Mogao Cave 231: Auspicious Buddha on Gosrnga Mountain

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Painted on the ceiling of the back (west) wall niche in the main chamber, this auspicious Buddha has become discolored and faded over time. The body of the Buddha becomes bluish-green in color, and the features of the face and clothing are no longer discernible. The Buddha wears a robe that covers both shoulders. The left hand clasps a corner of the robe and the right hand displays the vitarka (teaching) mudra. The nimbus is composed of wave-like patterns of red, blue, green, and white. A mesh canopy hangs overhead. Beside the image, an inscription reads, “This Gosrnga Mountain image descended from Vulture Peak.”
The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions mentions Gosrnga Mountain, or Nuitoushan (Ox Head Mountain) as it is known in Chinese. The record locates it southwest of the capital city, describes a Buddhist temple on the mountain that contains a Buddha statue that spontaneously emits light, and claims that the Buddha once taught the Dharma to heavenly beings at this location. The Dunhuang manuscript Records of the Auspicious Signs of the Buddhas states, “Sakyamuni Buddha traveled from Vulture Peak to Gosrnga Mountain and taught the Dharma to the Eight Classes of Dharma Protectors.”
The paintings of Gosrnga Mountain and Auspicious Buddha on Gosrnga Mountain in the Mogao Caves began during the Tibetan occupation of Dunhuang (781–847). By the Late Tang period (846–907) and the Song dynasty (960–1279), these included large-scale illustrations of Gosrnga Mountain itself, and incorporated other themes from Buddhist mythology. Examples include the mural in Cave 9 from the Late Tang period, and the mural in Cave 454 from the Song dynasty.