The art and architecture of India - Buddhist, Hindu, Jain (Art Ebook)

AFGHANISTAN 177
the entire scheme was probably not unlike that
of the mandalas of Mahayana Buddhism in
Tibet and Japan; that is, a figuring of all the
mystic Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that, like
constellations, move around the magic axis of
the cosmic Buddha Yairocana. Whether or not
the actual sculptured Buddha in the niche can
be identified as Yairocana is problematical. As
we have already seen, it is certainly a representation
of the Buddha in his transcendental aspect,
as he appears transfigured in such Mahayana
texts as the Saddharma Pundarika and the
Avatamsaka sutras.
The paintings in this complex have suffered
not only from exposure, but from having served
as targets for generations of iconoclastic Afghan
marksmen. Among the better preserved sections
are the medallions at the springing of the vault,
in which are represented flying deities or
apsaras [120]. Their jewelled head-dresses and
striped muslin skirts bear a close resemblance
to details of costumes in the cave-paintings at
Ajanta [184]. The supple bodies depicted in
positions of easy, even flowing movement have
no relation to the frozen effigies of the Sasanian
style at Bamiyan. The actual canon of proportions
and the metaphorical composition of the
forms again suggest parallels with the paintings
of Gupta India.
Examining a single figure of one of the
Bodhisattvas painted on the vault, we may
discern even further points of resemblance
[121]. Not only do we find the same sensuous
fullness of bodily form and the same languorous.
121. Bamiyan, painting of Bodhisattva
on vault of niche of 175-foot Buddha