This scene shows the Buddha teaching, and his descent from Tavatimsa Heaven. At the top, the Buddha is in heaven, where he went to preach to his mother (with halo). Indra, with his characteristic green skin, and Brahma, in red, sit on the right. Western-style, colonial architecture is visible, as is the Chulamani Stupa (left), a reliquary that enshrines the Buddha’s topknot.The lower section shows the Buddha’s descent from Tavatimsa Heaven. He is flanked by Indra and Brahma and surrounded by celestial beings in the clouds. Monks, worshippers, and animals all pay homage to him as he arrives back on earth. The name of the donor, Mr Tep Heam, is indicated at the bottom. Paintings such as this would have been donated to temples as acts of merit.
