Maijishan Grotto 127: Ten Wholesome and Ten Unwholesome Deeds

CHINA, Gansu, Tianshui; Western Wei dynasty

The murals, covering an area of 14 sq m, are located on both sides of the entrance in the lower sections of the front wall. Almost indistinguishable due to significant smoke damage, the murals depict King Yama and illustrations of the ten wholesome and ten unwholesome deeds.
The mural on the right depicts a large, walled courtyard with a gate and a large shrine. The shrine has a hip roof decorated with ridge ornaments. King Yama sits within the shrine, with an official who reports a matter to him. Behind the large courtyard is a smaller one with warriors and guards on patrol. Two people stand within this smaller courtyard, gazing up at the flying apsaras. Next to them is a cartouche, which reads, “the moment of welcoming the heavenly beings and Arhats.” Below the courtyard, a cartouche next to a reclining person reads “the moment at which one who practices ten wholesome deeds and enters the path.”
The ten cartouches on the much darker left mural are almost indecipherable. Some appear to read, “one who behaves unwholesomely . . . will fall into the Hell of Blade Mountains,” “one who behaves unwholesomely . . . will fall into the Hell of Severing Arms,” and “one who behaves unwholesomely . . . will fall into the Hell of Darkness.”