Anyue Vairocana Cave 8: Illustration of the Returning Favors Sutra - King Mahaprabhasa

CHINA, Sichuan, Ziyang; Northern Song dynasty

This carving is located in the lower left corner of the cave, near the sculptures of the Ten Austerities of Liu Benzun. An inscription in the cave indicates that this is a depiction of King Mahaprabhasa offering his head, carved in the year 940. The story is found in the Returning Favors Sutra, which states that in a past life, Sakyamuni Buddha was Mahaprabhasa, the King of Varanasi. The king was so generous that when a brahmin was sent by a jealous neighboring king to ask for King Mahaprabhasa’s head, he readily agreed to have it chopped off.
In this portrayal, King Mahaprabhasa has his hair tied up in a topknot and wears a small crown. He has a full, oval face with rounded lips and a kind expression. The king wears a Chinese-style crossed-collar shirt with tight sleeves, under a larger, draped vest. He holds his head in one hand, while the other holds a sword behind the neck, ready to chop it off. This figure is sculptured with a Chinese appearance, showing the integration of this story, which originated in India, with the culture of the Northern Song dynasty.