[Buddha-l] angels and buddhism

[Kate]

> As the subject of angels in Buddhism seems to have wandered off into the
> weeds, ...<

You're right, Bernie.  My apologies to all.

Staying on track now, the following might be of interest:

      The period from the end of the 19th century into the early years of
the 20th century was one when numerous landmark discoveries were made during
expeditions and archaeological excavations in Central Asia. The expeditions
of Sven Anders von Hedin and formal excavation surveys by the archaeologist
Sir Marc Aurel Stein uncovered the great significance of the role played by
the oasis towns dotting the skirts of the Taklamakan desert, as cloisters on
the routes linking Europe, India, Tibet and China.
      Kenji, who read the Mahayana scriptures with great earnestness, must
have been keenly interested in the succession of excavation surveys from the
standpoint of what they uncovered about how the scriptures came into
existence and the history of their dissemination. While it is known that the
desert towns of Taklamakan were central to the establishment of Mahayana
Buddhism and its introduction into China, a part of this history had been
lost, buried in the desert. Thus, uncovering the ruins of some of these
former desert oasis towns meant what amounted to the discovery of missing
links that led back to the historical origins of Mahayana Buddhism. Among
the discoveries, one that made a particularly strong impression on Kenji was
Stein's excavation in Miran of a fresco of winged angels.

The above article is rather vague on the relationship of the fresco of 
angels and buddhism (though it seems to be saying that there is a link) and 
deals mainly with a book written by the author Kenji.  Unfortunately I 
haven't been able to find out more about this fresco.

Regards
Kate