Cave 223

This niche cave for a seated Buddha, where, in the trefoil niche, only the core of a seated Buddha figure carved in relief remains, is visible from the outside. The height of the niche is 9 m, the width at the bottom is 6 m, the seated Buddha is 7 m high, sculptured out of the live rock, with small holes on the outside. It seems these were holes for wooden supports to hold the painted stucco in position. In the living rock behind the pedestal a passageway makes it possible to circumambulate the seated Buddha.

In the arched shaped ceiling and the shoulders of the trefoil niche there are remains of murals. Under a trapezoid gable between two pilasters is a seated Bodhisattva. This Bodhisattva figure is painted in body texture of yellowish brown on a blue ground, giving a contrast of colours. Both head and trunk are in front view, the right wrist is raised in the mudrā of expounding the doctrine, the left elbow is stretched and rests on the knee in the formal sitting posture. Compassion and dignity are manifested and a splendour of adornment is applied. On both sides of the face white kustī are spread out, and head, ear, breast, and arm ornaments are seen together with bracelets. From the shoulders and both arms a fine blue gauze scarf is hanging. The halo around the head appears in red colour.

The detail and care in representation are apparent. In the texture of the shading, the folds of the garments, and the minuteness in painting the hair, there is not the slightest sign of hesitation.

Moreover, the pilasters on both sides have distinctive features. The top is an openwork palmette design and the inverted trapezoid frame above is decorated with scroll and white pearl designs. In the middle of the pilaster, the upper half bodies of white-skinned celestial maidens are painted, their plump bodies being indeed fascinating.

Outside these pilasters, that is, on the side wall of the niche, several tiers of large and small seated Buddhas are painted. The seated Buddhas have bared right shoulder and are in the dhyāna pose, but there are also other mudrās. The Buddha at the back of a section dug out on the east side has the head inclined a little to one side, a slender body, the left arm bent gracefully, the hands in an unidentified mudrā. It is indeed very subtle. These seated Buddhas are conspicuous for being entirely in faded colours.

Extracted from Higuchi2001

References:

HIGUCHI, T. (Ed.) (2001). Bāmiyān. Art and Archaeological Researches on the Buddhist Cave Temples in Afghanistan 1970 1978. Vol. IV. The Dohosha Media Plan, pages 29-30.

BibTeX:

@book{Higuchi2001,
editor = {HIGUCHI, Takayasu},
address = {Kyoto},
publisher = {The Dohosha Media Plan},
isbn = {4901339133},
keywords = {Art, Central Asia},
language = {jpn},
title = {Bāmiyān. Art and Archaeological Researches on the Buddhist Cave Temples in Afghanistan 1970~1978},
year = {2001},
volume = {IV},
pages = {29-30},
}