Anyue Yuanjue Cave 10: Buddha Holding a Flower

CHINA, Sichuan, Ziyang; Northern Song dynasty

Cave 10 measures 4 m wide, 6.4 m high, and 3 m deep. The central sculpture in the cave, located in front of the back wall, is Sakyamuni Buddha, standing barefooted on a lotus pedestal. Sakyamuni has tightly spiraled hair, a round face, and an urna between his eyebrows. The Buddha makes a mudra with his right hand while clasping a small flower between the thumb and forefinger. The cupped left hand is held with the palm upwards near the waist. Around the Buddha’s head are bas-reliefs of scattered flowers. A nimbus and an aureole are carved on the wall behind him.
On the lower left, the disciple Mahakasyapa joins his palms and looks up at the Buddha with a smile. This represents the famous Chan story of the Buddha holding a flower and Mahakasyapa responding with a smile. An apsara is located on the upper section of each side wall, while two figures making offerings are sculpted on the bottom right. Above these two figures is an inscription describing the restoration of the cave during the Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279).