Buddhist Painting in Daeungjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple (Buddha Triad)

This painting, preserved in Daeungjeon Hall of Hwaeomsa Temple, is a taenghwa depicting the Trikaya, the three bodies of the Buddha: Vairocana, Rocana and Sakyamuni. The Buddha Triad Painting comprises three panels: the Vairocana Buddha painting at the centre, the Rocana Buddha painting on the left, and the Sakyamuni Buddha painting on the right. The Vairocana Buddha painting, representing the Dharma-body, is centred on the principal Buddha at the upper centre of the composition, surrounded symmetrically by the attendant bodhisattvas Manjusri and Samantabhadra, the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, four Buddhas of other worlds, six further Buddhas, and holy beings wearing lion and elephant masks, the guardian spirits Hogyedaesin and Bokdeokdaesin. The principal Buddha, seated in full lotus position with a keyhole-shaped halo, forms the jigwonin, the wisdom-fist mudra of Vairocana. The ears, eyes, mouth and nose are neatly rendered, and the broad knees give a sense of stability. On the head the central and crowning cranial ornaments are large, the ears are elongated, and along the collar of the purplish-brown robe, floral scroll patterns in light green and pink lend a touch of vitality. The Rocana Buddha painting, representing the Reward-body, centres on a bodhisattva-form principal Buddha wearing a crown, both hands raised to shoulder height in the gesture of preaching, surrounded by the Eight Great Bodhisattvas, two of the Four Heavenly Kings, four Buddhas of other worlds, three guardian generals and four Vajra guardians. Although the ears, eyes, mouth and nose are neat and the pose stable, the round head halo, the crown, and the lavish earrings, necklace, bracelets and beadwork all highlight the ornamentation befitting a bodhisattva-form Buddha. The Sakyamuni Buddha painting, representing the Transformation-body, is centred on the principal Buddha with an unusually large body halo of keyhole shape, forming the hangma chokjiin, the earth-touching mudra that signifies the subjugation of demons. At the lower register are the Six Great Bodhisattvas, including Manjusri and Samantabhadra, together with two of the Four Heavenly Kings; above them, instead of the Buddhas of other worlds usually found, are arranged the Ten Great Disciples including Kasyapa and Ananda, along with four Vajra guardians, three guardian generals, and the Dragon King and Dragon Maiden encircling the scene. This Buddha Triad Painting was created in the eighteenth century by the monk-painter Uigyeom, who was active mainly in the Jogyesan Mountain area, together with thirteen other painters; it is an outstanding work characterised by delicate brushlines and extensive use of green. Exceeding four metres in length across its three huge panels, it is a very rare example presenting the complete Trikaya, and together with the Buddha Triad Painting of Daegwangmyeongjeon Hall at Tongdosa Temple, also a Treasure, it represents the eighteenth-century archetype of Trikaya paintings.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gurye, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Treasure · 보물