Anrakujuin Temple: Amitabha Buddha and Bodhisattvas

JAPAN, Kyoto; Heian period

This 12th century painting is an Important Cultural Property. Amitabha Buddha, located in the center, is in Dharmacakra (Dharma wheel) mudra and surrounded by the Seven Bodhisattvas. Based on the Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land, the Bodhisattvas are Avalokitesvara, Mahasthamaprapta, Maitreya, Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, and Nagarjuna. A group of Bodhisattvas with instruments are located at the top. The two figures at the bottom are Acala on the right, and Vaisravana on the left. Their presence suggests the painting originated from the Tendai school since the same two figures are guardians of the Yokawa central hall in Enryakuji Temple, which is the head temple of the Tendai school. The red outline around the figures suggests this artwork to be from the late Heian (794–1185) or early Kamakura (1185–1333) periods.