The Vulture Peak Assembly Gwaebul at Bosalsa Temple(菩薩寺 靈山會 掛佛幀)
Overview
This gwaebul presents Shakyamuni Buddha in the center surrounded by a symmetrical grouping of Buddhas of the Ten Directions, Buddhas of the Other Realms, Bodhisattvas, Brahma, Indra, Four Heavenly Kings, Buddhist Guardian Deities, and Ten Great Disciples. Shakyamuni Buddha is depicted notably larger than the other figures. He is sitting in a full-lotus (cross-legged) position and making the Bhumisparsa (earth-touching) mudra, which symbolizes the repelling of evil, with his right hand placed over his right knee and pointing at the ground. His nearly square face includes large, semi-circular, distinctly delineated eyes. A black square enclosure outside the circular pupil expresses the iris, and the sclera is colored with light ink. A similar depiction of an eye can be observed in most of the subordinates in this painting, excluding the Four Heavenly Kings. The red outer robe is worn with the right shoulder exposed. It is adorned with yellow patterns of a circle with a dot in the center and has green hemlines embellished with patterns of yellow flowers and scrolls. The mandorla is composed of head and body halos, and the inside of the body halo is filled with flowers and vines. On each side of the canopy above the head halo are five of the Buddhas of the Ten Directions, all of them descending on clouds. Below them are six Buddhas of the Other Realms, with three on each side. In between the five Buddhas of the Ten Directions and the three Buddhas of the Other Realms are three Buddhist figures, including King Ajatasattu wearing a ceremonial crown and Yaksha wearing an elephant-shaped crown. Five disciples with different appearances are set on each side of the body halo. Next to these five disciples are four Buddhist Guardian deities clad in armor. Eight Bodhisattvas wearing ornate crowns surround the altar on which Shakyamuni Buddha is sitting. To the outside of them are Brahma, Indra, and the Four Heavenly Kings in a symmetrical arrangement. Below the altar is a listener who is hearing the dharma he asked for from Shakyamuni. The listener has his hair and body adorned like a Bodhisattva and is kneeling facing Shakyamuni. This depiction of a listener with the appearance of a Bodhisattva can also be found in The Buddhas of the Three Bodies Gwaebul at Gapsa Temple. The cartouche in the lower-center of the painting bears an inscription recording prayers for the king, queen, and crown prince, a list of donations, and the names of the monk-painters involved in the project. According to the inscription, this gwaebul was produced in the tenth lunar month of the Gichuk year (1649), the twenty-third year (1650) of the Chongzhen era. However, the Chinese era name does not correspond to the year in the sexagenary cycle. Since the twenty-third year of the Chongzhen era is actually a Gyeongin year, the mention appears to have been in error. The completion date of this painting is believed to be the tenth lunar month of 1649 (the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Injo), based on the Gichuk year of the pertinent sexagenary cycle. This painting was created by several monk-painters, including Singyom (head monk-painter), Jibyeon, Yuyeol, Deokhui, Inbo, and Gyeongbeom.
Inscriptions
The production of this image of the Buddha was completed on the _____, day of the 10th lunar month of the Gichuk year (1649), the 23rd year of the Chongzhen era. [I] treat it with respect. May the king live long. May the queen lead a long life as well. I pray that the life of the crown prince continues for a thousand years. The list of people who made donations of materials _____ and _____ and spouse, all of whom donated a considerable amount of materials for the gwaebul painting Monk _____, who holds the rank of Tongjeong daebu* and donated many pieces of cloth for use as a support material for the gwaebul painting(batang*) Monk _____, who donated many pieces of paper to be pasted on the back of a Buddhist painting to fix its support material Byeon Kkeut-nam and spouse, who donated many pieces of cloth to be pasted on the back of a Buddhist painting to fix its support material Son Gae-son and spouse, who donated gold _____ -bok and spouse, who _____ Monk Gyeongteuk, who donated many pieces of paper or cloth to be pasted on the back of a Buddhist painting to fix its support material _____, who donated golden paper Monk Gyehaeng, who donated gold Donation of votive objects to be deposited An _____ with the rank of Tongjeong daebu* and his wife, who donated goods for public use Monk _____, who made a donation of materials without any conditions Monk_____, who donated many pieces of paper or cloth to be pasted on the back of a Buddhist painting to fix its support material Huryeongtong (cylindrical container) _____, who supervised affairs in the kitchen compound _____, who donated a great volume of goods for public use An _____ and spouse, who donated a great volume of goods for public use Monk Chuk_____, who donated a great volume of goods to be used by the public Sain, Yunnam, _____gae, Yi Yeong-beon, and Yun Cheon-gil, all of whom made donations of materials The place responsible for the production of the Buddhist painting Monk Hyehae, who examined whether the Buddhist project was being performed properly Those who produced the gwaebul painting are Monk Singyeom, Monk Jibyeon, Monk Yuyeol, Monk Deokhui, Monk Inbo, and Monk Gyeongbeom. Glossary of Gwaebul Inscriptions * tongjeong daebu 通政大夫: The third senior rank of a civil official during the Joseon Dynasty * batang 婆幀/基布: Cloth used as a support material for a Buddhist painting


