Wooden Seated Indra and Brahma of Cheonggoksa Temple, Jinju

Indra and Brahma were originally deities of Brahmanism or Hinduism, but after the rise of Mahayana Buddhism they came to be regarded as guardian deities protecting the Buddhist Dharma, and together with the Four Heavenly Kings they have held an important place in Buddhist art. According to the Samguk yusa, in Korea they were traditionally rendered only in paintings rather than as sculptures, and most surviving examples appear in Joseon-period Buddhist paintings (taenghwa); the images at Cheonggoksa Temple are the only known sculpted examples. Whereas statues of the Four Heavenly Kings bear fierce, awe-inspiring expressions, the images of Indra and Brahma have the compassionate expression of bodhisattva figures. In paintings, bodhisattvas are typically shown holding objects in both hands to symbolise their function, with their faces painted gold, whereas Indra and Brahma are usually shown with palms joined together and their faces coated white with powdered white pigment. The Cheonggoksa images, unlike the usual conventions of such paintings, convey a strong sense of three-dimensional volume: the hands are not joined in the customary gesture, and the folds of the robes also differ from those typically seen in paintings. Such figures are common in Buddhist paintings of the late Joseon period, but the Cheonggoksa examples are the first known instance of them appearing as sculpture, whether free-standing or carved in relief. Their carving technique follows the style of the late Joseon period and differs markedly from Chinese or Japanese examples, clearly displaying stylistic features distinctive to Korea.

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Where it is

Region

Jinju, Gyeongnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물