Mogao Cave 17: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Five Dynasties

Avalokitesvara sits on a lotus throne beneath a canopy. The unusually slim-waisted body is adorned with ornaments. A crown decorated with a Buddha image rests on the head. Two raised hands hold a sun and a moon disc. One of the lowered hands carries a vase and the other forms a mudra. The colors of the nimbus, aureole, and mandorla remain bright. The Recorders of Good and Evil stand beside the base of the throne. On both sides of the Bodhisattva, scenes depict beings encountering a thunderstorm, a snake, a wild beast, an executioner, fire, and robbers. According to the “Universal Gateway Chapter” of the Lotus Sutra, Avalokitesvara can protect devotees from these calamities. The three kneeling figures in the lower register are identified by inscriptions as the soldier who commissioned the painting and his deceased parents.