National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

Bez. xiii. Ceiling

A FRAGMENT from the vaulted ceiling of the shrine; probably one of many
repetitions forming a diaper. It represents the Buddha seated on a lotus
throne with polygonal base, with his right hand raised in vitarka-mudrā and
the left resting on his lap. The robe is very stylized. To his right a man or Bodhi-
sattva, and to his left a monk, kneel in devotion. Above and behind, on his right, is
a kneeling, Buddha-like figure, perhaps Avalokiteśvara, carrying a long-handled
fan in the right hand and a flask in the left. Above, on the left of the Buddha, is a
kneeling Vajrapāṇi with round, staring eyes and pointed ears. On top of his mass
of black hair is a curious head-dress, shaped like two crescents laid on their backs,
joined end to end, and at their junction a bunch of red flowers or berries, with a
double cincture at its base. It seems to be a badly drawn attempt to represent a
helmet with wide upturned brim. Two white bands rising from the shoulders to
the ears may be intended for the edges of a high collar. As usual, he carries a yak-
tail fly-whisk in the right hand and the vajra in the left. All four attendant figures
are on lotus thrones.

Below is a fragment of two lines of well-written Brāhmī, in dense black on a
hard, polished yellow-brown band, evidently prepared to bear the pressure of a
qalam, with which the writing was done.

The background is bright red, with floating lotuses.

On the right is part of a similar subject. The Avalokiteśvara in this case carries
flask and fan in the reverse hands. All the work is very roughly done by an un-
skilled hand; and the original drawing has probably deteriorated through frequent
repetition.

Bez. xiii. D. 2

There is evidently a legend illustrated here. It may be that of the white dog of
Sūkā. In a former birth the dog, twice represented, was Sūkā's father, who, before
his decease, concealed his treasure by secretly burying it under a divan. The dog
shown above is barking at the Buddha (?); below he lies on the divan, while
Bodhisattvas try to coax him with dainty food to reveal the secret.

The figure dressed as a devatā, or Bodhisattva, kneels at the divan and offers, with

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