National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
| |||||||||
|
Wall Paintings from Ancient Shrines in Central Asia : vol.1 |
permissible; but the lines suggesting this may be intended only to emphasize the
pectoral muscles. y p
Muddy water, smeared on face and breast, is the work of infidels; but in spite
of this disfigurement the downcast eyes and the smiling mouth can still be faintly
seen. The right hand is upraised in teaching pose, the points of the discourse being
checked by the thumb on the finger joints. Between thumb and first finger there is
a faint indication of the web, traditionally recorded to be one of the distinguish-
ing attributes of the Buddha. It is unusual for the Buddha to wear ornaments, and
the jewelled garland bedecking this and other similar figures would seem to be
unorthodox. As we know, it is recorded that Gautama, after his flight from the
palace, stripped off all his princely ornaments and jewels and gave them to his groom
Chandaka to take back home, together with his faithful and heart-broken steed.
It has been suggested that the garlands are just temporary tributes of love and
esteem from devoted followers in observance of a still-surviving and charming
Indian custom. For the significance of the raft-like asana I have, so far, failed to
trace authority. References to the sea, in an allegorical sense, such as `The Ocean
of Transmigration' or of `Existence', are frequent in the Master's discourses;
and there is the incident of his settling the dispute between the Säkyas and Koliyas
over water rights in the river Rohini; but none of these allusions to water offers
a satisfactory explanation. The probability that there was some legend definitely
involving an actual boat is strengthened by the other example, and in that case of
a more substantial craft, in Bez. iii. G—K, in plate xvii.
Gifts of fruit, sweetmeats, and other food come from all sides. On the left two
men, perhaps the merchants Trapusa and Bhallika, the first of Buddha's converts,
present offerings. Their laden camel and white horse would represent their
caravan of `five hundred carts'. On the right a distinguished person in black top-
boots (with suspenders) kneels on one knee as he proffers his tray of cakes. The
fair-faced brown-haired person behind him, wearing a peculiar white cap, prob-
ably comes from the north-west. At the top, on the same side, a bhíkkhu with shaven
head, but wearing a neat little moustache, imitates with his left hand the gesture
of the Buddha's right. He is very short and wears black shoes. On the opposite
side is the mail-clad Vajrapáni grasping his diamond vajra and waving a chauri.
Below him is a devatá in reverential pose.
The thirdp anel, G, H, I, shows a preaching Buddha, his right hand in teaching
pose before his breast. Although badly defaced with mud, the web between thumb
•
1
1
o 97
r
|
Copyright (C) 2003-2019 National Institute of Informatics and The Toyo Bunko. All Rights Reserved.