Yasuko Fukuyama
Inter-departmental section, Chubu University, Aichi, Japan
This paper discusses the subject of the Miracle of Śrāvastī as depicted at the Ajaṇṭā caves in Western India. There are a number of clear iconographic developments in the paintings and the reliefs of Ajaṇṭā, which can provide evidence for the works involved.
The Miracle of Śrāvastī episode is a well-known story that Śākyamuni performed the Great miracles to confound heretics and disbelievers and make them in despair. One of facets of this episode seen at Ajaṇṭā is the Buddha’s multiplication of himself, namely, numerous Buddha figures, brought forth by the Śakyamuni Buddha, in various poses and on lotus pedestals rose up in tiers until they reached the heavens. Examples of the multiplication miracle at Ajaṇṭā are endowed with a large variety of iconographic features as they were executed through the entire term of the later phase; The earliest one as seen in Cave 17 are dated back from 470s which executed at the early stage of the later phase and some are found in the hundreds of the intrusive paintings and sculptures donated by minors, mostly monks and devotees on and in the caves which had already been dedicated by the earlier noble patrons after the decline of the excavation activity at Ajaṇṭā, which were executed in the very last phase. Therefore, given the rich array of examples, developments in the iconography can be effectively charted. Further, among the examples are some closely related to the structural composition of the cave, thus being useful and important in the consideration of the development process of the Ajaṇṭā caves. In addition to the examples that clearly represent the Miracle of Śrāvastī, this paper also considers those examples that have some iconographic elements of the subject. Analysis of these elements shows that they can be categorized into the four (A, B, C and D) lineages.
(Presented in the International Conference – Buddhist Narrative in Asia and Beyond, 9-11 August 2010, Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Bangkok, organized by Institute of Thai Studies, Chulalongkorn University with support from The Thailand Research Fund (TRF), in co-operation with Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Institute of Asian Studies, The Confucius Institute, Chulalongkorn University and l’École française d'Extrême-Orient (EFEO))