The earlier Buddhist sculptures had shied away from depicting the image of the Buddha, except through such symbols as

The footprint, which denotes both his former physical presence on earth and his temporal absence. The bodhi tree, which represents the place of his enlightenment (under the tree) and comes to symbolize the enlightenment experience itself. The stupa, the reliquary in which the Buddha's physical remains are contained a powerful symbol of both his physical death and continued presence in the world.