Portrayals of Breastfeeding in Sri Lankan Temple Art

As we mark World Breast/Chestfeeding Week, it's a moment to honour not just the act of feeding a child but to reflect on how deeply this experience is embedded in cultural memory, art, and identity. In the vibrant tradition of Sri Lankan temple murals, breast/chestfeeding has been portrayed as one of the most profound responsibilities of a mother, depicted with care, intention, and symbolism.

As we mark World Breast/Chestfeeding Week, it's a moment to honour not just the act of feeding a child but to reflect on how deeply this experience is embedded in cultural memory, art, and identity. In the vibrant tradition of Sri Lankan temple murals, breast/chestfeeding has been portrayed as one of the most profound responsibilities of a mother, depicted with care, intention, and symbolism.

In pre-modern Sri Lankan art, the mother’s role is visually centered around breastfeeding. As the paper "Facets of Motherhood Visualized in Sri Lankan Temple Murals" by Dulma Karunarathn explains, “breastfeeding is shown as one of the main responsibilities of the mother’s role.” It is not merely a moment of nourishment,  it is portrayed as a deeply emotional and life-affirming act.

Buddhist scholars have long emphasized the emotional and spiritual dimensions of this relationship. Andaya notes in her research that “the power of mother’s milk” is regarded in Buddhist thought as a potent bond between mother and child, an expression of deep affection. Similarly, scholar Englemajer describes breastmilk as “the gift of life itself,” noting that in Buddhist narratives, repaying one’s mother for this gift involves entering the monastic community and sharing the Dhamma with her.

In Sri Lankan temple murals, these themes come to life through powerful visual storytelling. One of the most iconic examples comes from the Vessantara Jātaka, where Princess Mandri is repeatedly shown breastfeeding her daughter Krishnajina. This choice by mural artists is significant. As Karunarathn notes, “when the artists want to depict Mandri, who is described as an ideal woman with motherly qualities in texts, they have certainly decided to show her role in the form of breastfeeding.”

A particularly moving passage from the Vessantara Jātaka is quoted in the paper and speaks directly to the restorative, even life-saving, nature of feeding:

“...when Maddi saw the children in the distance and knew they were safe...she sprinkled them with streams of milk from her breasts... At the moment two streams of milk flowed from her breasts into their mouths, and if they had not received so much relief, the two children must have perished, their hearts parched...”

This quote shows us how breastfeeding was seen as a source of renewal, protection, and healing. As the paper says, “Notions of the restorative power of mother’s milk appear to have struck a responsive chord in Southeast Asian societies.”

The murals don’t just show infants being fed. As Karunarathn explains, “some of the children being suckled were not infants, but in their early childhood.” Artists often imagined these scenes, even when the original stories didn’t include them, underlining the importance of the act itself. The seated posture is most common, but a variety of nursing positions are also shown, reflecting a lived and familiar experience of parenting.

Even royal women are shown feeding their children, not necessarily because the texts required it, but because the artists chose to emphasise it. Karunarathn notes that “the portrayal of royal women in the breastfeeding posture in murals could have been used by the artist to motivate the viewers by providing a role model.” In one case at Degaldoruwa RMV, a queen is depicted breastfeeding in a story where this act is not mentioned at all,  possibly to make a point about women’s central role in lineage, legacy, and emotional life, even if they were excluded from formal political power.

These images, rich with cultural meaning, invite us to see breast/chestfeeding as much more than a nutritional function. It is a form of care that binds generations. It is resilience made visible. It is a response to grief, a source of comfort, and a way to communicate love when words fail.

As doulas, birthworkers, and parents, we are part of a long line of people who know the strength and tenderness behind feeding. This week and every week let’s honour that tradition, support each other in the journey, and remember the words of the Buddhist texts:

“Mother’s milk...more than  the water in the four great oceans.”