Dazu Rock Carvings Baodingshan Great Buddha Bay Niche 18: Illustration of the Amitayurdhyana Sutra - Lowest Grade of the Middle Class
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Dazu Rock Carvings Baodingshan Great Buddha Bay Niche 18: Illustration of the Amitayurdhyana Sutra - Lowest Grade of the Middle Class - Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva
Dazu Rock Carvings Baodingshan Great Buddha Bay Niche 18: Illustration of the Amitayurdhyana Sutra - Lowest Grade of the Middle Class
CHINA, Chongqing, Dazu; Southern Song dynasty
This carving is located just below and to the right carving depicting the middle grade of the highest class. Amitabha Buddha sits in full lotus position on a lotus throne in the middle of the triad. He has a round mandorla and forms the lowest grade of the middle class mudra with both hands. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva stands on the right, holding a willow branch in one hand and an alms bowl in the other. Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva, to the left, holds a long-stemmed lotus. Three lotuses, from which three beings emerge, are below the triad. The head of the being on right side is missing. A horizontal four-character inscription reading “lowest grade of the middle class” is carved above the triad.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Caves A-E, page 256.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Johnson, Peter and Mankuang and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Caves A-E},
pages = 256,
title = {{Dazu Rock Carvings Baodingshan Great Buddha Bay Niche 18: Illustration of the Amitayurdhyana Sutra - Lowest Grade of the Middle Class}},
volume = 5,
year = {2016}}