Early Buddhist Iconography

In early, aniconic Buddhist art, creators avoided depicting the physical body of the Buddha, opting instead to represent his presence through specific symbolic placeholders. An empty throne or seat traditionally signifies the absolute state of meditation or enlightenment achieved by the Buddha under the Bodhi tree. Other key symbols include the wheel (Dharmachakra), which signifies the First Sermon, and the stupa, which represents his Mahaparinibbana.