[Buddha-l] Gandharan Buddhist Art at NY Asia Society

[Dan Lusthaus]

> How about their hands........webbed?
> JK

Hadn't noticed. Will let you know if I see any webbing. (Most mudra poses 
make it hard to tell!)

What that does suggest is that the presumed "standard" list of major and 
minor marks of a great person (mahapurusa) was formulated rather late, and 
didn't impact Gandharan representations of the Buddha and bodhisattvas, 
which had a different list of iconic "marks" to include. Since it is usually 
also presumed that Gandharan art was the first to offer representations of 
the Buddha (and not just his footprints, or empty seat under a tree -- the 
earlier anaconic representations), those depictions show how Buddha(s) 
was/were envisioned  for many centuries after his death.

The Mahapurusa lists, which, if followed would produce a very freakish 
looking individual with too many teeth, arms down to his ankles, misshapen 
skull, webbed hands and feet, etc., must have come later.

Dan