창원 용화전 석조불좌상의 도상적 고찰 - 唐代 菩提瑞像 圖像과 관련하여

Abstract

The Stone Seated Buddha Statue that has been passed down from Yonghwajeon(龍華殿) in Changwon and that is currently exhibited in outdoor showroom at Seongsan Shell Mound(城山貝塚) is wearing monk’s dress in left shoulder covered(偏袒右肩) style, or with the robe draping from the left shoulder across the chest and under the right arm, leaving the right shoulder bare along with a monk’s crown and necklace. In addition, with an angel with flowers being and an angel the ritual foods being arranged against halo(the back illuminating adornment of the statues of Buddha), the Buddha statue is seated on a square pedestal instead of octagonal lotus flower pedestal. Some Buddhist Images Bhumisparsa-mudra during the period of united Silla were wearing in left shoulder covered style or were seated on a square pedestal with an angel with flowers being and an angel the ritual foods being in addition to nirmna-buddha arranged against halo. However, there are no precedents of Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon in terms of establishing its iconographic system, combining expressing the solemn body of the Buddha, iconographic aspect of halo, and the formality of being seated. Therefore, the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon is deemed to feature its own unique iconographic system, which is differentiated from the Buddhist Images Bhumisparsa-mudra during the united Silla period. Meanwhile, Vajrasana Buddha Statue(金剛座眞容像) of Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhaya, India described in the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions is seating on a square chair and is wearing decorative items, including monk’s crown and necklace. In addition, it is said that playing musical instruments and making a variety of offerings were frequently portrayed in Vajrasana Buddha Statue. These prescriptions of Vajrasana Buddha Statue were passed down to China and affected the formation of iconography of the Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree. In fact, the contemporary Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree was wearing in left shoulder covered style with Chokjiin along with monk’s crown and necklace. And halo had the statue of heavenly men dedicating strew flowers and offerings arranged in it. And it features a square pedestal and various retinues dedicating offerings or playing musical instruments in the surrounding area. The contemporary Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree features a lot of variety in iconographic elements than the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon. However, the iconographic features of the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon match those of the contemporary Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree. Therefore, it is reasonably assumed that the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon was established with the formation of iconography of the contemporary Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree instead of being a iconographic transformation of another Buddhist Image Bhumisparsa-mudra established in the same period as that of the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon. The Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon has very significant historic implications as the iconography of the contemporary Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree that originated from the Vajrasana Buddha Statue, which is widely popular as the true image of enlightened Sakyamuni in the Buddhism cultural area of East Asia was passed down as far as to Silla. Unfortunately, there is no exemplary statue of the Buddha that will reveal the time and process of the iconography of Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree being passed down to Silla. However, the iconographic image of Sarira Reliquary excavated from the East Threestory stone pagoda in Gameunsa(感恩寺) Temple Site is deemed to have symbolized the awkening the enlightenment image of Sakyamuni, and the fact that it has something in common with the iconographic aspects of the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon indicates that the iconographic legacy of the Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree was likely to be introduced to the capital of Silla in late 7th century. And, the Simuchaek(時務策) written by Choi Seing-ro(崔承老) says that the statue of the Buddha was decorated with jewelry as well. If that is the case, it is highly likely that the Buddhist Image Bhumisparsa-mudra, which expressed the iconographic aspect of the Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree in unique style of Silla was created in addition to the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon in late Silla Dynasty period. It is estimated that the Stone Seated Buddha Statue of Yonghwajeon was created in late 9th and early 10th centuries through the process of accepting and embracing the iconographic aspect of the Miraculous Image of Bodhi Tree.