Clay Seated Amitabha Buddha Triad of Muryangsa Temple, Buyeo

The Clay Seated Amitabha Buddha Triad of Muryangsa Temple, Buyeo is enshrined as the principal image in Geungnakjeon Hall, a two-storey building, and follows the style of large clay Buddhist statues that were widely produced at major temples in the 17th century. The triad clearly presents the iconography of an Amitabha triad, consisting of Amitabha Buddha, Avalokitesvara (the Bodhisattva of Compassion) and Mahasthamaprapta (the Bodhisattva of Power). A votive text found inside the statue records the name of the sculptor-monk Hyeonjin and the precise date of production, 1633, making the work valuable for research into both the sculptural history and the sculptural lineages of the late Joseon period. Because it was made on such a large scale, the overall form of the Buddha's body feels somewhat simplified and schematic, yet it can be regarded as a monumental work conveying the resilience of the Buddhist community of the time, which was striving to restore its pride and confidence after the two great wars of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Among large-scale Buddhist statues of the early 17th century, most triads combine either the three bodies of the Buddha or the three-world Buddhas, so this rare example, in which Amitabha, Avalokitesvara and Mahasthamaprapta together form the principal image of Geungnakjeon Hall, is of all the greater value.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Buyeo, Chungnam

Designation

Treasure · 보물