Page 132 - Fine Chinese Art Bonhams London May 2018

Monumental in size, this exceptional painting is an early surviving The first inscription, occurring to the lowest margin, to
Tibetan example depicting four of the Five Cosmic Buddhas who, Amoghasiddhi’s proper right, refers to the first day in spring, when
from at least the first century AD, were thought to coexist at the same the Blessed Shakyamuni travelled to a field that had been prepared
time in various parts of the universe. These Buddhas were considered for his visit and sat upon a ‘lion’ throne before a great number of
emanations of Shakyamuni, the Historic Buddha, and each Buddha people who had assembled there. After receiving offerings from his
was associated with a specific position in the space, a family, a lay follower Prasenajit, the ruler of Kosala, the Buddha planted a
symbol, a gesture, a colour, a vehicle, a particular type of wisdom, an toothpick on the ground, which immediately grew into a tree bearing
evil to defeat and a component of personality. Being reborn in one of beautiful leaves, flowers, fruit and jewels. When the latter rustled in
the heavens inhabited by a living Buddha offered a clear path toward the wind the sounds of the Buddha’s teachings were heard. After
enlightenment for the Himalayan Buddhist communities. Shakyamuni’s speech many of the listeners made great progress
and many more ripened seeds were reborn as humans or gods, the
Seated on a lion throne in the foreground of the present composition conditions of existence that allows to learn the dharma and progress
is Vairocana, recognisable by his hand gesture of setting in motion towards enlightenment. Embodying the Buddha Shakyamuni,
the Wheel of the Doctrine, symbolic of the Tathagata family to which Amoghasiddhi’s parasol is depicted hanging from a branch of the
he belongs. He occupies the central position in the universe and miraculous tree mentioned in the inscription.
is associated with pure and absolute wisdom defeating the evil of
stupidity. The Buddha Amitabha would have sat on Vairocana’s The inscription on the left on the lowest margin of the painting refers
right, while to his left sits Amoghasiddhi, presiding over the northern to the second day, when king Udrayana presented great offerings to
quarter of the universe and displaying the gesture of absence of fear Shakyamuni, who turned his head to the right and to the left, making
and reassurance towards the devotees surrounding him. He belongs two mountains emerge on each side, one covered with grass to feed
to the Karma family and is associated with active wisdom defeating animals, the other with food to satisfy humans. Then the Buddha
the evil of envy born out of the component of personality of human taught the dharma according to each individual’s ability and many
impulses. The third figure, Akshobhya, sits in the background between freed their minds by listening. The two mountains are depicted on the
Vairocana and Amoghasiddhi, holding his right hand in bhumisparsa present work flanking Vairocana.
mudra. He presides over the blissful land of the East, Abhirati,
representing consciousness as an aspect of reality. To the upper left is The inscription below Akshobya’s throne relates to the miracle
Ratnasambhava, belonging to the Jewel family and presiding over the performed by Shakyamuni on the fifth day, when king Brahmadatta of
southern quarter of the universe. He is shown in the gesture of giving Varanasi prepared various offerings for him. A golden light shone from
spiritual riches to the devotees surrounding him and is associated with the smiling face of the Buddha and filled the entire world, reaching
wisdom that opposes the evil born of feelings. all living beings and purifying the defilements of the three poisons:
desire, hatred and ignorance. All became peaceful in body and mind,
The inscriptions on the painting relate to four of the fifteen miraculous and everyone rejoiced. The golden light emanating from Shakyamuni
deeds performed during as many days by Shakyamuni at Shravasti. is depicted here as winding rays emanating from the radiant face of
These days correspond to the first fifteen in the first month of the Akshobya.
Buddhist calendar adopted in Tibet. This painting was thus likely to
have been commissioned on the occasion of the New Year celebrations The remnants of the inscription on Amoghasiddhi’s proper left in
taking place in Tibet. The fusion of Tibetan pictorial traditions and the series refer to the miracle, not visible in this painting, performed
Chinese stylistic conventions, noted in the vaporous clouds, bamboo by Shakyamuni on the sixth day, when the Licchavi people made
and flowering prunus branches surrounding the deities, probably derived offerings to him. The Buddha allowed those present to examine
from the several visits paid by the high-ranking members of the Tibetan each other’s mind so everyone could understand others’ good
clergy to the Court of the Yuan dynasty emperors. Two large Buddhist and evil thoughts. All of them experienced great faith and, after
paintings dating to the Yuan dynasty, namely a large fresco depicting Shakyamuni taught the dharma, many attained great understanding
the Maitreya heavens, dated to 1298, from the Royal Ontario Museum, and Enlightenment, while countless people secured a future rebirth
Toronto (acc.no.933.6.1), and a painting of the Buddha of Medicine, as humans or gods.
1320, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.65.29.2),
show a similar treatment of clouds and physical traits characterising the Bonhams would like to thank Ernesto Lo Bue and Adriano Fabbroni
Buddhas as the present work. An earlier depiction of the Shakyamuni for translating the inscriptions and Dr. Giuseppe Baroetto for his
Buddha, dated between 1181 and 1186 and from the National Palace suggestions concerning their interpretation.
Museum, Taipei (acc no.n2006110384), depicts a similar foliage
surrounding the holy figures.

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