Une peinture de Dunhuang conservée à la Bibliothèque Nationale de France (suite)

Abstract

Among the paintings recovered from Dunhuang, the one kept in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France under the number Pelliot chinois 4070, has been identified in catalogues as a representation of the bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, the great savior of the hells. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that this image is in fact a representation of a great Chan master. Unlike in India, in China and adjacent countries, Ksitigarbha is always depicted as a monk and in Dunhuang and Sichuan particularly, his head is covered by a shawl. That is the main reason why the painting Pelliot chinois 4070 was regarded as a representation of this bodhisattva. But many details enable us to say this is not well-founded. First of all, the man does not carry the khakkhara and the cintamani, the caracteristic attributes of Ksitigarbha, nor does the aureole or the nimb, appear behind him. But most important, shoes are represented under his seat. How could bodhisattva wear shoes ? They always just have lotus under their feet. The two young people flanking him cannot be the young divinities, in charge of controlling the acts of beings, which frequently figure with Ksitigarbha. Considering the things they hold, they are more certainly two attendants of a great master. We have suggested with great reserves that the monk represented on this painting could be Sengjie, the great Chan thaumaturge who lived in the 8th century. Many documents found in Dunhuang attest that he was popular in this region and some sculptures of Sichuan show him with the same type of clothing. But this remains a mere hypothesis and the only thing we can be sure of concerning this painting is that it does not represent Ksitigarbha but a great buddhist master.