Featured as part of Encountering Religions in Asian Art
Historical Period(s)
550-577, Northern Qi dynasty
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
H x W x D: 151.3 x 62.9 x 31.3 cm (59 9/16 x 24 3/4 x 12 5/16 in), Weight (without concrete base): 818.5 pounds
Geography
Anyang, Henan province, China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1923.15
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Title: Cosmic Buddha[BOOD-huh]literally, “Awakened One”; a being who has awakened to the true reality of existence and is thereby liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. A Buddha teaches others the path to enlightenment.Vairochana[VY-RO-chu-nuh]Sanskrit name of Dainichi, the Cosmic Buddha.
Type: Buddhist Sculpture
Associated Religious Tradition: Buddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE.
Origins
Geography: China, probably Henan province
Date: 550–577
Period: Northern Qi dynasty (550–577)
Physical Properties
Material: Limestone
Dimensions: H × W × D: 151.3 × 62.9 × 31.3 cm (59 9/16 × 24 3/4 × 12 5/16 in)
Weight (without concrete base): 818.5 pounds
Crediting Information
Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Credit Line: Purchase—Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Accession Number: F1923.15
Buddhism[BOOD-hiz-uhm]a widespread Asian religion founded by the Historical Buddha in northern India in the fifth century BCE. was introduced to China about two thousand years ago. However, the religion didn’t truly prosper until it received support from the leaders of a series of northern Chinese dynasties, especially the Wei (386–550) and Northern Qi (550–577). Sponsoring the establishment of Buddhist institutions like freestanding temples or cave chapels hollowed out of mountain sides were major acts of elite devotion. Images like this standing Buddha[BOOD-huh]literally, “Awakened One”; a being who has awakened to the true reality of existence and is thereby liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. A Buddha teaches others the path to enlightenment. were created for these religious institutions, where they helped to focus worship and educate believers.
This sculpture is distinguished by the crowded narrative scenes that completely cover its surface. These compositions should not be viewed as patterns adorning the Buddha’s robe but instead be thought of as spiritual emanations that are projected from within the Buddha himself. These complicated stories, carved in shallow reliefa sculpture with a slight projection from a flat surface., must be seen at close range. This suggests that the sculpture probably wasn’t installed on a distant high altar. Instead, it likely stood as an independent, freestanding monument like a stele, perhaps placed in a temple courtyard, where the Buddhist teachings embodied by the scenes could be used to educate believers.
This massive limestone statue is an impressive example of Northern Qi dynasty sculpture. The figure is clothed in a tightly wrapped monastic robe, creating a simple, monolithic form with only the slightest hint of a physical body beneath. The surface is covered in Buddhist scenes that help identify the subject as Vairochana[VY-RO-chu-nuh]Sanskrit name of Dainichi, the Cosmic Buddha., one of the five celestial Buddhas. These Buddhas are thought to have always existed. Thus, they are sometimes described as being “self-born.” In Buddhist texts, Vairochana is identified as the generative force behind all phenomena in the universe, hence his label “cosmic Buddha[BOOD-huh]literally, “Awakened One”; a being who has awakened to the true reality of existence and is thereby liberated from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. A Buddha teaches others the path to enlightenment..”
Although it has lost its head and hands, the surviving sculpture is still extremely important due to the narrative scenes on its surface, especially the “Realm of Desire” illustrated on the front of the figure. The flanking shoulders and sides are adorned with depictions of avadanas, or stories about the correlation between Buddhist merit and rebirth (karma[KAAR-muh]literally, “action”; the cumulative effect of all good and bad actions that a being performs over many lifetimes, determining his or her future suffering, happiness, and favorable or unfavorable rebirths.), as well as jataka tales, which are engaging narratives recounting past lives of the Historical Buddha, Shakyamuni[SHAK-yuh-MOON-ee]literally, “Sage of the Shakya Clan”; the Historical Buddha. His given name was Siddhartha Gautama. He lived in northeastern India sometime after the fifth century BCE.. These are probably included because Shakyamuni can be thought of as an earthly emanation of Vairochana.
The Realm of Desire covers the front of the figure, filling the space between the robe’s collar and bottom hem. This realm is the lowest of the three levels of the Buddhist universe (the other two realms are not depicted). Also representing the primary domains for karmic rebirth, the diagram begins at the upper chest with the heaven of devas (divinities), where the Historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, preaches to deities in the highest paradise still subject to the suffering of worldly existence. Mount Meru, the axis of the Buddhist world, is visible just above the figure’s waist; it is shown as a pillar wrapped with a pair of dragons. Asuras, giant demigods with multiple arms, live at the mountain’s base. Below are the spheres of humans, animals, and ghosts before reaching the sufferers in Buddhist hells, shown near the feet.
Hierarchy also determines the vertical sequence of scenes on the back of the sculpture. At the top, the bodhisattva[BO-dee-SAAT-vuh]literally, “enlightenment being”; a person who, inspired by compassion, vows to become a Buddha for the benefit of all sentient beings. (“enlightenmenta moment of great wisdom and understanding; the highest level of consciousness, believed to be achieved through meditation and adhering to the basic moral teachings of Buddhism. being”) Maitreya sits in his Tushita Heaven, awaiting rebirth on earth as the Buddha of the Future. For some Buddhists, this was meant to occur in the late sixth century. Below him in the large second register are scenes from the Vimalakirtisutra[SOOT-ruh]literally, “aphorism”; a scripture recording a sermon or teaching attributed to the Historical Buddha. , which tells of an encounter in a garden in India between Vimalakirti, a wise Buddhist layman, and Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. The bottom band features no deities at all, just riders on horses traveling through a mountain valley.
To make them easier to decipher and understand, the elements of the various scenes may have originally been painted in different colors. Other sculptures from this period have been found with blue (ground lapis lazuli), green (ground malachite), red (vermillion), white (lead white), black (ground charcoal), and gold (powered gold).
Like today, politics and religion were intertwined in sixth-century China. Given Vairochana’s religious primacy and association with power, large-scale depictions of the deity—shown standing like this sculpture or seated—were often commissioned by important individuals, especially emperors. This elite sponsorship helps explain how sophisticated, complex Buddhist images like this could have been created. Another notable depiction of Vairochana[VY-RO-chu-nuh]Sanskrit name of Dainichi, the Cosmic Buddha. was the 180-foot-tall statue in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, also dating to the sixth century. It was destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.
Can you see the illustrations depicted on the surface of the sculpture from a distance or do you need to zoom in on your computer screen? What does it mean that you can’t truly understand the sculpture unless you are close?
Looking at individual scenes, do they seem carefully planned or spontaneous and random? If they were planned prior to carving, how could they have been designed?
How many different animals can you spot on the front, back, and sides of the sculpture?
Do some of the six domains within the Realm of Desire shown on the front of the sculpture seem frightening? What is the intended result?
Why do you think there are square sockets at the ends of the arms where the hands should be?
Is this primarily a depiction of a Buddhist deity or is it a collection of illustrated stories? Or is it both?
Why might a temple want to create a religious monument with illustrations of stories?
Does a standing or seated pose make a difference in how we perceive a religious figure?
What is one of the most important Buddhist lessons the sculpture is teaching?
