Mogao Cave 428: Life of the Buddha - Defeat of Mara

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Northern Zhou dynasty

This mural is located on the north wall, and features Prince Siddhartha’s Defeat of Mara and subsequent Enlightenment, which is widely recorded in scriptures. The Buddhacarita states, “Before Prince Siddhartha achieved enlightenment, he sat upright beneath a Bodhi tree in contemplation, vowing not to stand until he became enlightened. The Mara feared that the prince’s enlightenment and transformation into a Buddha would decrease his own power, and thus led his daughters and army to the tree to disrupt Prince Siddhartha’s contemplation. However, the Bodhisattva merely looked on in silence; Mara’s actions were to him child’s play. Mara and his army increased their efforts, but all who tried to harm the Bodhisattva not only failed but were themselves hurt. At this juncture, the Mara was ashamed and retreated without success.”
In the center of the mural, Prince Siddhartha is seated in full lotus position with his right hand in the bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra. To the lower left the three daughters of Mara try to gain his attention and to the lower right is their transformation into three old women. The top part of the mural displays the Mara’s army attacking. The army soldiers have the heads of elephants, goats, and tigers. Some carry bows and arrows or swords, while others spit fire and release snakes. Seated atop the throne, the prince shows no signs of disturbance. The mural employs the technique of contrasting static and dynamic elements, using the chaos of Mara and his army to emphasize the serene nature of the prince.