Inner Asia: Art of the Tarim II: Dunhuang
Mogao Caves, plan of caves 272 and 275.
The earliest identified caves at the site are presumably dated to the Bei
Liang (421-438) and are clustered together in a very small group in almost
exactly the middle of the nearly two mile long site. These caves set the
tone for the site as they are paradise caves of the Maitreya cult and one
pair of caves, numbered by the Dunhuang Institute 275 and 272. The larger
of the two caves, 275, contains an huge image of Maitreya Bodhisattva seated
against the west wall (i.e., facing east). He is portrayed as being in
Tusita paradise, attended by Bodhisattvas and other quasi-celestial beings
of that paradise.
