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Buddha Shakyamuni

The Four Sights

Artefact Description

This Khmer bas relief panel depicts a scene of Prince Siddhartha embarking on a trip out of the palace, against the backdrop of the pleasure forest. The King Suddhodana proclaimed that the Prince would ride out and decreed that all the roads and towns were to look perfect and smell wonderful.

 

However, the inevitable Four Sights led Prince Siddhartha to realise that the pursuit of material wealth and pleasures are meaningless.

 

In Khmer Buddhist Art, the depiction of Prince Siddhartha is presumed to be of likeness to the King Jayavarman VII. He is seen holding a flower-like object, while sitting on a beautiful chariot, sheltered with five royal parasols, symbolising his royal status and the veil of Prince Siddhartha from the truth of human suffering.

 

The people kneeling in front of the chariot could be his attendants or commoners who are welcoming and paying respect to him. The headgears and attire of the figures are reflective of the typical Khmer Buddhist art style. Similar depictions can also be seen on typical bas reliefs originating from Angkor Wat.

Historical Background

One glorious day, as he went out of the palace to the pleasure park to see the world outside, he came in direct contact with the stark realities of life through the Four Sights.1 p236 Within the narrow confines of the palace, he witnessed the glossy side of life, but the ugly side - the suffering of mankind - was deliberately concealed from him.

 

Prince Siddhartha's account of the Four Sights is as follows:2 p27, 3 p11, 4 p18, 5 c1

 

  1. The First Sight: Old Age

    He saw a white-haired, shrivelled man dressed in rags. He had never seen old people before. His charioteer, Channa, explained that he was an old man and that aging was inevitable.


  2. The Second Sight: Sickness

    On another trip, he saw a man lying on the ground, moaning in pain. He rushed over to the man's side and tried to relieve him of his pain. Channa explained that the man was sick and that the human body is susceptible to sickness.


  3. The Third Sight: Death

    The next sight was that of a funeral procession of a dead man. Channa then told him the final truth of life - that no one can escape death, and everyone shall die one day.


  4. The Fourth Sight: Ascetic

    Finally, he met with an ascetic who told him that he had abandoned world desires to attain peace of mind.

 

The Four Sights had a significant influence on Prince Siddhartha's view of life, which resulted in a spiritual awakening to abandon the pursuit of material luxuries and fleeting pleasures.

 

He decided to relinquish his wealth and royal privileges, become an ascetic himself and seek a solution to human suffering. Knowing his family would not agree with his decision, he arranged to leave the palace secretly that night.

Bibliography:

  1. The Lalita Vistara, English Translation by R. L. Mitra, 1998, ISBN 81-7030-576-4
  2. Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero, Life of The Buddha In Gandhara Art, 2006, ISBN 981-05-7045-7
  3. Department of Tourism, Government of India, Walking with the Buddha, 2nd edition 2004, ISBN 81-87780-24-X
  4. Ven. Narada Maha Thero, Vision of The Buddha, The Buddha and His Teachings, 2006, ISBN-10: 8179926176
  5. Saddhaloka, Encounters With Enlightenment, Stories from the Life of the Buddha, Windhorse Publications, 2001, ISBN 978 1 899579 37 2

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