Mogao Cave 17: Life of the Buddha

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

This late 8th or early 9th century picture is composed of three distinct scenes. In the upper register, a Buddha sits on a lotus throne, forming the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra with the raised left hand. In the middle section, young Prince Siddhartha is shown with his teachers. The small prince wears a royal headdress and sits within a pavilion. The teacher of the literary arts holds a scroll, while the teacher of military skills holds an official’s baton. A long inscription within a cartouche on the right describes the scene.
The lower section is damaged, leaving only a red pavilion visible. There is a row of drums and targets on the right, which may represent the story of Prince Siddhartha shooting through a row of bronze drums, as recorded in the Sutra of Cause and Effect in the Past and Present.