Kizil Cave 77: Monkey King Teaching the Five Hundred Sages

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

This painting is located near the outer wall on the barrel-vaulted ceiling of the right corridor. According to the Extraordinary Stories from Sutras and Vinayas, after the Buddha had entered parinirvana for 100 years, there were 500 Pratyekabuddhas and 500 sages living on Mount Urumunda. A Monkey King also practiced on that mountain and gradually gained enlightenment. After all the Pratyekabuddhas attained nirvana, the Monkey King vowed to liberate the sentient beings in the three lower realms from the suffering of rebirth. He therefore left the mountain and taught the Dharma to the 500 sages so that they could practice the true Dharma.
This painting illustrates the Monkey King in sitting meditation. He is seated in full lotus position on a cushion made of grass. His head is slightly lowered and his eyes gently closed. The hands form the dhyana (meditation) mudra. A tree with seven branches is depicted behind him. The bird searching for food on the right contrasts with the monkey’s deep state of meditation.