Gray schist sculpture with a carved serpent hood over a lotus cushion and a row of small seated figures on the pedestal.

Fasting Buddha Shakyamuni

A carved gray stone sculpture shows a large serpent hood rising above a lotus-like cushion, its scaled coils fanning outward and framing an empty niche. Below, a frieze of small seated figures and one standing attendant lines the pedestal in shallow relief.

Artist: Unknown
Date: 3rd–5th century
Medium: Schist
Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Size: 2000 × 2000 px

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Public domain · The Metropolitan Museum of Art releases this image under CC0 (latest date 500).
Rights checked 2026-11-05 · tier A · as stated by the source: CC0 (The Met Open Access, isPublicDomain=true)

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Samuel Eilenberg Collection, Ex Coll.: Columbia University, Purchase, Rogers, Dodge, Harris Brisbane Dick and Fletcher Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1987

3rd century kushan period ancient pakistan buddhist art stone sculpture relief carving seated figure buddhism shakyamuni schist gandhara sculpture