Story of Nation Buddhist India

SR No.: 035274
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: T W Rhys Davids
Publisher: T Fisher Unwin Ltd
Publication Year: 1916
Total Pages: 356
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 88 MB

Page 89

BUDDHIST INDIA
books referring to this earlier period, there is no mention of stone except for pillars or staircases.
A palace of stone is only once mentioned, and that is in fairy land.' We must suppose that in earlier times the superstructure at least, of all dwellings was either of woodwork or brickwork. In either case it was often covered, both internally and externally, with fine chunam plaster-work, and brilliantly painted, in fresco, with figures or patterns. Elaborate directions are given in the Vinaya’ for the construction of this smooth plaster basis on which the frescoes were painted. And the names of four of the commoner patterns have been preserved. They are Wreath-work, Creeper-work, Five-ribbon-work, and Dragon's-tooth-work. When figures predominated the result is often called a : picture-gallery (cittīgāra). And thougii we cannot suppose that the art had reached the perfection ; afterwards attained in the Ajanta frescoes, the descriptions show that it had already advanced to a stage far removed froin the early beginnings of pictorial ornamentation.
The entrance to the great houses was through: a large gateway. To the right and left of the rentrance passage were the treasury and grain stores. The gateway led into an inner courtyard round which were chambers on the ground-floor. And above these chambers was a flat roof called the upari-pāsāda-tala, the upper flat surface of the house, where the owner sat, usually under a pavilion, which * Ját. 6. 269. ? Translated in linaia Texts, 3. 170-172.
3 l'in. 2. 67; t. 17.