Mogao Cave 17: Life of the Buddha - Parinirvana

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty to Five Dynasties

On the left side of the lower register, the Buddha lies on his right side with closed eyes. There is a sala tree on the right, which probably suggests the scene of parinirvana. Two disciples with mournful expressions and joined palms stand beside the Buddha. Another sala tree can be seen on the far right.
In the upper register, five Buddhas sit on lotus thrones. The Buddha on the far left is mostly obscured by a tear in the paper. The nimbus of one of the Buddhas and the inscriptions in three of the cartouches have been cut out of the painting. The Buddha in the center is identified by the accompanying cartouche as Samantaprabha Buddha.