Vairocana Buddha

Vairocana Buddha is an embodiment and visualization of beop (法), translated as the truth and ideal of Buddhism. This Vairocana Buddha statue shows the jigwonin mudra (智拳印), where the right hand grips the left index finger up near the chest. In terms of the proportion of the body parts, this work matches the Buddhist statues of the Unified Silla Period, but its accentuated facial features resemble the style of the Goryeo Dynasty. The creases of the clothing are quite simple, and are expressed as a series of ascendant layers, almost like steps. The folds in the cloth underneath the crossed legs are highly formalized, like a fan. Iron Buddha statues were produced beginning in the late Unified Silla Period, and were popular during the Goryeo Dynasty. The horizontal and vertical lines made by the molds during the casting process can still be seen on the statue, particularly across the chest.