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

a pair of hands in adoration. No emblems except Dhyāni-
buddha on front of tiara.

Fig., dress, and orns. those of 'Indian' Bodhisattva (see
*Ch. lv. 0014), with flower-orn. caps over knees and twisted
pearl-strung rope round neck instead of stole. Flesh
originally gamboge shaded with red; hair very light brown.
Circular halo and vesica of waving ray, vandyke ray, and
petal orn., with inner trilobate flame border, and outer band
of white bordered with small lotus orn. as in Ch. xxvi. 001.
Between top of this and canopy is a second small fig. of
Dhyāni-buddha with attendant disciple and Bodhisattva on
either side.

The attendants of Avalokitéśvara comprise:
(i) In four corners, four armed Kings. Only Virūpākṣa
(with sword) is preserved complete, in L. bottom corner;
and legs of Kings (attributes destroyed) in upper corners.
Armour and general type as in banners; see Ch. xlix. 007.

(ii) down sides, eight Bodhisattvas, seated or kneeling,
with hands in mystic poses or holding censers or flowers.
Majority in 'Indian' Bodhisattva dress like attendant
Bodhisattvas in Paradise picture, *Ch. 0051; two in elaborate
garments covering them to neck and wrists like dancer in
same painting.

(iii) at Avalok.'s knees, two infants naked except for long
stoles, floating down on lotuses with hands in adoration.

(iv) below Padmāsana, the Nymph (L.) and Sage (R.) as
commonly found in paintings of Thousand-armed Avalok.;
see series under *Ch. 00223.

(v) heads of two Bodhisattvas upholding Avalok.'s Pad-
māsana.

All figs. and accessories, with exception of Avalok. in centre,
in 'Chinese Buddhist' style of *Ch. 00223, etc. Colouring
chiefly crimson, grey, white, and orange, on greyish back-
ground; but almost gone. 4′ 8″ × 4′ 2″.

*Ch. lv. 004. Painted silk banner somewhat broken
and faded; all accessories lost.

General Note.—This painting is a good representative of
an 'Indian' class further exemplified in Ch. lv. 007, 008, 0029,
0030, 0031; and akin to *Ch. xxvi. a. 007 series. The
paintings show many points of resemblance to miniatures
of Nepalese MSS., as seen in Foucher, Iconographie boud-
dhique, i. Pl. IV, etc. Style is comparatively primitive, and
colouring poor and limited in range. Dull red and green,
black, white, yellow, dark brown, and pink are the only
colours used; in all, paint much faded and lost.

In pose, physical type, nature, and arrangement of drapery,
etc., the figs. are exceedingly like one another even in small
details. All are standing, with their weight thrown on one
hip, and body inclined more or less strongly to other side.
Body itself is slender-waisted; legs thin and straight; face
short and round with aquiline nose, arched eyebrows, and
long narrow but almost straight eyes.

The dress consists of a skirt, draping fig. from waist to
ankles and drawn closely about legs so as to show their
form. It is usually of transparent material, striped or spotted,
beneath which are seen short laṅgoṭī of thicker texture.
Round hips girdle of drapery and leather (?) belt of several

thongs, usually with clasp in front to which girdle is attached.
Narrow stole crosses breast from one shoulder, leaving whole
upper part of body practically nude, and descending in stiff
spirals and waves about arms to ground. A still narrower
double or triple band of green set with diamonds (?)—and
found only in paintings of this type—hangs round neck in
loop to about knees. Jewellery massive in form, and com-
prises, besides usual bangles, necklace, and tiara, anklets
and elaborate armlets on upper arm. Tiara and armlets set
with distinctive ornaments, either of high triangular shape richly
chased, or in form of tall spike set with jewels.

Hair done in high cone on top of head, and falls in loose
black ringlets on shoulders. Flesh is painted in characteristic
Indian fashion, green, red, or white according to deity repre-
sented. The halo is always oval, formed of rings of
variegated colour and bordered with flame; underfoot a
single lotus. Variations in detail are noted under separate
descriptions. Blank inscr. cartouches are placed on L.
upper edge. Paintings when complete show tasselled canopy
above, and band of yellow rhomboids filled with rosettes below.

Ch. lv. 004. Subject: Avalokitéśvara. Fig. stands facing
spectator, weight thrown on R. hip and body inclined to
R. (spectator's); R. arm bent up at elbow with open hand
upraised; L. extended by side carrying long-stemmed pink
lotus. Head inclined to L., eyes gazing down. Nose broad
and mouth wide. Row of short curls on forehead. Skirt of
transparent white stuff, laṅgoṭī green, stoles of dull buff and
pink gathered in knot on R. hip by clasp. Double-collar
necklace and elaborate tiara. Flesh painted throughout
light red. 1′ 6″ × 6¾″.

Ch. lv. 005. Painted silk banner, both ends and all
accessories lost. Remainder much faded and discoloured,
but shows fig. intact from crown of head to knees.

Subject: Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Guardian of the East. Stands
slightly R., bow in lowered L. hand, arrow (incomplete
through fading and neither end visible) in R. From colour-
ing and style of work evidently belongs to 'Indian' series
*Ch. lv. 004, which otherwise (as preserved to us) contains
only Bodhisattvas. Dress as described in General Note,
*Ch. 0010, and in Ch. xxvi. a. 006.

On skirts and shoulders scale-armour outlined red on buff
(much faded); but on body no scales marked and coat
painted plain green. On shoulders are flaming jewels on
short lotus stems as in Ch. xxvi. a. 006. Apron below hip-
belt and flaps over hips are cut in one piece, of dark pink
leather (?), apron being trefoil-shaped. Arm-guards also of
plain leather, painted with disc pattern in shades of dark pink,
and finished at top by stiff outstanding green ruff like the
usual ankle-guard, corresponding to green pleated edge of
coat of mail on upper arm. Sausage-shaped collar protects
neck. On head a solid gold and jewelled crown, which
allows the black hair only to be seen in festooned edge on
forehead.

Face, with its conventionally twisted eyebrows, wrinkles
over nose, and round glaring white eyes, tends to monster
type, but features otherwise are human. Ears elongated and
pierced, but without rings; mouth wide and compressed, with