Buddhist art in India comprising the paintings and monuments through ages has helped to visualise the different phases of Buddhism that existed or still exist. The main purpose of Buddhist art in India was to popularise the religion of Buddhism. Buddhist art in India came into being after the historical life of Gautama Buddha during the sixth to fifth century B.C. and then it developed by contact with other cultures as it spread all through Asia and the world.

Initially Buddhist art like the ones found in Sanchi, Bodh Gaya, and Amaravati kept away from depicting direct representation of human figure. The presence of Lord Buddha was portrayed by the symbols of empty throne, a pair of foot prints, a lotus, or a Bodhi tree. But with the popularisation of Buddhism during the second to first century B.C., the sculpture developed into more precise and explicit definition of the episodes relating to the life of Lord Buddha and his teachings. It is in north India that the first anthropomorphic representation of Buddha is said to have emerged. The two main proponents of Buddhist art in India is the Gandhara School and the Mathura school of art.

Buddhist art flourished in the panorama of Indian art during the Maurya dynasty under the reign of emperor Ashoka, who embraced Buddhism. The several stupas like the one in Sanchi and the pillars adorned with Buddhist symbols were the earliest instances of Buddhist art in India. The early and the most innovative phase of Buddhist art is during this era and the stupas of Bharhut and Sanchi are the outcome of this period. The Buddhist art of this era constitute mainly of the rock cut temples, railings and gateways of the stupas. These stupas comprise a hemispherical dome with a harmika supporting the umbrellas. The sculpture of Bharhut depicts stories from the life of Lord Buddha and also tales from Jataka. The sculpture dealing with the life of Gautama Sakyamuni includes Buddha’s enlightenment, the vision of Maya, and the defeat of Mara among others. In the sculptures of Bharhut, Amaravati and Sanchi the worship of the Bodhi tree is widely prevalent. The Sanchi Stupa was originally built in brick and was later covered with stone. There are four gateways and each is made of two pillars with capitals at the top. There is the symbol of the wheel of law at the apex of the gateway. Similar to the art at Bharhut there is no anthropomorphic representation of Buddha. The Buddhist art in south India during this era is best represented by the Maha chaitya at Amaravati which resembles the art at Bharhut. The Buddhist art at Amaravati is noted for its sophistication and elegance.

The Kushana dynasty came into power after the Mauryas and it was under their reign that the two major centers of the creation of the Buddhist art evolved namely the Gandhara School of art and the Mathura school of art. The art and sculptures of Gandhara had a strong influence of Greco- roman culture and thus was an amalgamation of Indian and foreign motifs. The art of Mathura on the other hand is completely Indian in style and form and draws heavily from the ancient school of art. The school of Mathura had set up several images of Bodhisattvas at many places. Lord Buddha was illustrated both as a man and a god and this became the iconographic cannon for ensuing Buddhist art. Both this contemporary schools of art has influenced each other considerably.

Under the Gupta period which extended from fourth to sixth century A.D. Buddhist art in India gained more prominence. Buddhist art during this era was combined with restraint and aesthetic sense. Nalanda, Sarnath and Mathura were the three pivotal regions which marked the Buddhist art in this period. The images of Lord Buddha from Sarnath and Mathura are hallmark of Buddhist Indian art. Even the metal images like the stone image of Buddha are rare specimens of art. Rock cut temples at Ajanta and Ellora are the outcome of this epoch. The caves of Ajanta contain illustrations depicting stories from Buddha’s life and also tales from the Jatakas. There are numerous statuettes of Buddha and Bodhisattvas present in the caves of Ellora.

By the seventh century A.D. with the invasion of the Huns Buddhist art gradually disappeared from the northern India leaving its trace only in Bengal and Nalanda. Buddhist art in this last phase of its development in India was produced under the patronage of the Pala and Sena Dynasties. The principal site of this last centre of Indian Buddhism and its art was the great university of Nalanda. The actual monasteries or viharas excavated at Nalanda are ranged one next to another like adjacent colleges in a university complex. The architecture reveals a style that is a continuation of the architectural form of the Gupta period. The style of the figure sculpture in stucco at Nalanda is a dry repetition of the Gupta statuary of Sarnath. This last phase of Buddhist art flourished in Bengal from the eighth century until the extirpation of the religion by the Mohammedan invasions. The stone sculptures of Bengal and the numerous bronze images of Nalanda are of great aesthetic value. Buddhist art in India gradually came to an end in the twelfth century A.D. From its simple beginning Buddhist art has traveled a long way.