Chapter 23: The Great Departure｜Siddhartha’s Renunciation

After witnessing the Four Encounters, Prince Siddhartha resolved to leave behind worldly life. At the age of 29, he made the momentous decision to renounce the palace, his wife Yasodhara, and his newborn son Rahula, in order to seek a path to liberation.

In Gandharan art, this episode is known as the Great Departure, one of the most iconic scenes of the Buddha’s life story. Its main visual features include:

• The prince on horseback — Siddhartha rides his white horse Kanthaka, the animal’s lowered head reflecting the gravity of the moment.
• Celestials lifting the hooves — To ensure silence, gods gently support the horse’s steps, a poignant motif unique to Buddhist art.
• Channa the charioteer — Walking alongside, he symbolizes loyal companionship.
• The palace gate — Architectural motifs such as arches and gateways emphasize the act of leaving the city at night.

The power of this scene lies in the theme of renunciation: abandoning wealth, power, and family ties. Gandharan sculptors brought this to life with naturalistic details—the musculature of the horse, the intricate drapery of garments, and the solemn posture of the prince.

Unlike the Mathura school, which tended toward symbolic representation, Gandharan artists rendered the event as a vivid narrative tableau, almost historical in tone.

For us today, these schist reliefs resonate beyond religious context: they speak to a universal human condition—the courage to leave behind comfort in pursuit of higher truth.