National Treasure Hall
Statue of Shaka Nyorai
Important Cultural Property
Shaka Nyorai is another name for Shakyamuni, the fifth-century founder of Buddhism, who attained awakening and vowed to save sentient beings.
The statue was carved from blocks of katsura wood, lacquer, and gold leaf. While its origin is unclear, it wears a gentle facial expression and gracefully draped robes—hallmarks of statues of the Heian period (794–1185)—and evokes the style of the innovative Buddhist sculptor Jocho (d. 1057). The mandorla frame that was behind the image has been lost, and the platform on which it sits is a later addition.
The Buddha’s right hand is lifted with the palm toward the viewer in the dispelling-fear gesture (semui-in), which signifies dispelling fear, while the left rests on its lap, forming the wish-fulfilling gesture (yogan-in).