Read the passage and answer the question :
Art historians had to acquire familiarity with hagiographies of the Buddha in order to understand Buddhist sculpture. According to hagiographies, the Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under a tree. Many early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form - instead, they showed his presence through symbols. The empty seat was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and the Stupa was meant to represent the Mahaparinibbana.
What meaning did the symbol of 'wheel' convey in Buddhist sculpture?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → The first sermon of Buddha.
In early Buddhist sculpture the wheel stood for the first sermon of the Buddha, delivered at Sarnath.
NCERT (2026-27): “9.2 Symbols of worship … Art historians had to acquire familiarity with hagiographies of the Buddha in order to understand Buddhist sculpture. According to hagiographies, the Buddha attained enlightenment while meditating under a tree. Many early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form – instead, they showed his presence through symbols. The empty seat (Fig. 4.14) was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and the stupa (Fig. 4.15) was meant to represent the mahaparinibbana. Another frequently used symbol was the wheel (Fig. 4.16). This stood for the first sermon of the Buddha, delivered at Sarnath.…”
Fig. 4.16 Setting in motion the wheel of dharma |
