While the human and divine may appear to be starkly different categories in Western thought, they are not in that of India and Southeast Asia. Both deities and humans cross the boundary frequently, often going back and forth and masking their true identities. The image of the standing Buddha from Gandhara (Fig. 5) shows the Buddha in his human form, with human dimensions and features, wearing a monk's robe. However> he halo behind his head and the cranial protuberance subtly convey a superhuman nature.

In the Gandaran relief of the Birth of the Buddha, his mother Mahamaya holds the infant Buddha, who is being received by gods (Fig. 6). However, this is not a normal birth because the child is emerging from the right side of its mother. The birth is but one of many stories from the Buddha's life that is miraculous and filled with supernatural events.

In the case of Buddhist images, transformation is from human to divine, while in the case of Hindu deities, it is the opposite. The figure of the Baphuon period Shiva from Cambodia (Figs. 8 A & 8 B) shows a very human looking deity with smooth sensitive modeling and flawless skin. It is only the characteristic matted locks of Shiva that identify his divinity. Often, However, Shiva, like Vishnu or the Goddess, is shown with multiple arms to indicate his or her divine nature. In ancient Cambodia, the link between human and divine took an especially interesting form with the Cambodian kinds.  They saw themselves as embodiments of the divine who would, upon their death, be absorbed into the deity in the form of an image.

Fig. 5

(Fig.5) The Buddha stands frontally on a pedestal wearing a heavy monastic robe with regular, U-shaped folds. His left hand holds the ends of the robe and his right, although now missing, probably was in the gesture of reassurance (abhaya mudra). He bears the characteristics of exceptional beings, such as a tuft of hair between the eyebrows, a cranial protuberance (ushnisha) covered with curls, and a large halo.  On the pedestal, is the figure of Buddha seated in meditation (dhyanasana) while worshippers join their hands in adoration (anjali hasta). The image is typical of the art from Gandhara, the northwestern region of the sub-continent, where the Indo-Greek or Indo-Roman style of art originated and developed.

(Fig. 6) The scene is divided into two sections by the branches of the tree, which is in the form of a canopy. In the lower register,  the miraculous birth of the Buddha is depicted. The infant Buddha is born from the right hip of his mother, Maya Devi. In this relief, Maya is shown holding on to the Asoka tree, in the traditional pose of standing.  The infant is being received by the god Indra.  On Maya's left is her sister. They are flanked by two servants, a female with a palm leaf and a male with a water pot.  Both objects being important for ritual after childbirth. The Buddha after Enlightenment is shown in the section above, seated in meditation and flanked by worshipers. A parrot (the one on the left is broken) perches on top.

Birth of Buddha, gray schist, 2nd - 3rd century 18 x 16 1/2 x 4 inches                        Gandhara (presently Pakistan)

Fig. 7

(Fig. 7) The figure of the four armed Avalokiteshvara stands majestically, a vision of regal power. On his head, the miniature form of a seated Buddha Amitabha is depicted.  The diadem and the high chignon are normal for images of the Angkor period. The sampot (the short garment worn by males) has an upper projecting hem and is secured with a belt. Hanging down the center are two pleated panels of cloth, terminating in the fishtail or anchor motif.

Fig. 8 A

Fig. 8 B

Shiva, red sandstone, 11th century                      51 x 21 x 9 inches                                   Cambodia (Angkor, Baphuon)

(Fig. 9) The stylistic female counterpart of the male Shiva in figures 8 A and 8 B is seen here. This lovely figure of a goddess is elegantly proportioned and displays a distinctive surface harmony typical of Angkor images in the Baphuon period. She wears a sarong, which is indicated by narrow pleats meticulous in their uniformity. The garment drops in front to expose part of the abdomen, which with the small firm breasts creates a restrained sensuality. However, it is difficult to say which goddess the figure represents; indeed, it is possible that it represents a deified queen, as royalty were at times apotheosized as divinities in Cambodian sculpture. It is most likely, however, that the image is that of Uma, Shiva's consort.