Tongdosa Temple: Panel of the Path to a Higher Rebirth

SOUTH KOREA, South Gyeongsang, Yangsan; Joseon dynasty

The purpose of this panel was to encourage Buddhist practitioners to pursue rebirth in the Western Pure Land. Such panels were easily portable.
The panel is divided into two registers. In the center of the upper register, there is a depiction of Amitabha Buddha seated on a lotus throne. He is surrounded by Bodhisattvas, including Avalokitesvara, Maitreya, Akasagarbha, Samantabhadra, Vajrapani, Manjusri, Sarvanivarana Viskambhin, all standing on lotus pedestals. Across the top, there are title syllables. The lower register is based on the Amitabha Sutra and depicts the Western Pure Land with nine grades of lotuses arranged in three rows.