The significance of Dunhuang iconography from the perspective of Buddhist philosophy: a study mainly based onCave 45

Abstract

This study explores the significance of Dunhuang 敦煌 iconography from the perspective of

Buddhist philosophy. The time span of the Dunhuang iconography of the Grottoes runs from

the 4th to the 14th centuries. This wide coverage makes it extremely valuable for revealing the

developments in art, history, culture, and religious activities in China, and neighbouring

regions along the Silk Road.

Most scholars have approached the Dunhuang Grottoes from the perspectives of art, history,

or archaeology. However, studying the Dunhuang Grottoes from the perspective of Buddhist

philosophy has remained under-researched, and therefore, less exhaustively dealt with. It is in

Dunhuang Mogao 莫高

Cave 45 that one can see the most well preserved Buddha statue

group, and the only Guanyin S?tra 觀音經, i. e. the Chapter of the Universal Gateway of

Avalokite?vara Bodhisattva 普門品

from the Saddharmapu??ar?ka S?tra 妙法蓮華經, painted

on one entire wall. This dual association has rendered Cave 45 the most ideal source for this

research.

In this research, Buddhist iconography will be studied in the light of Buddhist philosophy.

The study also takes into account triangulation of data collected through various sources,

namely: (1) Field trips in Dunhuang and related areas for primary data collection; (2) Image

analyses of data collected from primary and secondary sources; (3) Verification of data in the

light of both ancient and modern Buddhist literature.

The research will be focused on identifying Buddhist philosophy from the mural paintings of

the Guanyin S?tra and on the conceptualized understanding of the material as presented in the

paintings. The causes

of suffering will be identified after examining the thirty-three

manifestations / appearances of Avalokite?vara as depicted here. The scenes of various

desires as identified and conceptualized in the mural painting of the Cave 45 will also be

studied.

The Buddha statue in the centre of the statue group portrays cessation of suffering. The

statues of bodhisattvas and disciples along both sides, with different facial expressions and

body gestures, portray the different levels of cessation of suffering, all leading to ultimate

awakening and full emancipation. In this connection, the missing pair of statues in the statue

group will also be explored and identified.

It is true that Dunhuang iconography, as exemplified through Cave 45, can be approached

from many perspectives. However, the primary objective of this study is to show that the

Dunhuang iconography is designed as an artistic portrayal of the fundamental teachings of

Buddhism.