This image is notable for its posture, since it is more common to find Buddha images seated with legs crossed, rather than hanging pendant. Yet while notable, it is not necessarily unusual for the Gupta era, as this image is consistent with other examples dating to this period (one famous example decorates a stupa found in Cave 26 in Ajanta).

It is often difficult for the untrained eye to identify the subject matter of Buddhist imagery, but once we become familiar with basic Buddhist iconography, the process becomes much easier. For example, we know the figure here is that of a Buddha rather than a Bodhisattva by the lack of adornment; a Buddha is usually depicted clothed in simple monk's robes, while a Bodhisattva is commonly shown wearing more elaborate garments, as well as jewelry. More clues may be found in hand gestures, known as mudra, since each mudra is given a single and specific interpretation. The image here holds his hands in what is known as the dharmachakra mudra, or the "teaching gesture." This, in addition to the lions which flank the throne, identify the subject as the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, delivering his first lecture in the deer park at Sarnath. This example may originally have included the figures of two deer at Shakyamuni's feet, another iconographic element commonly found on depictions of the Buddha's first sermon.

It is inevitable that some change would occur over Buddhism's multi-millennial history and broad multi-cultural range, yet this fact notwithstanding, it is remarkable how consistent Buddhist iconography has remained over the centuries. For this reason, it becomes much easier to identify such imagery as may be found anywhere in the Buddhist world, from eighth century paintings from Dunhuang, to the modern temples of Thailand, where we find sculptures of Shakyamuni that preserve the same iconographic elements as we find in our example made more than 1500 years ago.