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sandaibutsu@ŽO‘啧
KEY WORD :@art history / sculptures
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Lit. three great Buddhas. The three largest images in the history of Buddhist statuary in Japan. Originally the sandaibutsu were said to be the Great Buddha in Toudaiji “Œ‘厛, Nara; the Buddha in Taiheiji ‘ž•˝Ž›, Osaka; and the Buddha in Sekidera ŠÖŽ›, Shiga prefecture. In later centuries, after the latter two statues were lost, this designation changed and the Buddhas of Toudaiji, Koutokuin ‚“ż‰@ in Kamakura (Kanagawa prefecture), and the Asuka Buddha in Angoin ˆŔ‹‰@ (formerly part of Houkouji –@‹ťŽ›) Nara, were referred to as the sandaibutsu. The Great Buddha of Nara Nara Daibutsu “ޗǑ啧 was consecrated in the year 752. It is a seated bronze figure 14.73 m high representing Vairocana Buddha *Rushanabutsu ḎՓߕ§, and although it has been damaged by fire on numerous occasions the original figure is still preserved in Toudaiji. The Great Buddha of Taiheiji, was a standing figure of the *Kannon ŠĎ‰š 18m high. This figure was said to have inspired the building of the Nara Daibutsu, but it was very seriously damaged in 1086. The seated figure of *Miroku –íčÓ in Sekidera, was destroyed in an earthquake in 976. It was restored by the sculptor Koushou NŽ, and the new statue in wood and lacquer, completed in 1018, measured 7.5 m in height. This in turn was destroyed in fire caused by war in the period 1596-1615. The Asuka Daibutsu ”ň’š‘啧 is a bronze statue 2.75m high, thought to represent *Shaka Žß‰Ţ. It is the oldest surviving Buddhist statue in Japan today, estimated to have been completed in the year 609. Temple legend says that the sculptor was the famous Kuratsukuri no Tori ˆĆěŽ~—˜. The statue sits on a stone pedestal in the cross legged posture known as *kekkafuza Œ‹ććć卿. The Kamakura Daibutsu Š™‘q‘啧 is a cast bronze seated figure representing *Amida ˆ˘–í‘É. It was made in the mid-Kamakura period; some records suggest that casting may have begun in 1252. The statue is 11.5m high, and combines stylistic influences from Southern Sung China in the face and body with Unkei ‰^Œc (?-1223) style draperies.
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Toudaiji “Œ‘厛 (Nara)


Koutokuin ‚“ż‰@ (Kanagawa)

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REFERENCES:
*daibutsu ‘啧@
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NOTES
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