Mogao Cave 98: Illustration of the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish - Chapter on Devaputra Gangadhara

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Five Dynasties

This image from the illustration of the Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish is located on the 9th panel from the left in the lower section of the south wall. The narrative, moving from top to bottom, tells the story of a young man who attempts suicide by various means after his parents forbid him from becoming a monk, and finally succeeds by being sentenced to death for stealing. On the upper left is a scene depicting a wealthy couple praying to a deity for a son. The deity, resembling a Heavenly King, stands behind them. Above, a heavenly being riding a cloud arrives at the walls of the town to be reborn as their son.
Near the middle of the painting, the son is depicted unsuccessfully attempting suicide by jumping from a cliff, and then by drowning. Below this, he is caught after blatantly stealing some clothing, and an executioner prepares to shoot him with a bow and arrow. To the right, the young man explains his actions to the king. At the bottom of the painting, the Buddha is seated in full lotus position on a lotus throne as he tells the story. Eventually, the young man became a Pratyekabuddha.