Ligor B inscription;
some suggest that the king mentioned in this inscription was King Panangkaran while other
argues that it was his successor, King Dharanindra- commonly known as King Indra was the
ruler of the Sailendra dynasty and who also was the Emperor of Central Java and Srivijaya.
Dharanindra was the successor of Panangkaran, he ruled the kingdom in the period 775- 800. He
was mentioned as a great conqueror and credited for Sailendra's overseas campaign.
He was mentioned in Kelurak inscription dated 782) in his formal reign name Sri Sanggrama
Dhananjaya. In this inscription he was hailed as Wairiwarawiramardana or "the slayer of

8
courageous enemies". The similar title also found in Ligor B inscription discovered in Southern
Thailand Malay Peninsula; Sarwwarimadawimathana, which suggest it referred to the same
person. Dharanindra seems to be a warlike character, as he embarked on military naval
expedition overseas and has brought Sailendras' control on Ligor in Malay Peninsula. After
conquering and taking Ligor back from Water Chenla, he also launched raids against Champa in
774 and 770, and conquered Southern Cambodia in Mekong delta in early 9th century. During
this time, Jayavarman II from Java (Malay Peninsula), was probably the commander of the
Srivijayan army. At the behest of Maharaja Srivijaya (Dharaindra), Jayavarman II was installed
as a new Cambodia king and Angkor Dynasty was founded.
King Indra seems to continue the builder tradition of his predecessor. He continued and
completed the construction of Manjusrigrha temple, and according to the Karangtengah
inscription (dated 824) responsible for the construction of Venuvana temple, connected
to Mendut or probably Ngawen temple. He was also probably responsible for the conception,
planning and initiate the construction of Borobudur and Pawon temple.
The Kelurak inscription is an inscription dated 704 Saka (782 CE), written
in Sanskrit with Pranagari script, discovered near Lumbung temple in Kelurak village, Central
Java, Indonesia. Lumbung temple is a bit north of Prambanan temple in Yogyakarta. The
writings on the inscription were discovered in poor condition with several parts being unclear
and unreadable, as a result historians could only translate the main information of the inscription.
The inscription mentioned the construction of a sacred buddhist building to house
the Manjusri statue that contains the wisdom of Buddha, dharma, and sangha; the same trinity
as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshvara. The construction of this sacred building was ordered
by King Indra, revered in his official name Sri Sanggramadhananjaya. The reference to Hindu
gods in this Buddhist temple signify the Tantrayana- Vajrayana buddhism influence. The temple
dedicated to Manjusri is identified as Sewu temple, located not far north from Prambanan
temple. Because of the use of the words KING INDRA it is referred to King Dharanindra.

Ligor Inscription
King Dharanindra. Artists view

9
 The Pawon or Bajranalan Temple

Located between two other Buddhist temples, Borobudur (1.75 km (1.09 mi) to the northeast) and Mendut (1.15 km (0.71 mi) to the southwest),
Pawon is connected with the other two temples, all of which were built during the Sailendra dynasty (8th–9th centuries).[1] Examines the detail
and style of its carving this temple is slightly older than Borobudur.

Religious buildings in the form of the Buddhist stupa, a dome-shaped monument, started to be

used in India as commemorative monuments associated with storing sacred relics of the Buddha.
The relics of the Buddha were spread between eight stupas,
in Rajagriha, Vaishali, Kapilavastu, Allakappa, Ramagrama, Pava, Kushinagar, and Vethapida.
The Piprahwa stupa also seems to have been one of the first to be built. Guard rails—consisting
of posts, crossbars, and a coping—became a feature of safety surrounding a stupa. The Buddha
had left instructions about how to pay hommage to the stupas: "And whoever lays wreaths or
puts sweet perfumes and colours there with a devout heart, will reap benefits for a long
time".This practice would lead to the decoration of the stupas with stone sculptures of flower
garlands in the Classical period.

The literally meaning of Stupa is “Heap“. It is a round mound-shaped Structure used to hold
sacred Buddhist relics. Such a lot of stupas were developed in Gupta period.
Apart from the temples, the construction of two Buddhist stupas – Dhemakh Stupa
of Sarnath and Jarasangha meeting at Rajgriha is believed to have taken place during the period
of Gupta temples. Dhamekh Stupa is 128 feet high, which is constructed on a flat surface without
a platform. To keep Buddhist statues at its four corners are made takhs. The laataapatrak on the
stupa has been highly acclaimed, and the geometric structures made on it are also notable.
The Mirpur Khas Stupa in Sindh region was built in the early Gupta period. Three small chaityas
are made in it. The brick arches have been built in the Central Jatiya. Its engraved and ornate

10
brick and clay Buddha statues are beautiful examples of Gupta pottery art. Narsingh Gupta
Baladitya had built a grand temple of Buddha in Nalanda, which was three hundred feet high.
Later Chinese travelers praised it.

The temple of Bodhgaya can also be mentioned in the temples of the fifth century. The huge
statue of Buddha in its sanctum sanctorum is situated in the ground touch posture. The main
entrance is towards the east. Stairs are built near it, which can be reached on the first floor. There
is an open space there. The temple has no ventilation or gavach. Thus its plan is unique in itself.

The stylized Stupa has a high cylindrical egg, On top of which are round dome, Harmika and
three parasol. There are also figures of Yaksha, Nagadampati, Shalabhanjika, Rishi Munis etc.
the chaitygrah has only one entrance. There are 27 lined columns on the pradakshinamarg a on
both side of the pavilion.This cave has been made in the sculptures of the best chaityagrhas of
Western India, which are engraved in human form on the entrance gate, the ankles and the
monolithic stupa. It seems that Mahayana was influenced by them.

https://www.indiaolddays.com/stupa-and-cavity-architecture-in-the-gupta-period/

Stupas were soon to be richly decorated with sculptural reliefs, following the first attempts
at Sanchi Stupa No.2 (125 BCE). Full-fledged sculptural decorations and scenes of the life of the
Buddha would soon follow at Bharhut (115 BCE), Bodh Gaya (60 BCE), Mathura (125–60
BCE), again at Sanchi[ for the elevation of the toranas (1st century BCE/CE) and
then Amaravati (1st–2nd century CE). The decorative embellishment of stupas also had a
considerable development in the northwest in the area of Gandhara, with decorated stupas such
as the Butkara Stupa ("monumentalized" with Hellenistic decorative elements from the 2nd
century BCE)[63] or the Loriyan Tangai stupas (2nd century CE). Stupa architecture was adopted
in Southeast and East Asia, where it became prominent as a Buddhist monument used for
enshrining sacred relics. The Indian gateway arches, the torana, reached East Asia with the
spread of Buddhism. Some scholars hold that torii derives from the torana gates at the Buddhist
historic site of Sanchi (3rd century BCE – 11th century CE).

HELLINISTIC INFLUENCES:

The Greco-Buddhist art or Gandhara art of the north Indian subcontinent is the artistic

manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural syncretism between Ancient Greek
art and Buddhism.
The series of interactions leading to Gandhara art occurred over time, beginning with Alexander
the Great's brief incursion into the area, followed by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka converting
the region to Buddhism. Buddhism became the prominent religion in the Indo-Greek Kingdoms.
However, Greco-Buddhist art truly flowered and spread under the Kushan Empire, when the first
surviving devotional images of the Buddha were created during the 1st-3rd centuries CE.
Gandhara art reached its zenith from the 3rd-5th century CE, when most surviving motifs and
artworks were produced.

11
Gandhara art is characterized by Buddhist subject matter, sometimes adapting Greco-
Roman elements, rendered in a style and forms that are heavily influenced by Greco-Roman art.
It has the strong idealistic realism and sensuous description of Hellenistic art, and it is believed
to have produced the first representations of Gautama Buddha in human form, ending the early
period of aniconism in Buddhism.
The representation of the human form in large sculpture had a considerable influence, both to the
south in the rest of India, and to the east, where the spread of Buddhism carried its influence as
far as Japan

The traditional main centre of sculpture was Mathura, which continued to flourish, with the
art of Gandhara, the centre of Greco-Buddhist art just beyond the northern border of Gupta
territory, continuing to exert influence. Other centres emerged during the period, especially
at Sarnath. Both Mathura and Sarnath exported sculpture to other parts of northern India. It is
customary to include under "Gupta art" works from areas in north and central India that were not
actually under Gupta control. This region contained very important sites such as the Ajanta
Caves which were Buddhist Caves in Ajanta -approximately 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave
monuments dating from the 2nd century BCE to about 480 CE and Elephanta Caves- contining
rock cut stone sculptures, mostly in high relief, that show syncretism of Hindu and Buddhist
ideas and iconography also created in this period, and the Ellora Caves the  largest rock-cut
Hindu temple cave complexes in the world, featuring Buddhist and Jain monuments with artwork
dating from the period 600–1000 CE. So Gupta art encompassed many religious hues- Buddhista
and Hindu both. The Guptas were traditionally a Hindu dynasty. The reason being that inspite of
being orthodox Hindus, they  allowed followers of Buddhism and Jainism to practice their
religions. Sanchi remained an important centre of Buddhism. Kumaragupta I 455 CE) is said to
have founded Nalanda.

The gateways (left) were made by northern

(probably Gandharan) masons using Kharosthi marks, while the railings (right) were made by
masons using marks in the local Brahmi script. (East Gateway and Railings Bharhut Stupa).
From the marks left by Masonry which is the craft of shaping rough pieces of rock into accurate
geometrical shapes, at times simple, but some of considerable complexity, and then arranging the
resulting stones, often together with mortar, to form structures such as in Borobudur also,and the
Kharosthi script inscribed ob the stone Bharhut remains, indicating that some of the builders at
least came from the north, particularly from Gandhara where the Kharoshti script was in use. 

Kharosthi letters on the Eastern Gateway of Bharhut

12
Kharoshthi (formerly called "Arian-Pali") mason's marks on the gateway. Five of the Kharosthi mason's
marks (on a total of eight for the whole gateway) were discovered at the base of the small pillars of the
gateway: 𐨤 pa, 𐨀 a, 𐨦 ba, 𐨯 sa

Bharhut a Buddhist stupa in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, central India coul be a likely

candidate to inspire Gunadharma. What makes Bharhut panels unique is that each panel is
explicitly labelled in Brahmi characters mentioning what the panel depicts. The major donor for
the Bharhut stupa was King DhanabhutiBuddhism continued to survive in Bharhut until 12th
century. A Small Buddhist temple was enlarged around 1100 AD and a new statue of Buddha
was installed. A large Sanskrit inscription from the same period was found at the site, however it
appears to have been lost. This is different from the inscription Lal Pahad inscription of AD 1158
mentioning the Kalachiri kings.
The Bharhut sculptures represent some of the earliest examples of Indian and Buddhist art, later
than the monumental art of Ashoka (circa 260 BCE), and slightly later than the early Shunga-
period reliefs on railings at Sanchi Stupa No.2 (starting circa 115 BCE).[1] Though more
provincial in quality than the sculpture at Sanchi, Amaravati Stupa and some other sites, a large
amount of sculpture has survived, generally in good condition. Recent authors date the reliefs of
the railings of Bharhut circa 125–100 BCE, and clearly after Sanchi Stupa No.2, compared to
which Bharhut has a much more developed iconography. The torana gateway was made slightly
later than the railings, and is dated to 100–75 BCE. Historian Ajit Kumar gives a later date to
Bharhut, the 1st century CE, based on stylistic comparisons with datable works of art from
the Art of Mathura, particularly sculptures inscribed in the name of ruler Sodasa. Many of the
Bharhut remains are now located in the Indian Museum in Kolkata.
Some recent reevaluations have tended to uncouple Bharhut from the Shunga period, and rather
attribute the stupa to the 1st century CE, based on artistic similarities with better dated Mathura
art and a questioning of the antiquity of the Bharhut inscriptions (particularly the Dhanabhuti
inscriptions) suggested by traditional paleography. In "Bharhut Sculptures and their untenable
Sunga Association". Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology. 2: 230,
historian Ajit Kumar gives a later date to Bharhut, the 1st century CE, based on stylistic
comparisons with datable works of art from the Art of Mathura, particularly sculptures inscribed
in the name of ruler Sodasa

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The stūpa of Bharhut: a Buddhist monument ornamented with numerous sculptures illustrative of Buddhist
legend and history in the third century B. C by Cunningham, Alexander, Sir, 1814-1893, published 1879

"One face of a fence-rail from Bharhut: Worship at a Stupa,” from Madhya Pradesh, India, on display at the
Freer Gallery in Washington, DC ((F1932.26)

According to some authors, Hellenistic sculptors had some connection with Bharhut and Sanchi
as well. The structure as a whole as well as various elements point to Hellenistic and other
foreign influence, such as the fluted bell, addorsed capital of the Persepolitan order, and the
abundant use of the Hellenistic flame palmette or honeysuckle motif. Besides the origin of its
contributors however, the gateway retains a very strong Indian character in its form.
It would seem the railings were the first elements to be built, circa 125–100 BCE. The great
gateway was built later, circa 100–75 BCE. On artistic grounds, the decorations of the railings
are considered later stylistically than those of Sanchi Stupa No.2, suggesting a date of circa 100
BCE for the reliefs of the railings, and a date of 75 BCE for the gateway
In conformity with the early aniconic phase of Buddhist art, the Buddha is only represented
through symbols, such as the Dharma wheel, the Bodhi tree, an empty seat, footprints, or
the triratana symbol. The style represents the earliest phase of Indian art, and all characters are
depicted wearing the Indian dhoti, except for one foreigner thought to be an Indo-Greek soldier,

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with Buddhist symbolism. The Bharhut carvings are slightly later than the Sanchi Stupa
No.2 reliefs and the earlier Ajanta frescos.
An unusual feature of the Bharhut panels is the inclusion of text in the narrative panels, often
identifying the individuals
The inscriptions found at Bharhut are of considerable significance in tracing the history of early
Indian Buddhism and Buddhist art. 136 inscriptions mention the donors. These include
individuals from Vidisha, Purika (a town somewhere in the Vindhya
mountains), Pataliputra (Bihar), Karhad (Maharashtra), Bhojakata (Vidarbha, eastern
Maharashtra), Kosambi (Uttar Pradesh), and Nasik (Maharashtra). 82 inscriptions serve as labels
for panels depicting the Jatakas, the life of the Buddha, former Manushi Buddhas, other stories
and Yakshas and Yakshinis.

For a study of the influence of Sanch Stupa on Borobudur read my paper-

What does Borobudur have in common with the stupa in Sanchi and how are they different?

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