The Buddha Amitabha with the Eight Great Bodhisattvas

Here Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light, is surrounded by the Eight Great Bodhisattvas. Amitabha is one of the most compassionate figures in the Buddhist pantheon and a central figure of Pure Land Buddhism, which proliferated in East Asia, including Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan. Amitabha promised all believers rebirth in the Pure Land, where souls are reborn rid of all impurities.

The accompanying eight bodhisattvas are (on the right, from bottom to top) Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri, Maitreya, and Vajrapani, and (on the left, from bottom to top) Mahasthamaprapta, Samantabhadra, Kshitigarbha, and Sarvanivarana Vishkambhin. The link between Amitabha and the eight bodhisattvas is mentioned in a Korean version of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas Mandala Sutra, in the "Practices" chapter. Many scholars believe that the pairing of Amitabha with these eight bodhisattvas is unique to Korea.

Typical of late Goryeo Buddhist paintings, the figures in this painting are adorned with sumptuous garments decorated with delicate gold patterns, translucent nimbuses, and gilded skin tones. The luxurious aesthetics evident in this painting were prevalent during the Goryeo dynasty.