Buddha in India

 The last thing I saw at the Met last week was a show called Buddha in India. This was shown how Buddhism grew and changed in India. It was cool

The oldest of the shrine depictions don't show Buddha at all. Look at the one below.

In this image, the Buddha is not pictured. His spirit lives inside the temple - the semi-round thing top pf the sculpture. The two figures on the edges are the ancient Gods of Indians, a man and woman God. When Buddhism took over, these Gods became supports of the Buddha. There are snakes above the temple. This are the Naga that watch over Buddha. The wheel in the middle is the "circle of life" that Buddhists believe in. It represents the journey to enlightenment.

Other images.