Knowledge of Buddhist literature is essential but not sufficient for fully understanding the sculpture at Sanchi. It helps in identifying and interpreting specific narratives depicted on the stupa, but many motifs require understanding of other traditions as well.

Buddhist literature, particularly the Jataka tales, helps art historians identify scenes that might otherwise be misinterpreted. For instance, a sculpture at Sanchi that appears to be a simple rural scene with thatched huts and trees is actually a depiction of the Vessantara Jataka. This is the story of a generous prince who gave away everything to a Brahmana and went to live in the forest with his wife and children. Without knowledge of this Buddhist text, one would miss the deeper significance of this sculpture.

However, Buddhist literature alone is inadequate because many sculptures at Sanchi were not directly inspired by Buddhist ideas. A striking example is the image of beautiful women swinging from the edge of the gateway, holding onto a tree. Initially, scholars were puzzled as this seemed to have little connection with the Buddhist ideal of renunciation.

After examining other literary traditions, scholars identified this as a representation of the shalabhanjika – a concept from Sanskrit traditions describing a woman whose touch caused trees to flower and bear fruit. This was an auspicious symbol integrated into the stupa's decoration. The shalabhanjika motif reveals that many people who embraced Buddhism enriched it with their own pre-Buddhist and non-Buddhist beliefs.

Thus, while Buddhist literature is crucial for understanding the narrative sculptures at Sanchi, a complete interpretation requires combining information from texts, sculpture, architecture and inscriptions. The recurrent motifs at Sanchi were derived from multiple traditions, showing that Buddhism did not develop in isolation but engaged with and absorbed elements from other cultural and religious practices.