Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 17. (Budapest, 1998)

Ildikó NAGY: The „Blazing Light " Buddha and his Heavenly Entourage in a Korean Painting at the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts

In the larger shrines altars were erected to a number of deities. Besides the statue(s)-painting group on the main altar, objects of cultic worship were similarly present on side-altars. Exceptions were the Seven Star-Deities (Ch'ilsong) and the Mountain Spirit (Sanshin), the figures of which were depicted only in pictures. The Korean Buddhist cult of the Seven Star-Deities was adopted along with Chinese Buddhism and is a cult of Daoist origin. They personify the seven stars in the Plough, or Great Bear constellation (Kor. Pukdu Ch 'ilsong). The basis for their veneration was the idea that every heavenly body existing beyond the Earth revolved around a constellation in the northern sky consisting of seven stars, with the result that this was regarded as the central point in the heavens. According to the beliefs, the seven stars of the constellation will gain the upper hand over evil deeds and the blows of fate, and will ward off dangers to the motherland. From the 15 centuiy onwards there was a growth of cults which saw these stars as promoting mainly long life and the birth of male children, and they were much venerated by women desirous of the latter. In Buddhism the Daoist cult of the Seven Star-Deities changed into the cult of the Seven Star-Buddhas. Later the cult expanded in that a main figure was represented separately whose entourage consisted of the Seven Star-Deities or Star Buddhas. This main star deity was depicted in Daoism as Jih-wei ta-ti

5 (Kor. Chamidaejé) and in Buddhism as the "Blazing Light" Buddha (Kor. Ch 'isonggwang-Yoraef Skt. Teja-prabha). The entire body of the "Blazing Light" Buddha emits brilliant light. His most usual attribute is an eight-spoked golden Wheel of the Law, but instead of this he occasionally holds a medicine bowl and sometimes a lotus flower. Because of his benefits - pro-tection from heavenly and earthly blows of fate, the promise of happiness, the warding off of illnesses and the gifts of a long life and the birth of male heirs -, he epitomized the Buddha of miraculous deeds. His ability to cure all illnesses was comparable to that of the "Medicine" Buddha (Kor. Yaksabul; Skt. Bhaisajyaguru).

7 His attendants were the Sun, the Moon and the stars: the Sunlight Bodhisattva (Kor. Ilgwang Posai; Skt. Suryaprabha) and the Moonlight Bodhisattva (Kor. Wolgwang Posai; Skt. Candraprabha) wear on their diadems the disks of the Sun and Moon and, together with the main figure, are called the "Blazing Light" Buddha Trinity (Ch'isonggwang Yorae Samjon). His other attendants are the different forms of appearance of the Seven Stars. Of the sacred texts in the Korean language, two are devoted to the worship of this deity: "The supremely pure and exalted Buddha holding the golden Wheel of the Law, the Blazing Light Buddha's sutra warding off all blows of fate and misfortunes", and the "Northern Seven Stars' sutra prolonging life"

9 texts. When a special shrine was raised in their honour, it was called a shrine of the "Seven Stars" (Ch'ilsonggak), and the picture of the "Blazing Light" Buddha Trinity (Ch 'isonggwang-Samjondo) is given the place of honour, with the pictures of the Star Gods (Ch'ilsongdo) being placed on either side of it.

10 The majority of the depictions of these are from the last two centuries.

11 Most of the paintings from the 15

th and 16

th centuries strictly follow the sacred texts,

12 while from the 17

th century onwards the Star Gods and the attendants of the "Blazing Light" Buddha are depicted in a less constrained, more varied way. They may be depicted in the court attire of the period, as Lord Seven Stars (Ch'ilwonSonggun)}

3 but sometimes in the form of a novice monks also, in which the influence of contemporary Chinese Daoist depictions is very much manifest. Of the depictions of the "Blazing Light"