An Art-historical Study of the Cave Temples in India with a Focus on Western India

目前的研究旨在了解所谓的印度小乘洞穴。一般分为两个阶段，即早期或小乘阶段，后期或大乘阶段，以前的研究偏向于大乘洞穴，包括阿旃陀洞穴，因为它们大多装饰着雕塑和壁画。2003年的实地调查主要是在马哈拉施特拉邦首府孟买附近进行的，印度80%的洞穴都位于这里。其中，对小乘佛教的主要洞窟如堪和里、纳西克、卡勒、准那等进行了调查，并在前一年实地调查的基础上，于2004年重点对准那洞窟进行了调查。在Junnar镇，研究小组调查了整个Junnar洞穴群中的六个组，除了一个因大雨而无法进入的洞穴。与此同时，在与准南洞同时代的、以往研究中几乎不为人知的小遗址阿威和锡尔瓦尔也进行了实地调查，并在此基础上对日本国内外的文学资料进行了调查。结果，发现了其他与阿威和锡尔瓦尔同时代的小洞穴，包括库达、卡拉德和马哈德。最后一年的实地研究尽可能多地对小洞穴进行了实践，包括上述洞穴。考察团还参观了阿旃陀、埃洛拉和奥兰加巴德等大乘佛教的主要洞穴遗址，记录了小乘佛教洞穴的综合形象及其与大乘佛教洞穴的影响关系。

The present research aimed at understanding the so-called Hinayana caves of India. Generally classified into two phases, i.e. the early or Hinayana phase, and the later or Mahayana phase, preceding studies has biased towards the Mahayana caves including Ajanta caves, as most of them are adorned with sculptures and murals. Considering the circumstance, the present research focused on the minor Hinayana caves that have been neglected because many of them lack artistic expression instead of their contribution to the development of Buddhist art.The field research in 2003 was mainly practiced around Mumbai, the capital city of Maharashtra state, where 80% of all caves in India are located. Among them the major sites of the Hinayana caves such as Kanheri, Nasik, Karle and Junnar were investigated.In 2004, Junnar caves were especially focused on the basis of the field research in the preceding year. Accommodating at the town of Junnar, the research team investigated the six groups among the whole groups of Junnar caves, except for one that was inaccessible because of heavy rain. At the same time, the field research was also practiced at the minor sites of Wai and Sirwal, both of which seem contemporary with Junnar caves and were hardly known in the preceding studies.Furthermore, the research team investigated literary material both in Japan and abroad based on this field research. As a result, the existence of other minor caves contemporary with Wai and Sirwal, including Kuda, Karad, and Mahad were revealed.The field research in the final year was practiced for as many minor caves as possible, including those mentioned above. Also visiting the major sites of the Mahayana caves such as Ajanta, Ellora, and Aurangabad, the research team documented the comprehensive figure of the Hinayana caves and their influential relationship with the Mahayana caves.