Describe the characteristics of the Seating in Silken Painting of Emperor Go-Daigo's Content.
An interesting point in Buddhist art is that portraits of real people depict the eight-leaf lotus flower as a seating tool . Although the use of eight-leafed lotus flowers in perfuming was not entirely absent according to the procedures of the time, it is extremely rare for them to be depicted in portraits of monks . In addition to this work, there is a national treasure, Myoe Shōnin Jūjo Zazenzo (collection of Kōzan-ji), but that is not a perfumed scene, so it cannot be simply compared to this work . It is possible that there is some intention as to why the eight-leafed lotus flower is not depicted in the portrait of the monk, and why on the contrary it is depicted specifically in this work, but as of 2006 it is unknown . Uchida discusses the theory that the "Myoe Shonin Jujyo Zazenzo" is related to Monju Bosatsu, and also points out that the Saidai-ji school of Eizon and the Bunkan (the author of this work) associated with it also have a strong belief in Monju Bosatsu, but he avoids stating it explicitly Underneath the lotus rug, there is a tatami mat with an unglazed edge, or a half tatami mat with the most prestigious tatami mat edge, and further underneath is a rei-ban . A lion is placed in the "kozama" of the reiban . Thus, this rei-ban is a "lion seat," that is, a seat on which only Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and high priests are allowed to sit . According to Hideo Kuroda, it may be a representation of Godaigo as a holy Buddha or Bodhisattva .The number of lions in Leo is usually one lion on the front or eight lions on each of the four sides . The number of three in this work is exceptional, but Kuroda suggests that it may have something to do with the sansha oracle (a strip of paper on which the names of the three deities are written) at the top .
Myoe Bunkan Eizon Bodhisattva Saidai-ji Monju Bosatsu portrait Kōzan-ji