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Prophecy of Dipamkara Buddha
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Prophecy of Dipamkara Buddha
MYANMAR; 19th century; Ink and color on paper; 49 x 76 cm; British Library, London, United Kingdom
This scene is found in an album of Burmese paintings brought to Great Britain by Henry Burney in 1837. The album consists of 52 contiguous accordion style folded pages. Each page is 49 cm high and 19 cm wide, and contains text written along the bottom border.
This scene is illustrated across four pages and has a total width of 76 cm. Dipamkara Buddha is depicted in the upper right corner, followed by five disciples in yellow robes. In an act of piety, Megha lies across the muddy road so that the Buddha might tread over his body without soiling his feet. Impressed by this gesture, Dipamkara Buddha proclaims that in one of his next lives, Megha will attain enlightenment and become a Buddha by the name of Sakyamuni. In the lower register, there are lively scenes of local life. The illustrations are some of the finest portrayals of the past lives of the Buddha produced in 19th century Burma. |
