Life of the Buddha - Parinirvana

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

This painting depicts the Buddha passing into parinirvana between two sala trees in Kushinagar. An inscription states that it was painted by Lu Xinzhong, an artist from Qingyuanfu (present day Ningbo, Zhejiang). This information suggests Lu lived during the Southern Song dynasty. Listed as an Important Cultural Property, this painting is one of the many works by this artist that were brought to Japan.
The Buddha lies peacefully on a platform, surrounded by his disciples. One figure in a brown robe appears agitated, holding his sleeve over his mouth. Two disciples on the upper left look down sadly at the Buddha. In front of the platform, an incense burner is placed on an altar, and two warriors dressed in Central Asian costume perform a tribal dance as an offering.
At the top of the painting, Queen Maya descends from Trayastrimsa Heaven on a cloud, accompanied by two female attendants. The sala trees are painted with seven bushy segments, each adorned with hanging jewels. This depiction is based on the “seven rows of jeweled trees” mentioned in the Amitayurdhyana Sutra. It also suggests the prevalence of Pure Land teachings during that time period. The contrasting colors of red and blue on the Buddha’s robe blend harmoniously with the green cloth laid upon the platform. This color combination is often used in Ningbo paintings of Southern Song dynasty.