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Mogao Cave 419: Illustration of the Sutra on the Ascent of Maitreya
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Mogao Cave 419: Illustration of the Sutra on the Ascent of Maitreya
CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Sui dynasty (581–618)
This mural is displayed on the flat ceiling at the rear of the cave. It illustrates the Sutra on the Ascent of Maitreya. In its center is a depiction of Tusita Heaven, featuring Maitreya Bodhisattva awaiting rebirth as the future Buddha. The Bodhisattva sits upon a Sumeru throne inside a five-bay wide hall with a hip-and-gable roof. He is flanked by two standing attendant Bodhisattvas and the Four Heavenly Kings. Outside the hall are four-story buildings surrounded by verdant foliage, in which heavenly beings play music and make offerings. |
