Stone Seated Sakyamuni Buddha of Buseoksa Temple, Yeongju

In Jaindang Hall at Buseoksa Temple are enshrined a triad of Buddha statues of almost the same scale. Two are images of Vairocana Buddha with hands in the wisdom-fist mudra, while the third shows the iconographic features of Sakyamuni Buddha with the earth-touching mudra. This statue is known to have been moved to Jaindang Hall in November 1958 from Yaksagok Valley to the east of Buseoksa Temple, and it is now enshrined together with two stone seated Vairocana Buddhas already designated as treasures. On the basis of its round face, the earth-touching mudra, the undergarment carved with floral patterns, the soft yet realistic rendering of the robe folds, and the incense burner, seven lions and bodhisattva figures with palms joined in prayer carved in relief on the tall three-tiered pedestal, this stone seated Buddha is judged to be a work of the 9th century, the Unified Silla period. The image of Kshitigarbha Bodhisattva carved on the back of the pedestal is particularly notable as an unusual example, and the tall, ornate pedestal harmonises with the statue's emphasised volume to form a work of high quality. The three-tiered pedestal and the statue, which retain their original form almost without damage, exemplify the typical style of the 9th century, Unified Silla — a period showing a somewhat more decorative tendency.

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Where it is

Region

Yeongju, Gyeongbuk

Designation

Treasure · 보물