Cundi

JAPAN; Heian period

This 12th century depiction of Cundi was listed as an Important Cultural Property in 1979. According to the Cundi Dharani Sutra, Cundi has three eyes and eighteen arms, but in this picture, the Bodhisattva has only two eyes and eight arms. Cundi sits in full lotus position on a lotus atop a Sumeru throne. The Bodhisattva wears a crown with a Buddha image on top and has a round face, long hair, narrowed eyes, and a mustache. A necklace and bracelets adorn the body. The hands either form mudras or hold items including a Dharma wheel, a rope, a vajra, and a sword. The nimbus and mandorla are embellished with golden lines and jewels. Patterned draperies hang over the front of the lotus throne. The Four Heavenly Kings, painted in dark colors, stand beside the central figure. They wear armor, hold weapons, and have nimbuses decorated with flame patterns. Strings of beads hung from a canopy above Cundi. There is a flaming jewel in the middle of the canopy, and another placed below the throne. The light-colored body of the Bodhisattva and the colorful, delicately patterned throne stand out against the dark background.