Stone Seated Vairocana Buddha of Birosa Temple, Yeongju

Birosa Temple is a renowned temple rebuilt by the eminent monk Jingong at the end of Silla and the beginning of Goryeo. It houses two Buddha statues, which originally each had both a halo (a carved nimbus set behind the image) and a pedestal, though the halos were later broken and discarded. The Stone Seated Amitabha Buddha, 1.13 m in height, has a full, gentle face and broad, dignified shoulders that reflect a realistic style. Its robe covers only the left shoulder, and the hands are held loosely closed, palms upward, with the thumbs of both hands touching. The Stone Seated Vairocana Buddha, 1.17 m in height, likewise shows a realistic style through its composed face and well-balanced body. The robe covering both shoulders appears natural, with thin, evenly stepped folds as though lightly modelled, and the hands are held with the right hand wrapped around the left index finger, the gesture typical of stone Vairocana images. Both statues are elegant, and their linear qualities and bodily poses broadly resemble stone Buddhas of the late ninth century; moreover, the fact that an Amitabha Buddha and a Vairocana Buddha stand side by side makes them a valuable pair reflecting the character of ninth-century Unified Silla Hwaeom (Flower Garland) Buddhism.

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Where it is

Region

Yeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물