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

NOTES 1 The Three Kingdoms were: Koguryo (37 BCAD 668), Paekche (18 BC-AD 660) and Early Silla (57 BC-AD 668). 2 The forms of depiction used in Korean Buddhist painting are: wall paintings (pjokhwa), ritual hanging scrolls or hanging paintings (t'aenghwa) and sutra illustrations (kyonghwa). 3 Of the Buddhas those most usually depicted are Shakyamuni, Vairochana, Amitabha and Bhaishajyaguru (Medicine Buddha; Kor. Yaksabul). Of the bodhisattvas, Avalokheshvara (Kor. Kwanum-posal), Maitreya (Kor. Mirukposai) and Kshitigarbha (Kor. Chijang-posal) are those usually depicted. Of the disciples the Sixteen Arhats and of the protective deities the Ten Kings of the Underworld (Kor. Chiok Shiwang), the star gods and the Mountain Spirit (Kor. Sanshin) are those most usually shown. ' Altar pictures might be panel paintings painted on wood or ritual hanging scrolls painted on canvas, or possibly silk or paper. Some of the latter were placed in wooden frames and hung in shrines - this was a distinctively Korean practice. Depending on the theme and the number of deities depicted, the composition regardless of the type - could be horizontal or vertical. South Korean research today categorizes Buddhist paintings according to the hierachy of the pantheon. Paintings are assigned to three groups: Buddha depictions (sangdanpulkwd), "Buddhist paintings belonging to the higher category"; bodhisattva depictions (clumgdan-pulhwa), "Buddhist paintings belonging to the middle category"; and depictions of the minor deities of the Buddhist pantheon - of various origin and raised to the pantheon in the earlier periods of Buddhism (hadan-pulhwa)\ "Buddhist paintings belonging to the lower category". 5 According to his name North Star Great Ruler is ruling over all the stars. His original Chinese name was Zhe-shengguang-fo; the Sanskrit equivalents of his name and the names of his two main attendants were Tejaprabha, Suryaprabha and Candraprabha; their figures entered the Korean Buddhist pantheon as a result of the taking over of depictions of Chinese Buddhism's Daoistdcrived stargods. 7 The medicine bowl was originally an attribute of Yaksabul, who was accompanied by the Sunlight Bodhisattva and the Moonlight Bodhisattva, as was the "Blazing Light" Buddha. 8 hi Korean: Pulsol-dae-widok-kumyun-puljongch 'isonggwang-yorae-sojae-Uch 'e chaenandarani-gyong. 9 In Korean: Pulsol-puktu-ch 'ilsong-yonmyongevong Kang Min-gi: Pulgyo hoehwa [Buddhist Painting], In: Kim Won-yong (ed.): Hangúk misul munhwatä ihae [Understanding the Korean Arts]. Seoul, 1994, p. 193 " Typically paintings depicting Star Gods/ Star Buddhas are placed in the "lower" category, since the Star Gods, even the Star Buddhas, are regarded as belonging in the same group with the Protectors of the Law. The theme of Ch 'isonggwang-Samjondo - the "Blazing Light" Buddha Trinity - and that of Ch 'ilsongdo - the Seven Star Gods - are treated differently; the distinction refers to the proportions and the emphases of the composition. 12 Cf. Kang, Min-gi: Op. cit., p. 209 13 See Sorensen, Henrik Hjort: The Iconography of Korean Buddhist Painting. Leiden, 1989, pp. 7, 20, Pl. XLVI. In a picture dated to the late 19

th century, alongside the "Blazing Light" Buddha and two accompanying bodhisattvas the Seven Stars appear in three different forms: in the foreground they feature as celestial officials, in the background as Star-Buddhas and above as seven novice monks. 14 See Kang, Min-gi: Op. cit., p. 209, 111. 104. hi the small reproduction it can be clearly seen that in the centre of the horizontal composition, which is built up on axial symmetry, sits the "Blazing Light" Buddha, on a lotus throne. He is in contemplative posture, with golden Wheels of the Law in his two palms. Before him on both sides appear the Sunlight Bodhisattva and Moonlight Bodhisattva in a similar posture (on their heads are the Sun and the Moon respectively). In the first row of the entourage are depicted the Seven Star-Lords (Star-Gods), in the attire of high-ranking court officials. Above them, in the second row, are the Seven Star-Buddhas. In the topmost row are the StarGods, in the fonn of twice seven novice monks,