Kizil Cave 14: King Mahaprabhasa Avadana

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

Located on the left side of the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the main chamber, this painting is based on the King Mahaprabhasa Avadana in the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish. In the story, King Mahaprabhasa asked a mahout to train a white elephant. When the king later rode the now trained elephant, it ran away, taking him into the forest. The king held onto a tree branch to save himself. He then realized that a mahout may train an elephant’s body, but only the Buddha can train its mind. The king then resolved to attain Buddhahood.
Painted within the diamond-shaped image is King Mahaprabhasa riding a speckled blue elephant. The king wears a crown and has a nimbus. His upper body is bare and he wears a long green lower garment with a blue stole wrapped across his arms. The king’s hands are extended forward as he tries to grab a tree branch. The mountains in the background are gray in color, with blue patterns between them.