한국의 千手觀音 信仰과 千手觀音圖

Abstract

Since some Buddhist bibles related to Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara had been introduced by Great Monk Euisang in the early United Silla age, Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara belief was prevailing until the end of the Joseon age, and hence sculptures and paintings of Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara were created from earlier times. The sculptures and paintings were for memorial services for the death in some cases, and for worship after enshrined in temples in others. However, there are not many works left so far for the past prosperity of Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara belief. We only have Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara sculptures from the Goryeo age (owned by the National Museum of Korea and Musée Guimet in France) and a few paintings from the early and late Joseon ages. Given the fact that Water-Moon Avalokiteśvara paintings were prevailing in Goryeo and various paintings as well as White-robe Avalokiteśvara paintings were in fashion in Joseon, this is a stunningly exceptional situation. This paper first examines how the icons of Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara were originatedand developed, and then explores the characteristics of Chinese Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara. As a result, it is found out that many Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara paintings and sculptures are left in places like cave temples in Dunhuang and Sichuan, China as Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvarabelief enjoyed its prosperity in the Tang and Song ages. Chinese Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara paintings’ iconic characteristics include the illustration of Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara with one face or 11 faces and three eyes plus 40 (42) hands and 28 Devas, or the expression of Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara together with Lakshmi, Vasmitra, famished demons, poor man etc. Unlike Chinese and Japanese ones, Korean Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara paintings show characteristics in that it expresses Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara along with Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the scene of disasters in Puṇḍarīka Sūtra, and Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara together with Cundebhagavati. This can be seen as projecting friendly images of Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara, i.e. images of Water-Moon Avalokiteśvara being with Sutra, or transforming images in Puṇḍarīka Sūtra where he saved people from all kinds of disasters while creating Sahasra-bhuja Avalokiteśvara, a transformed Tantric Avalokiteśvara.