Buddhist Painting of Songgwangsa Temple, Suncheon (Illustration of the Avatamsaka Sutra)

A painting illustrating the sermons of the Flower Garland Sutra given in seven places at nine assemblies, in colour on silk. It shows the basic composition well: the assemblies spread out almost symmetrically in both upper and lower parts. In the lower part, around the first assembly at the place of awakening, are the seventh, second and eighth assemblies held in the Hall of Universal Light on the left, and the ninth, in the Jeta Grove, on the right. In the upper part, rising from below, the third assembly in the Trayastrimsa heaven and the fourth in the Yama heaven are on the right, and the fifth in the Tusita heaven and the sixth in the Paranirmita-vasavartin heaven on the left, forming a symmetrical structure. With its planned, well-knit composition, its red, green and gold on an ochre ground, and the necklaces of the bodhisattva-form Rocana presiding over each assembly decorated in raised gesso, it shows the eighteenth-century trend towards bright, lavish Buddhist painting. Notable too is the picture of the Lotus Treasury World at the bottom, illustrating the chapter of the sutra in which Samantabhadra describes to the assembly the Lotus Treasury World, the pure land of Vairocana. The record of its making shows that twelve monk painters led by Hwaryeon made it in 1770, the forty-sixth year of King Yeongjo, at Ansimsa on Mudeungsan, and it was moved to Songgwangsa. It is the earliest surviving Joseon illustration of the Flower Garland Sutra and a standard work that renders the sermons of the seven places and nine assemblies very faithfully and effectively, which gives it historical value.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Suncheon, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

National Treasure · 국보