Sculptures from Angkor National Museum:
Perhaps one of the most unusual representations in the Gallery of 1,000 Buddhas is the rare prostrate figure of the hermit Sumedha. This is one of the most popular stories to be told in Buddhist art, though generally to be found among wall paintings in pagodas. So, this sandstone figure, believed to date from the latter quarter of the 12th century, is a rarity. It was found at the foot of Phnom Veak, where a laterite and brick temple sits atop of the hill, close to Phnom Bok, and was stored at the Angkor Conservation depot before becoming part of the Angkor National Museum collection in 2007. The Buddha-to-be or bodhisattva is lying prone with his arms stretched out beyond his head, both hands clasped together, paying homage. He wears a full-length deer skin garment and has long hair, as befits an ascetic. To be frank it’s not one of the museum’s most attractive of sculptures but it represents a major event in the life of the Buddha, hence its importance. Sumedha’s purpose was to use his body as a bridge for safe passage through a muddy section of road that had not been completed on time, by the Dipankara Buddha and his disciple monks. This sacrifice was appreciated by the Dipankara Buddha, who foretold that Sumedha would become the most enlightened Gautama Buddha in the future. It’s a frequently told story in Buddhism and a way to establish the legitimacy of the future Buddha, anointed by a predecessor.
