Mihwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Sakyamuni Buddha

SOUTH KOREA, South Jeolla, Haenam; Joseon dynasty

This painting is usually stored in a wooden container behind the central altar in the Great Hero Hall of Mihwangsa Temple. In 2002, it was listed as Treasure No. 1342.
The standing Sakyamuni Buddha occupies most of the painting. He has narrowed eyes, red lips, and a tall usnisa topped with a pearl. Curling lines of light rise from the top of the usnisa and extend into the upper corners of the painting. The Buddha is dressed in a red and green monastic robe. The white inner robe is secured with a sash that hangs down between the bare feet, which rest upon two lotus pedestals. The right arm hangs down naturally, and the left hand forms a mudra in front of the stomach. Colored lines emanate from the aureole.
Three Buddha figures sitting on clouds are painted on either side of the nimbus. At the bottom of the painting, a naga king and his daughter stand beside the legs of the Buddha. The naga king is on the right, wearing a headdress and holding a treasure chest. His daughter is on the left, carrying a vase containing a wish-fulfilling jewel.
The altar in the Great Hero Hall and the stupa in the temple are carved with decorative images such as crabs, fish, and turtles. These images suggest the proximity of the temple to the sea. This hanging painting is sometimes used in outdoor Dharma services, and was said to have answered a prayer for rain during a drought.