Biamsa Temple: Amitabha Buddha
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Biamsa Temple: Amitabha Buddha (side)
Biamsa Temple: Amitabha Buddha (back)
Biamsa Temple: Amitabha Buddha
SOUTH KOREA, South Chungcheong, Yeongi; Unified Silla dynasty
The donors’ family name, Jeon, and the vows they made are listed on the lower frame of this relief. It is discerned from this information that the piece was made in 673 under King Munmu (reigned 661–680) of the Silla dynasty. The sculpture was listed as National Treasure No. 106 in 1962.
The sculpture depicts Amitabha Buddha seated cross-legged on an ornate throne at the center of the carving. Behind the Buddha is a lotus nimbus with an ornamented outer rim contained within a leaf shaped mandorla. Five seated Buddha images are mounted on the flames of the inner rim. A variety of figures standing on lotus pedestals are on either side of Amitabha. Apsaras are on the outer rim, while more fly inwards in the corners of the upper frame. Twenty seated Buddhas are on the back of the piece while heavenly beings are carved on the narrower sides.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 141.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Lovelock, Yann and Chou, Yuan and Huntington, Susan and Edson, Gary and Neather, Robert,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F},
pages = 141,
title = {{Biamsa Temple: Amitabha Buddha}},
volume = 10,
year = {2016}}