Seoaksa Temple: Sakyamuni Buddha Assembly

SOUTH KOREA, North Gyeongsang, Yecheon; Joseon dynasty

This picture was painted in 1770 by the monastics Bu Il, Yu Seong, Hye U, and Kwae Jong. Sakyamuni Buddha sits on a lotus throne in the center of the painting. He has a usnisa topped with a jewel, wears a red monastic robe, and forms the bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra. A gold-rimmed nimbus encircles his head, and a patterned mandorla surrounds his body. Manjusri Bodhisattva sits on the right beside the Buddha, wearing an ornate headdress and holding a golden alms bowl. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, holding a long-stemmed lotus topped with a sutra, is on the left.
Below the Buddha’s lotus throne, Brahma and Sakra stand with joined palms. Ananda, Mahakasyapa, disciples, Heavenly Kings, and deities are arranged in a row at the top of the picture. Virudhaka, Heavenly King of the South and Virupaksa, Heavenly King of the West, are painted within large discs in the lower corners. They have nimbuses, wear armor, and stand in dynamic poses with stoles fluttering around their bodies. The creatively painted Heavenly Kings and an unconventional color scheme make this a unique artwork.