The gigantic niche is about 7,3 meters high and 15,6 meters wide with abundant contents. in the middle is the half statue of Buddha with heavenly palace and the representations of the five Gatis over his head and shoulders, below him is the stele of the praise of Buddha’s teeth; the scenes of the stories relating with Buddha’s practising the filial piety and the sutra texts expanded in three layers on his either side.427
In comparison with the lavish representations of niche no. 17 at Dafowan those in the cave no. 3 at Xiaofowan appear quite brief and simple. Buddha Śākyamuni as the main figure of the cave is carved in the round mandola at the rear wall and the illustrations of the sutras are arranged on the either side of the Buddha figure next to the Ten Kindnesses without obvious boundary. Similarly the heavily weathered scenes are also placed into three registers.
The Buddha in centre
Taking the height of about the first two layers the huge half statue of the standing Buddha dominates in the centre (Fig. 5.47). Clad in monk’s robe decorated with dragon and clouds patterns and a jade ring hanging over his left shoulder the south-facing Buddha holds an alms-bowl with his left hand decorated with a bangle and makes the hand hand gesture of preaching the Dharma with the right before the chest. From the middle tuft of hair a ray of light eradiates upwards in the mid of which the Palace of Trāyastriṃśa is carved. The palace
427 Such kind of story was spread to Japan as early as before the Tang Dynasty see Zhao Chao, “Riben liuchuan
de liangzhong xiaozizhuan.” About the related material reserved in Dunhuang see Fang Guangchang, “Guanyu
is circa 60cm high and 90 cm wide with four half standing indras with mandorla inside who either hold Ruyi or sutra scroll or make certain hand guestures. On the lintel of the small palace four characters of “Dao li tian gong”, Palace of Trāyastriṃśa, is carved.428
Furthermore, on the both sides above the shoulders of Buddha the Five Gatis are carved (Fig. 5.50). On Buddha’s left are the Gati of Human Being, Asura and Hell: above the Gati of
Human Being there is still a round niche in which a figure is seated with crossed legs. The Gati is represented by three standing persons in various clothes. Underneath is the Asura with three heads and eight arms. He holds the son and moon with both his upper arms and with the other the various weapons in hand. The Gati of Hell is divided with the border of the light from the Gati of Human Being. In the scene the jailer with horse head is just thrusting a ghost in its chest with a spear and putting it into a boiler full of oil burnt with flames. Beside and above the boilder stands also two figures, and inside and outside the boiler there also the heads of ghosts carved. On Buddha’s right are the Gati of Animals and Hungry Ghosts: in the Gati of Animal there is a human being and four animals of which a bull can be identified while others are heavily weathered. For the Gati of Hungry Ghosts there are three figures, with one on the above and the other holding a spoon feeding the hungry ghost which has a horrible appearance and prays for foods with both hands joint before the chest. On the utmost of the both wings are the frequently appeared prase “If the scorching iron wheel would turn above the top of my head; never because of that suffering I would lose the mind for the Bodhi.”
Under the Buddha statue is the inscription “Praises of Buddha Teeth written royally by the three holy emperors” on a plate in front of Buddha with the two gata on the either side “Only do the golden bone of my master still exist, which after experiencing hundred
burning keep always fresh colour” (Fig. 5.47). Another important content in the scene no. 17 is the stele with the praises to the Buddha’s teeth, what is also irrelevant with the filial piety and taking the central place by the eyes of the visitors.429 The quoted text by three emperors praising the Buddha’s teeth is used here to emphasize the supreme status of Buddha and enhance the sacredness of the place. The contents of the stele express the idea of the unification of the three teachings. The stele is not seen in Xiaofowan and seems to be added by the developer who added the praises by Zongze in the scene no. 15. So the composition of the scene is made from the stories mainly from the Sutra of Buddha’s Repaying and the
428 On the wall near the palace there is still character carved but not completely legible anymore except for a
character “Da”, Great.
King S with stories from other sutras and the stele of the three emperors’ praises to
Buddha’s teeth, in order to display Buddha’s practices of filial piety. Such combination was definitely under the influence of the historical background including the advocations of the eminent monks like Zongze. But in viewing that most the scenes in Dafowan have textual basis, though with sometimes modifications or add-ons, it is unlikely for the developer to make huges scenes on the basis of a monk’s work.
At Xiaofowan Buddha Śākyamuni as the main cult figure is seated with crossed legs within the mandola behind him. His head is weathered and the face is fallen off (Fig. 5.11). Clad in a monk’s robe he holds an alms bowl with his left hand before the belly. The hand gesture is unclear since the hands have already gone. Around the mandola behind the Buddha pattern of flames are carved and inside are the halo and aureole behind the Buddha. Above him there is a row of figures, in the middle of which seems to be a building above the head of Buddha resembling the heavenly palace. The figures on the either side of the palace are heavily blurred and they might be the figures from the Five Paths. Below the Buddha are the pattern resembling the hanging curtains. The Stele of Praising the Buddha Teeth do not appear here.
The representations of sutras On the left wing
At Dafowan on Buddha’s either side are generally the scenes related with Buddha’s rewarding to the parents in his past and present lives. On the lower layer of Buddha’s left side is the representation of the beginning episode from the Sutra, the six heterodox masters slandering Buddha as non-filial: As Ananda entered into the town for begging food, there he saw a man filially supporting his parents carrying his parents in two baskets hung over a shoulder-pole and praised the man for supporting his parents. Then the six
heterodox masters and disciples said to Ananda that Buddha was not filial, since he gave up his parents and went out of the town without knowing the kindness of parents and
committing his responsibility. Having heard that Ananda felt to be shamed and went to Buddha and asked about the filialty in the Buddhist dharma. Thus Buddha eradiated five coloured light to the ten directions and showed in his body the Five Gatis, and preached the Sutra telling about the filial practices in Buddha’s past lives. It was pointed out in the Sutra that Buddha obtained the supreme enlightenment just because of his filial virtue.
Here the episode is carved on a plate underneath the left side of Buddha’s body and shown through a row of standing figures (Fig. 5.51): on the left end is Ananda in monk’s robe with clouds pattern behind his head having a puzzled expression on his face; next to him is the filial son carrying his parents with the shoulder-pole and the baskets who are seated with crossed legs and smiles and hold each a rould cake in the hands; behind them are the six heterodox teachers: Pūraṇa-Kāśyapa, Maskari-Gośālīputra, Sañjaya-Vairāṭīputra, Ajita- Keśakambala, Kakuda-Kātyāyana, and Nirgrantha-Jñātṛputra.430 They were actually the six main streams of philosophy contemporary to Buddhism in India. Here they are sculpted as the vicious enemies of Buddha. The first clothed in long robe one has a dick chin and points at the filial son with forefinger while turning back his head to the opposite direction. The second one with a short hair stands next to him with his left hand before the chest and seems to be absentminded. The next one wears a big hut and holds a set of six clappers on his right side and seems to dance with the rhythm. Above between him and the next one a halt statue of the fluting woman is made, who blows the transverse flute on one end and hold the flute with both hands on the other end (Fig. 5.52). The fifth one with beard and a small hut has his mouth wide opened and seem to dance after the rhythm and music. The lower part of the last one is heavily weathered but it is still visible that he wears a big round hut and might dance together with his companions to mock at Buddhism.
The same representations are to be found in the cave no. 3 at Xiaofowan in the inner place of the sidewalls. On the left wall at the lower register are Ananda, the son of filial piety carrying his parents in baskets and the six heretics (Fig. 5.53). Most of their head are fallen down, however the figures of playing drum or dancing are still visible. The difference between the two places are that here are two figures above four not like at Dafowan one figure above five.
At Dafowan above the six heterodox teachers in the middle layer are two stories not all from the same sutra: near the Buddha statue is a scene from the Jataka story of Jāti (Fig. 5.54). In the past there was a king who had a son born named Jāti, the former life of Buddha Śākyamuni in his causel stage. Because the enemy Rāhu evilly rebelled, the king held the prince and escaped to the neighbouring country. It was still far away after the food was exhausted. The Prince offered flesh every day from his own body to support the parents alongside the their way of escape, and in the end his body recovered as usual according to
430 For the heretic figures appeared in the rock carvings, see Hu Tongqing, “Dazu ‘shijia xingxiao’,” 179-196,
his great vow. The whole story is represented here only by the royal family (Fig. 5.55). The king in long robe supports himself with a sword on the ground and holds the little prince on his left arm. The little prince has holes on his both arms indicating that he offered his own flesh. The queen wearing a crown faces to the two and receives the flesh of her son with both hands.
At Xiaofowan the story of cutting own flesh to support the parents (Fig. 5.57) is also placed in the middle register. Also here the father holds the young son on his left arm and supports himself with a sword on the ground facing to the mother with followed maid. Above them are the Indras in kneeing pose. At Dafowan the maid and Indra do not appear, while the other three are similarly arranged.
The story next to it is also related with the offer of the body, but not to the parents but to the tigress. It is the renowned Jataka story of Sattva donating his own body to the hungry tigress and the seven tigers. In the illustration in the niche 17 at Dafowan the remains of Prince Sattva’s body is placed on a table behind which the parents stand (Fig. 5.56). The father in offical hut and long robe holds the heads of his son and the mother with
appearance of a dignified lady touches her son’s feet mournfully. Between them above the body on the rear wall a figure with halo is represented on a cloud descending from the heaven. Behind the father half of a tigress streches out with her mouth widely opened. On the front side of the table the narrative text of the story is carved. Notably the text does not tell much about the story, but concentrates the content how the in Tuṣita reborned Prince Sattva consulates his extremely grief-stricken parents.
In the cave no. 3 at Xiaofowan the Jataka story of Feeding Tigress is also to be found at the outer position and fashioned in similar manner with the body of the prince laid on a table (Fig. 5.57). The king and queen touch the head and feet of the prince while a tigress carved under the table with half body emerged. Behind him there is still a tree. Above them there seem to be three figures. Although the construction of the main scene is similar, at Dafowan the trees are indivisible and only one Indra stand behind the table.
In the niche 17 another story about the filial piety of Buddha’s previous life is seen on the right of the landlord and parrot: Śākyamuni in his causal stage practising filial piety by gouging out eyes and taking out marrow as medicine. Prince Kṣānti knew his father the king suffering heavy disease and his life on the verge of death and in seeking of medicine to treat and cure. As the Prince knew that the eyes of a non-anger person and his marrow could
save the life of the king, he called Caṇḍāla to gouge both his eyes and break bones to take out marrow for his father. On the stone there are altogether five figures carved (Fig. 5.58). On the left sits the illed king on a stool and strechts out his left hand to the doctor
beforehim. The doctor holds the king’s hand with his left arm and feels the puls with his right hand. Behind the doctor is a group of three persons. The Prince with his back to the doctor is seated with crossed legs and joins his hands before his chest. Before him is the Caṇḍāla with beard who is gouging out the eye of the prince with a knife. Beside them kneels a maid who holds a round plate to keep the prince’s eyes. The plate of inscription explaining the story is placed direct under the king and the doctor.
Almost samely constructed as at Dafowan the story of digging flesh is placed at the outer position of the upper layer at Xiaofowan. Between the scene and the Buddhas a tree is carved with the twigs stretched into the ceiling of the cave (Fig. 5.60).
The next scene of the left wing is is actually no story but the claimation of Buddha that he obtains the thirty-two and eighty good marks due to the virtue of filial piety in the Sutra of Great Expedient Buddha Rewarding the Kindness. The representation is somewhat puzzling. There are altogether four figures (Fig. 5.58): on the left is sitting one with the appearance of a bodhisattva (or a lady?) with splendid flower crown and clad in long robe with broad sleeves. At his feet knees a young-looking person with both hands joint before the chest piously to a sitting figure before him. Between them is a person with the appearance of the layman with offical hut and long robe, pointing the sitting figure next to him with the forefinger. The sitting figure, who should be Buddha according to the story, has surprisingly an extraordinary appearance from the traditional Buddha. He has curled hair over his ears and is clad in a long robe with broad sleeves and joints his hand leisurely before his belly. Below the last figure is the plate with the narrative inscriptions about the scene.
At Xiaofowan on the upper register at inner place is the representation of thirty-two marks with three figures (Fig. 5.60): the Buddha on the left sits with crossed legs and the other two are seated with their hands before the bellies. At Dafowan is a figure more that kneels before the Buddha.
At Dafowan on the upper layer of the niche three stories are represented. On the right corner is the Jataka story of a parrot who filialy supports his parents (Fig. 5.59): there was a parrot whose parents were both blind. He usually picked and gathered vegetables and fruits
to nurture his parents. Then there was a landlord who made the vow at the beginning when he planted the grains that all the planted would be shared with the sentient beings. Then the parrot picked and took the heads of the rice to support his parents. At that time the landlord walked along the field of rice seeing the heads of rice cut and suddenly he became angry and caught the parrot with net. As the landlord learned that the parrot supports his blind parents with rice he was pleased and then let the parrot go. And he promised to donate with the rice to make him to support and nurture his parents. The story is quite briefly represented here with only the landlord and the parrot on his left hand. With the right hand before the chest, the landlord in a long robe seems to be just talking with the parrot. Below them is the relavent plate of inscription.
At Xiaofowan a tree is represented at the right corner of the upper layer, however it can not be confirmed if the figures from the story were carved or not (Fig. 5.60).
On the right wing
At Dafowan the representations on Buddha’s right is almost symmetrically arranged with three stories on the upper layer, two in the middle and a scene with a sequence of persons at the lowest place (Fig. 5.61). The two stories close to the Buddha statue on the upper layer are the only two from the Sutra of Rewarding. The one on the right is the Jataka story of Śākyamuni in his causal stage as the prince with a delivering-letter wild goose. Pince Good Friend sailed in the sea to seek the treasure and stayed in another country. Then the queen wrote a letter and tied on the neck of the wild goose raised by the prince. After reading the letter brought by the wild goose the prince knew that his parents missed him and their eyes