Songgwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Three Buddhas
Songgwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Three Buddhas - Sakyamuni Buddha
Songgwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Three Buddhas - Amitabha Buddha
Songgwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Three Buddhas - Medicine Buddha
Songgwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Three Buddhas
SOUTH KOREA, North Jeolla, Wanju; Joseon dynasty
The statues date from the rebuilding of the temple by the 17th century warrior monks Byeokoem and Gakseong according to documents discovered inside them. The figures were listed as Treasure No. 1274 in 1997.
The Three Buddhas are seated in full lotus position on lotus thrones. Sakyamuni Buddha at the center has the right hand in bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra while Medicine Buddha and Amitabha Buddha have their hands in karana (warding off evil) mudra. The Medicine Buddha is distinguished with a medicinal fruit held in the left hand. The Buddhas have similar facial features and wear monastic robes. Sakyamuni Buddha’s chief disciples are painted on panels behind him, Ananda is the young figure, and the elderly male is Mahakasyapa. Apsaras hover just below the ceiling.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture N-Sr, page 1106.
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 N-Sr},
pages = 1106,
title = {{Songgwangsa Temple Great Hero Hall: Three Buddhas}},
volume = 12,
year = {2016}}