Shorenin Temple: Acala Triad

JAPAN, Kyoto; Heian period

The Blue Acala portrayed in this painting, together with the Red Acala of Myooin Temple at Koyasan (Tall Plain Mountain) and the Yellow Acala at Onjoji Temple in Shiga, form a set known as the Three Acalas. At the end of the 9th century, Master Annen, who integrated the teachings of the Tendai and Vajrayana schools, listed the 19 features of the Wisdom King Acala, referred to as the Nineteen Contemplations of Acala, thus standardizing the iconography of the figure. This 11th century painting was listed as a National Treasure of Japan in 1952.
Acala sits in full lotus position on a rock pedestal, surrounded by vividly painted orange, red, and yellow flames in the shape of flying garuda birds. One of his bright eyes stares upward at the sky while the other looks down at the earth, symbolizing “the eyes of the sky and the earth.” Similarly, one fang points up and the other down. His long hair is tied into seven loose topknots. The left hand holds out a rope and the right hand carries a sword encircled by the Kulikah serpent. A bright orange stole is draped over his left shoulder.
Young attendants stand in the lower corners. On the right, Cetaka joins his palms and gazes up at Acala in awe. On the left, the red Kinkara is depicted holding a vajra. Finely detailed and beautifully colored, this is considered to be one of the finest Buddhist paintings from the late Heian period.