Aspiring Narratives of Previous Births in Written and Visual Media from Ancient Gandhāra

Abstract

A wide range of practices emerged for venerating the Buddha’s embodied presence in textual and visual relics.This article considers ways in which hagiographical narratives of previous births preserved in written and visual media may be considered as embodiments in Dharma (Dharmak?ya). The study focuses on G?ndh?r? Buddist manuscipts with abbreviated written summaries of narratives labeled as Avad?nas and P?rvayogas. Results of a survey of images identified as J?takas in Gandh?ran art are also integrated for a comprehensive understanding of the iconic function of rebirth narratives, which were emplaced in the sacralized landscape of the Northwest.

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