@
raigou-zu@—ˆŒ}}
KEY WORD :@art history / iconography
@
Painted images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, such as *Shaka Žί‰ή, *Yakushi –ςŽt, *Miroku –νθΣ, *Kannon ŠΟ‰Ή, *Jizou ’n‘ , but most notably, * Amida ˆ’–ν‘Ι and his attendants, 'coming in welcome raigou@—ˆŒ}' to the Western Paradise. Where@Amida is depicted, the image is often called Amida raigou-zu ˆ’–ν‘Ι—ˆŒ}}. Follwers of Pure Land Buddhism joudokyou ς“y‹³ believe that upon death Amida and his retinue will descend from his Western Pure Land saihou gokuraku joudo Ό•ϋ‹ΙŠyς“y to earth to welcome and escort the devotee back to his Paradise. The doctrinal basis for this belief is to be found in the nineteen of Amida's 48 vows enumerated in the MURYOUJUKYOU –³—ΚŽυŒo (the Larger Sukhavatiyuha Sutra, or Sutra of Infinite Life ):If after obtaining my Buddhahood all beings in the ten quarters awakening their thoughts to enlightenment and practising all deeds of merit should cherish the desire in sincerity to be born in my country and if I should not be surrounded by a large company, appear before them at the time of their death, may I not attain the highest enlightenment. Amida, often flanked by Kannon and *Seishi ¨ŽŠ(an image known as Amida sanzon raigou ˆ’–ν‘ΙŽO‘Έ—ˆŒ}) and frequently accompanied by the rest of his heavenly retinue of bodhisattvas and heavenly beings Amida shoujuu raigou ˆ’–ν‘ɐΉO—ˆŒ}, or sometimes limited to 25 bodhisattvas *nijuugo bosatsu “ρ\Œά•μŽF (known as Amida nijuugo bosatsu raigou ˆ’–ν‘Ι“ρ\Œά•μŽF—ˆŒ}), is usually shown in painting as descending towards earth on a cloud that trails off on a diagonal. The emphatic jin'un no Amida v‰_ˆ’–ν‘Ι (swift cloud Amida) or hayaraigou ‘—ˆŒ} (fast raigou) type shows Amida hastily descending at an angle of 45 degrees, lending a degree of inevitability and immediacy to Amida's promised salvation . In the rapid descents Amida often stands and is turned three-quarters to the side, but in the more gentle descents, he may be seated displaying the *raigou-in —ˆŒ}ˆσ mudra and facing forward. A variant pose shows Amida and his attendants turned completely around and heading back to his Pure Land Paradise. This is called the kaeri raigou ‹A‚θ—ˆŒ}, or returning raigou.
The earliest raigou theme in Japan appears to have been the paintings of the *kubon raigou ‹γ•i—ˆŒ} (also known as kubon oujou ‹γ•i‰Ά), or the Nine Levels of Birth, depicted in the bottom outside court of the *Taima mandara “––ƒ™ΦδΆ—…, also known as a Kangyou hensou ŠΟŒo•Ο‘Š (Transformation Scene of the KANMURYOUJUKYOU ŠΟ–³—ΚŽυŒo) and dating back to the late 8c. Independent kubon raigou theme appeared on the wooden doors and panels of *amidadou ˆ’–ν‘Ι“° in the early Heian period. The earliest extant example is in Byoudouin *Hououdou •½“™‰@–P™€“° (1053), Kyoto. Also instrumental in the development of individual raigou paintings was the Tendai “V‘δ monk Genshin ŒΉM (942-1047), whose OUJOUYOUSHUU ‰Ά—vW (Essentials of Salvation) served as a guide for the Amidist faithful, helping them in their final moments to ensure their rebirth in Amida's Pure Land. Genshin's vivid descriptions of the glories of Amida and his Pure Land inspired the creation of a different lineage of raigou paintings and a set of practices for the faithful as they approached death. For example, in terminal practice (see *rokuji myougou ˜ZŽš–Ό†), the dying believer would chant the nenbutsu ”O•§ (supplication to Amida), lie on his bed, place his head to the north and face west, where one or more sculptures of Amida or an Amida raigou painting would be strategically placed in his line of vision. A five colored cord, like that attached to the painting of the *yamagoe no Amida ŽR‰zˆ’–ν‘Ι (Amida Coming Over the Mountain) in the Konkaikoumyouji ‹ΰ‰ϊŒυ–ΎŽ›, Kyoto, would then be attached to the image or painting at one end and held by the devotee at the other, thereby establishing a physical link between the two at the moment of death.
@
@

@
REFERENCES:
@
EXTERNAL LINKS: 
@@
NOTES
@

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.@No reproduction or republication without written permission.
ŒfΪ‚ΜƒeƒLƒXƒgEŽΚ^EƒCƒ‰ƒXƒg‚ȂǁA‘S‚Δ‚ΜƒRƒ“ƒeƒ“ƒc‚Μ–³’f•‘»E“]Ϊ‚π‹Φ‚Ά‚ά‚·B
@