Previous Year Question
Buddha is depicted on the coins of
Wima Kadphises
Kanishka
Nahapana
Budh Gupta
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Kanishka.
Coins of the Kushana ruler Kanishka I clearly depict the human figure of Gautama Buddha. On some of his gold and copper coins, Kanishka himself is represented on one side and the figure of the Buddha on the other.
In one famous coin type of Kanishka, the Buddha is shown standing. He wears a monastic robe, has a halo behind his head, and his right hand is raised in the Abhaya Mudra. On some coins, the Buddha is also identified by the name “BODDO.”
Kanishka's coinage was highly diverse in its religious imagery. His coins depict several deities associated with Greek, Iranian and Indian religious traditions; among them, the coins depicting the Buddha are particularly significant. They provide important numismatic evidence for the development of the anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha during the Kushana period.
The British Museum preserves both gold and copper coins of Kanishka that clearly depict Buddha/Shakyamuni. Archaeological material available through IGNCA also records rare coins of Kanishka depicting the Buddha in seated or standing form.