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.

The 'empty seat' indicates :

The meditation of the Buddha

The correct answer is Option (3) → The meditation of the Buddha

In the passage, it is mentioned that many early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form but instead used symbols to represent his presence. The "empty seat" is one such symbol, and it is meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha. This is a common artistic representation in Buddhist sculpture to convey the idea of the Buddha's meditation, which is a significant aspect of his life and teachings.

So, the correct option is [3].