Dharma-wheel pilaster (dharmacakrastambha)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This panel depicts the stepped capital of a tall commemorative pillar surmounted by the Buddhist wheel of the law (Dharma-wheel), a revered element of early Andhra Buddhist monasteries and the principal metaphor of the Buddha’s teachings (Dharma). The wheel is supported by two lions. Its radiating spokes are framed by a ring of lotus petals, and garlands hang from the capital beneath in celebration of the Buddha’s teachings. The panel probably formed the upper section of a slender pilaster decorating the platform (ayaka) that projected from the stupa. A vertical tenon joint on its rough-hewn reverse enabled it to be locked into place between two larger panels.

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