The female as cult object in Buddhism

Stone relief of consort of Bodhisattvas

Tara (goddess)

Stone carving--Vijayaramaya Temple--Anuradhapura--Sri Lanka

Bodhisattvas--Spouses

Bodhisattvas and their consorts form the subject of a number of reliefs round the stone basement walls of the Vijayarama temple at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, a centre of Mahayana worship of the 8th century A.D. In all these reliefs, the 4-armed Bodhisattva images are given pride of place and the female companions or Taras occupy supporting roles. Copper plaques found in the precincts have invocations to the goddess Tara and the script is Sinhalese of the 8th century A.D. This is one of four reliefs at the Vijayarama Temple.

Sirima Kiribamune

Vijayarama temple at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

ca. 8th century A.D.

Period of study: 1986-1987

Version: 01/12/2012

Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha

Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith

Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini

Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.

International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo

All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.

Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection

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