Nancy Dowling New Light on Early Cambodian Buddhism ur understanding of early Cambodian sculpture. Table 1 lists 64 pre-ninth-century 0 Buddhism is based on information gathered images or portions thereof of which 43 can be from two primary sources. These include the identified as either Buddhist or Hindu. Of these ancient textual materials as well as the artistic 43 images, 17 or 40 per cent are Buddhist of evidence itself. Of concern is the extent to which which nine are sufficiently complete for study scholars have relied on Chinese texts and with additional insights supplied by three other indigenous inscriptions with little appreciation for related images from the neighboring province of Buddhist imagery except as a "visual aid" in Kompong Speu. support of what has been already learned from In this study, I begin with a stylistic analysis the written texts. Such an approach is unneces­ of the 12 images of Buddha. Then I make a sarily limiting, resulting not from a lack of sources, morphological analysis to quantify differences but from scholarly preconceptions and interests in their body forms by taking measurements that ignore the richness of information ''written" directly from the images. I then establish relative in the art which surely demands the same kind of dates based on two datable patterns and a serious attention as is devoted to the written word. comparative analysis of other early Southeast This paper aims to shed new light on early Asian images. I conclude that early Cambodian Cambodian Buddhism by studying images of Buddhism is a short-lived phenomenon in Buddha, mainly from Angkor Borei, an ancient Angkor Borei. Artistic evidence supports the walled city in the Mekong delta that occupied a existence of at least two different schools. These pre-eminent position in reputedly the most conclusions are lastly viewed in light of what important kingdom in early Southeast Asia called we already know from written documents. Only Funan by third-century Chinese. 1 All of these when we combine what is observable in the images except for one are now housed in the Buddhist imagery with the information gathered National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh from textual materials can early Cambodian where I recently catalogued Angkor Borei stone Buddhism be properly interpreted. Journal ofthe Siam Society 88.1 & 2 (2000) pp. 122-155 New Light on Early Cambodian Buddhism 123 Stylistic Analysis point of view for a single detail so as to allow us to see it better."3 This "single detail" is the These 12 images of Buddha can be chrono­ under cloth (antaraviisaka) and pleated at the logically ordered on the basis of subtle variations bottom held up by a belt below the waist. Below in style. This stylistic analysis rests on what the robe are realistically modeled feet standing many French scholars have already noted namely on two open lotus flowers. The heels and ankles that early Cambodian sculpture initially remain attached to the stone block. displayed a highly-stylized naturalism that The second image is the Wat Romlok evolved over time toward a more abstract form. 2 Buddha head (Figure 2). Pierre Dupont places A practical and informative way to describe this the image in the Amaravati school of Andhra stylistic evolution is to divide the images into Pradesh or the Anuradhapura school of Sri separate groups in an effort to elucidate the Lanka. 4 Mireille Benisti argues that the Buddha stylistic transformation of the relatively head has ties to Gupta sculpture and cites as a homogeneous images. prototype the celebrated Buddha of Sarnath. 5 Most likely, this head represents, rather synthesis Group#l of both schools or styles. Group # 1 includes four images of Buddha. Large, flattened curls in alternating rows These are deemed earliest based on a variety of cover the head and a barely visible u~!lf~a. These stylistic features traceable to South Asian curls, contrary to tradition, tum in both a prototypes from which early Cambodian clockwise and counterclockwise direction Buddhist imagery is ultimately derived. Of (Figure 3). Separately arched eyebrows flow importance is that these earliest images are never into the bridge of a damaged nose and highlight copied from any given style, but rather represent downcast eyes. A cleft passes between the nose a harmonious synthesis of artistic traditions from and a thin upper lip, edged and turned up in North and South India or Sri Lanka in which an slight smile. Below the fleshy lower lip is a emphasis is placed on the subtle modeling of a prominent chin. Chin-length distended earlobes naturalistic body form. hug a massive neck. The first in this group is the W at Romlok The third image is the Wat Romlok seated standing Buddha (Figure 1). This image is posed Buddha (Figure 4). This image has no head, in a hip-swayed stance with left leg slightly making it difficult to stylistically classify him. bent. Its subtle movement as well as a clinging However, the naturalistic modeling of his torso robe and slender body are significant features and legs clearly derive from an Indian artistic of the late fifth-century Sarnath style while large, tradition which accounts for his placement in flattened curls and a barely visible cranial Group#l. protuberance (u~1Jf~a) as well as two open lotus In this case, the Buddha is seated on a flowers are characteristics of South Indian or damaged base in a half-lotus position (vfriisana) Sri Lankan art. with hands posed in meditation (dhyiina mudrii) The Wat Romlok image has a long oval (Figure 4). He has broad shoulders, heavy biceps face. Separately arched eyebrows frame almond­ and thin forearms. A transparent robe in open­ shaped eyes highlighted by tear ducts. Below a mode leaves the right shoulder and arm bare, broken nose is a thin upper lip turned up in making a s-shaped dip below the right pectoral. slight smile. Flattened, distended earlobes extend His slender torso has a slightly fleshy abdomen to above the chin. limited by an incised line denoting his under A transparent robe in closed-mode covers cloth and sharply cutting the image. The legs both shoulders and closely molds his slender are naturalistically conceived with gently body. The robe hangs down lower behind than swelling thighs and knees. An incised line above in front. Griswold states that "[t]his feature is each ankle marks the robe edge. not to be taken literally, for it would be The fourth image of the group is the Wat needlessly untidy and in violation of the Vinaya Kos seated Buddha with hair curls, U~1Jf~a, rules. It is simply a matter of anamorphosis, a eyebrows and earlobes stylistic similar to Figures convention by which Indian art may shift our 1 and 2 (Figure 5). Journal ofthe Siam Society 88.1 & 2 (2000) 124 NANCY DOWLING In this case, the Buddha is seated in virasana A transparent robe in open-mode leaves the with hands posed in dhyiina mudrii. Large, right shoulder and arm bare. The robe extends flattened curls in alternating rows cover the head down and around the right leg curving upward and a barely visible u~1Jf~a. These curls, contrary at mid-calf to the left arm. A damaged left side to tradition, tum in both a clockwise and makes it impossible to say whether the robe counterclockwise direction as already noted originally passed over or wrapped around the above for Figure 2. Separately arched eyebrows wrist. A heavier torso has a slightly fleshy frame almond-shaped eyes with tear ducts, irises abdomen limited by an incised line denoting the and pupils skillfully indicated. Below a large under cloth and sharply cutting the image. Also triangular-shaped nose is a thin upper lip turned visible are contours for the upper legs and groin. up in slight smile. A fleshy lower lip, a prominent Hanging below the robe is a smooth under cloth chin and short distended earlobes complete the pleated on the sides and attached to the ankles facial features. with the matrix of the stone block greater. on the This image has noticeably broad shoulders left. and heavy arms. A transparent robe in open­ mode leaves the right shoulder and arm bare. Group#3 His slender torso has a slightly fleshy abdomen Group #3 includes two Angkor Borei images: limited by an incised line denoting the under the Wat Tuol Lean standing image of Buddha cloth and sharply cutting the image. The legs and the Wat Tuol Chan head. These images are are simply conceived with large flattened feet classified in this group because of what appears positioned on an undecorated base. to be the first use of wing-shaped eyebrows. These are adopted in combination with a Group #2 prominent u~1Jf~a marked by a bun-like curl or Group #2 includes the Wat Romlok standing twist on top. But, as already noted above, if the image of Buddha (Figure 6). It is deemed image in Figure 6 of Group #2 has wing-shaped stylistically later because of an abrupt change in eyebrows, then the image also belongs in this his u~1Jf~a. However, the shape of his abraded group. eyebrows raises uncertainty over the classi­ The Wat Tuol Lean standing image of fication. If his eyebrows were separately arched Buddha stands in rigidly posed on a lotus base as is characteristic of Group #1 images, then (Figure 8). Large, flattened curls in alternating this image could be in a separate group. On the rows cross the brow in a straight line. They other hand, if his eyebrows were wing-shaped, cover the head and a prominent u~1Jf~a marked then the image belongs in Group #3.