Seonamsa Temple: Illustration of the Avatamsaka Sutra

SOUTH KOREA, South Jeolla, Suncheon; Joseon dynasty

This painting, kept in Seonamsa Temple, depicts the seven places and nine assemblies in which the Dharma was taught, as described in the Avatamsaka Sutra. There is a similar painting on the same subject in Songgwangsa Temple; the two works were likely painted by artists from the same school.
The fourth assembly in Suyama Heaven is on the upper left. On the lower left is the third assembly in Trayastrimsa Heaven. The sixth assembly in Paranirmitavashavartin Heaven is on the upper right. On the lower right, the fifth assembly in Tusita Heaven is shown. The fifth assembly at Bodhinanda is in the middle of the bottom half of the painting. To the right of the Bodhinanda assembly are the second, seventh, and eighth assemblies at the Universal Light Palace. On the left beside the Bodhi assembly is the ninth assembly in Jetavana Monastery. The painting is colored in red, green, yellow, and blue. The composition is complex, allowing the artist to include many significant details.