Stone Seated Vairocana Buddha of Simboksa Temple, Pyeongtaek

This Buddha statue, enshrined in the Neungin-jeon Hall of Simboksa Temple, is said to have been recovered from the sea off Deokmok-ri by Cheon No-in, an elder who lived at Mongsanpo in Paju County, at the end of the Goryeo dynasty. As it was being carried in search of a fitting place to enshrine it, the statue suddenly grew too heavy to move on reaching the site of present-day Simboksa Temple on Gwangdeoksan Mountain, and so it was enshrined there. The head is covered with small spiral curls, above which the topknot-shaped cranial knob (uigye, a mark of Buddhahood) is rendered low. The face is round and full, the ears large, and the short neck clearly shows the three creases (samdo), the folds symbolising the Buddha's attainment. The robe wraps both shoulders, and floral patterns are carved along the collar and cuffs. Across the abdomen is a knotted sash tying the undergarment, depicted with great realism, while the folds of the robe are rendered as regular, stepped lines, giving them a somewhat monotonous, formulaic quality. The pedestal is made up of upper, middle and lower tiers. The upper tier is carved with sixteen overlapping lotus petals; the middle tier shows two lions raising their forepaws to support the tier above; and the lower tier bears eight double-petalled lotus motifs. Although it has a somewhat heavy, dulled quality, this stable and composed statue, with its overall schematised forms, is presumed to date from the tenth century.

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Where it is

Region

Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi

Designation

Treasure · 보물