Konkai Komyoji Temple: Amitabha Buddha Rising over Mountains

JAPAN, Kyoto; Kamakura period

There are inscriptions at the top of the left and right panels of this 14th century Japanese folding screen. The text on the left is a eulogy, while the text on the right attributes the painting to Genshin, a monk of the Tendai school. Pieces of colored string are attached to the hands of the image of Amitabha, indicating that the painting was used in a ceremony in which a dying person holds the strings and visualizes the Buddha drawing them towards the Pure Land. In 1897, the painting was listed as an Important Cultural Property.
The radiant figures of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara, and Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattvas seem to rise from behind the rounded mountains in the lower register. Amitabha Buddha is in the center, emitting beams of bright light that extend across both side panels. The Buddha has narrowed eyes, long ears, an urna, and a usnisa. Appearing peaceful, Amitabha forms the Dharmacakra (Dharma wheel) mudra. The two Bodhisattvas have long black hair, wear ornate headdresses, and are turned slightly towards the Buddha. Avalokitesvara stands on the right and holds a lotus throne, while Mahasthamaprapta is shown on the left with joined palms. The figures are painted in yellow and their clothing is decorated with gold, giving them a majestic appearance.