Vishnu Trivikma's Four Steles

This piece entitled Vishnu Trivikrama is an Indian work that is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu in one of his many forms. The work in question is an example of a stele, which is a relief carved slab of stone that appears in many cultures as either a relic of worship or of royalty. In this case the stele is a part of a shrine to the deity Vishnu, the preserver, in his form as the Trivikarma, Lord of the three worlds, who is the central god in the Hindu polyphony. Like many powerful beings, Vishnu is depicted with the aid of symbols in order to physically portray his awe-inspiring powers. In this stele he is a royal figure, adorned with elaborate jewelry and standing firmly front-faced. He is unbending as a king. In his four hands are the four
Many can be found in different parts of Asia, an example being china. During the Tang dynasty Buddhism really began to settle into popularity with the Chinese people. The specific sect that was the most widely spread was Pure Land and was in favor of the incarnation Buddha Amitahba. In their quest for salvation and enlightenment the pious and devoted would commission statues of bodhisattvas to be made as a tribute to the western paradise that awaited them. This particular relief stele was found in a temple in the Chinese province of Henan. Featured are a pair of bodhisattvas, Guanyin and Dashizhi, who are the most associated with the Buddha Amitahba. They appear regal in their position and at the same time are welcoming. On the reverse side, there is a representation of the classic Buddha and attendants, where the Amitahba is seated and surrounded by disciples. They are seated atop a lotus flower, which is symbolic of the rebirth into the western paradise. The boarders and edges of the relief are covered with small figures of the seated Amitahba Buddha. This could be in representation of the omnipresence and all-knowing qualities of the enlightened Buddha. It also would have been a constant reminder of the western paradise with the mystic effect a ceremonial candle would have on the
The figures of both are carved in a relief style, meaning that the stone slab was carved into to reveal the images so that they were sunken into the stone rather than protruding. The Hindu stele is made of Phylite, which has small granular structure and the Buddhist stele is made of black limestone, which is course in its texture. Even with the different materials, the two figures are similar in purpose, being used for devotion toward a religious practice. What is different is how they are used for that practice. The Hindu religion is more passive in its prayer. There are no distinctions between the sacred and the secular so that all time becomes sacred. This is reflected in the centrality of family and that the shrine is but a hearth the family surrounds itself around. Buddhism is more active in it’s worship. A tablet such as this one would be used as an aid to meditation to achieve enlightenment. While the Hindu stele would most likely have been found in a home or marking a grave, the Buddhist stele would more likely act as a marker of a holy site. Just as the Stupa is used to indicate a where the holiest of places are, a tablet such as this could do the same thing, directing patrons to the locations where they could complete pilgrimage on their road to enlightenment. The Trivikrama would be commissioned for an individual family, while the Buddha would be for all who practice. This is very much