The observations just quoted apply with equal force to the large
painting on silk (Ch. xxxvii. 004), of which Plate III reproduces a
little more than the left-hand half on the scale of about one-half. The
painting itself, which though incomplete on all sides still measures
close on six feet across by five feet in height, represents but the
upper portion of a much larger composition. Judging from what survives
of the central figure in the lower broken part (see _Serindia_,
Pl. LIX), the picture as a whole was meant for a ‘Maṇḍala’ of the
thousand-armed Avalokiteśvara, the Kuan-yin of Chinese Buddhism. But
the heavy band of rhomboidal ornament which, as seen near the lower
edge of the Plate, passes behind the halo of this large central figure
clearly marks off the divine assemblage in the upper portion from the
rest as a well-defined theme by itself.
The Buddha presiding over this assemblage, whose seated figure our
Plate shows in its upper right corner, is taken by M. Petrucci for
Bhaiṣajyaguru, and the similarity in pose and accessories to the
central Buddha of the previously discussed picture seems to support
this identification. Unfortunately the inscription in Chinese and
Tibetan which occupies the large yellow cartouche in the centre and
might have afforded safe guidance has faded into illegibility. On
either side of this central Buddha is seen a Bodhisattva, seated with
one leg pendent and with the hand nearest to the Buddha raised, like
the right of the latter himself, in the _vitarka-mudrā_, the gesture
of argument. In pose, dress, and treatment of features these two
seated Bodhisattvas bear a distinctly Indian air, and this would well
agree with the identification proposed for them by M. Petrucci, who on
the strength of inscriptional indications in a simplified Maṇḍala of
Bhaiṣajyaguru is prepared to recognize Samantabhadra in the Bodhisattva
to the left and his usual counterpart Mañjuśrī in the corresponding
seated Bodhisattva to the right.[1] Between the presiding Buddha and
the Bodhisattva on either side are grouped three lesser Bodhisattvas
in adoring poses and two haloed monkish disciples. The heads of the
latter, one young, the other old and emaciated, are drawn with much
expressive skill. The same is the case with the faces of most of the
Bodhisattvas, though the great difficulties which the painting offers
to photography do not allow the extreme delicacy of the drawing to be
fully appreciated in the reproduction.
While the grouping and treatment of the divine personalities so far
named follow well-established lines, a striking feature, met with
again only once among our ‘Maṇḍala’ paintings, is introduced by the
two processions which descend, carried on purple clouds, from either
side towards the centre of the picture. On the left our Plate shows
us the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra seated on a lotus which a white
elephant, his recognized _vāhana_, carries, as he advances accompanied
by Bodhisattvas and preceded by heavenly musicians to meet Mañjuśrī.
The latter Bodhisattva appears in the corresponding right-hand portion
of the picture seated on his lion and escorted by an exactly similar
_cortège_.
Apart from six figures of undetermined lesser Bodhisattvas, some of
whom carry sacred vessels, the _cortège_ of either comprises four
youthful musicians playing on clappers, pipe, flute, and mouth-organ.
In front of them marches a dark-coloured boy, undoubtedly meant for an
Indian, carrying a bronze vessel, while another strides by the side of
the chief Bodhisattva, leading his mount. The exaggerated dark colour
of these Indians is, like the misdrawing of the elephant’s head and
limbs, significant of the painter’s want of familiarity with things
Indian. In the background two of the Lokapālas, or Guardian-kings
of the Four Quarters, attend the train of each divinity. About the
fluttering canopy which rises above the head of each float gracefully
drawn Gandharvīs (Apsaras). From the side there sweeps down a bevy of
tiny Bodhisattva figures clustered within a wreath of purple cloud,
while above it a group of picturesque hills, drawn with true Chinese
feeling for landscape, fills the top corner.
Throughout the picture the workmanship is that of a master, and the
serene dignity of the composition as a whole is very happily blended
with tenderness of mood and harmonious subtlety of line and colour.