Illustration of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

In this painting of scenes from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, the Buddha, wearing a red and blue patched monastic robe, is shown four times. In the middle of the painting, the Buddha lies on his side on a bed beneath sala trees; he appears peaceful as he enters into parinirvana. On the left side of the upper register, the Buddha is shown teaching the Dharma. Below this, Cunda’s offering and the distribution of the Buddha’s relics are depicted. The Buddha is shown giving his final instructions to his disciples on the upper right, and below it, warriors supporting the Buddha’s casket and the seven circumambulations of the Buddha’s casket around the city are shown. Each scene is accompanied by an inscription within a cartouche.