Gandharan - Death of the Buddha - Walters 2556

Such reliefs were originally placed on the exterior of a Buddhist memorial monument ("stupa"). At the time of his death, or final extinction (nirvana), the Buddha was mourned by three noblemen (standing behind), his last convert (seated in front of the garden couch), and his chief disciple, Ananda (who collapses with grief). The Buddha described nirvana to these men: "unchanging bliss, beyond all objects of the senses . . . when you hear of that . . . how is there room for grief in your minds?"