
Stone
These Buddha and Bodhisattva figures are engraved on two sides of a large, triangular rock among the peaks of Palgongsan. They are listed as Provincial Tangible Cultural Property No. 14.
The Buddha faces northwest and is seated in full lotus position on a lotus flower. The Buddha’s monastic robe is indicated with simple lines incised across the midriff. The hands display the highest grade of the middle class mudra associated with Amitabha, in which the joined thumbs and middle fingers form a circle.
The Bodhisattva faces southwest, and is portrayed in typical Goryeo style. The figure’s monastic robe is delineated in more detail, and a natural extension of the rock behind the headdress serves as a nimbus. With a raised right hand, the Bodhisattva holds the long stalk of a lotus.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Caves A-E, page 307.