Mogao Cave 17: Illustration of the Sutra on the Profound Kindness of Parents

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Northern Song dynasty

Sakyamuni Buddha is in the center of the upper register, accompanied by two Bodhisattvas and the disciples Mahakasyapa and Ananda. Heavenly Kings occupy the upper corners. Below the Buddha, an incense burner and two vases rest on an altar. Two Bodhisattvas kneel beside the altar and offer flowers. At the top of the picture, distant mountains representing Vulture Peak are painted beside a canopy.
Although a large section of the bottom half of the picture is damaged, monks and devotees listening to the Dharma and small scenes from the Sutra on the Profound Kindness of Parents remain visible. Text from the sutra is written within a cartouche beside each scene. A father teaching his young child and a mother carrying a baby are shown on the right. On the left, adults immersed in the joy of bringing up their own children neglect their aging parents.