Dharma Drum Journal of Buddhist Studies

　　Dazu Rock Carvings, located in Dazu County, Chongqing Municipality, were constructed in the early Tang dynasty. Baodingshan cave temple in Dazu was created under supervision of Zhao Zhifeng 趙智鳳, a famous monk in the Southern Song dynasty. Two depicted scenes of the Bao fumu ende jingbian 報父母恩德經變 (Transformation tableau of the sutra of repaying parental love) remaining in Baodingshan cave temple have no parallel anywhere in China: one is in Cave 3 at Xiaofowan which is small in scale and carved without inscriptions; the other is in Niche 15 at Dafowan which is rich in subject matter, excellent in both statues and inscription, located at the middle of the north cliff and covers an area of 101 square meters.

　　Academic circles have paid more attention to the niche at Dafowan, debating its name and probable sutra source. Before the 1950s, scholars named it “Images of Seven Buddhas” (qifo xiang 七佛像), and “Niche of Seven Buddhas” (qifo kan 七佛龕). Since the 1950s, most scholars have agreed on the name Fumuen zhong jingbian 父母恩重經變 (Transformation tableau of the sutra of parental love). Since the 1980s, there have been divergent ideas on its sutra source. It has variously been attributed to many sources: religious literature such as the Fumuen zhong jing jiangjing wen 父母恩重經講經文 (Parental love sutra in stories); Foshuo fumuen zhong jing 佛說父母恩重經 (Parental love sutra told by the Buddha); Fumuen zhong nanbao jing 父母恩重難報經 (The sutra of the difficulty of repaying parental love) translated by Kumārajīva; a creation of local Sichuanese; the Xiaoxing lu 孝行錄 (Record of filial actions) written by Buddhist monk Zongze 宗賾 in the Song dynasty; and the Bao fumuen zhong jing 報父母恩重經 (Sutra of repaying parental love).

　　Many scholars believe that the above-mentioned Fumuen zhong jing and the Bao fumuen zhong jing were both created in Tang Dynasty. The latter is later than the former. The former chiefly extolls the parents’ kindness to their children. The latter chiefly describes the acts of reciprocating parents’ kindness, and summarized parental love into the “ten types of kindness” (shi ende 十恩德). The latter’s name also differs in various areas, for example, Song dynasty versions from the Sichuan and Yunnan areas were entitled Bao fumu ende jing 報父母恩德經. Based on the study of extant editions, it may be concluded that although their names differed, they all contain the character “bao” 報 (repaying), and all the sutras included the content of the “ten types of kindnesses.”

　　The writer believes that the two tableaus were based on the edition of Bao fumu ende jing 報父母恩德經 widespread in Sichuan and Yunnan areas, and that the “ten types of kindness” in the sculpture was an adoption of Zongze’s Xiaoxing lu. Therefore, the most appropriate name for the two tableaus is Bao fumu ende jingbian 報父母恩德經變.

Key words:
Dazu Rock Carvings; Baodingshan cave temple; Enzhong jing; Baoen jing; Baode jingbian