Dipankara Jataka (The Story of the Ascetic Megha and the Buddha Dipankara)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In this panel the ascetic Megha (the Buddha Shakyamuni in a past life) appears three times: first, standing before the Buddha Dipankara throwing flowers; second, prostrate before the Buddha spreading his matted locks over mud; and third, flying in the upper left of the panel in a gesture of veneration. This story is the critical beginning of the Gandharan narrative cycle, as the Buddha Dipankara predicts that in a future life Megha will reach enlightenment and become the Buddha Shakyamuni.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art