Simsen Cave 45: Karma Stories

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

These illustrations are located on the barrel-vaulted ceiling of the main chamber. The top right displays a scene from the Abhiniskramana Sutra, in which Sakyamuni in his past life offers parasols and incense to 8.8 trillion Pratyekabuddhas. After presenting this offering and undergoing cultivation in numerous kalpas, he eventually attained enlightenment and became Sakyamuni Buddha. A Buddha seated in full lotus position is depicted in the center of the diamond. A Bodhisattva to the right kneels on one knee and holds a parasol in offering to the Buddha.
A scene from the Avadanasataka can be found in the lower part of the image. When the Buddha was in Sravasti, a man went to the woods to collect blossoms from a sala tree to make a flower garland. He had a joyful encounter with the Buddha and decided to offer the garland to him. The man then returned to climb the tree anew to collect more blossoms. This time the branch did not sustain his weight and his fall from the tree was fatal. After his death, he ascended to Trayastrimsa Heaven and lived in a palace of sala blossoms. In the illustration, a man faces the Buddha while collecting flower blossoms with both hands.
The top left portrays a scene from the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish. The Buddha in the diamond is barely visible. A man kneels in front of the Buddha holding a colored bowl in his left hand and a pen in his right. This is a depiction of Tisya Buddha drawing a self-portrait upon the request of King Vasava.