통일신라 하대(9~10세기) 사방불상의 도상과 형식

Abstract

This study examined belief, background of creation, and Buddha names related to fourdirectional Buddha images created in the 9th‐10th centuries. Four‐directional Buddha images express belief in the Buddhist Land of east, south, west and north, having Buddha images carved on the four sides of a stone pillar or a stone stupa. When the arrangements of four‐directional Buddhas extant were classified into three types according to icon. Type I includes four‐directional Buddhas carved on the sides of the first‐floor body stone in the stupa. The icons in these images were believed to be Medicine Buddha on the east, Sakyamuni Buddha on the south, Amitabha Buddha on the west and Maitreya Buddha on the north, which were worshipped widely in those days. Type II includes four‐directional Buddhas expressing Vairocana Buddha with mudra Jigwonin on the south in the stupa. The background of the appearance of Vairocana Buddha in four‐directional Buddhas is believed to be the popularity of the Avatamsaka and Zen Sects. Type III, which expresses four‐directional Buddhas of Vajra-yana five‐directional Buddhas, includes four‐directional Buddhas. Fourdirectional Buddhas of Vajra-yana five‐directional Buddhas are believed to originate from the four natures of Maha Vairocanna, Aksobhya Buddha on the east, Ratnasambhava Buddha on the south, Myogwanchalji Buddha on the west, and Amogha‐siddhi Buddha on the north. Four‐directional Buddha images created in the 9th and 10th centuries of the Unified Shilla Dynasty express the Buddhist saints worshipped most by Shilla people. In some of them,Vairocana Buddha with Jigwonin was placed on the south as a result of the popularity of the Avatamsaka and Zen Sects, and after the introduction of Vajra-yana esoteric Buddhism during the Middle Period of Esoteric Buddhism, four‐directional Buddhas of Vajra-yana five‐directional Buddhas were created. In this way, various types of five‐directional Buddha images were created during the period.