Kizil Cave 188: Wealthy Miser Reborn as a Blind Person

CHINA, Xinjiang, Aksu

This painting is located on the left side of the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the main chamber. According to the Sutra on Overcoming Difficulties, there was once a very wealthy man who was filled with greed and never shared his wealth with others. After he died, he was reborn as a blind child whose mother was also blind. From the age of seven, this child used a staff to guide himself to beg for food on his own. When the Buddha heard of this, he visited the home of the blind child and told him what he did in his past life and the consequence of his action.
This painting depicts the scene where the blind child is being counselled by the Buddha. The Buddha has a nimbus and an aureole, wears a two-layered monastic robe, and is seated on a rectangular throne with legs crossed at the ankles. A stupa is depicted behind the Buddha, and to the right is the unclothed blind child. In front of the child is his bowl and staff.