Clay Seated Vairocana Buddha Triad of Gwisinsa Temple, Gimje

This clay seated Buddha triad enshrined in Daejeokgwangjeon Hall of Gwisinsa Temple depicts Vairocana, the Cosmic Buddha, at the center with Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) and Amitabha (Buddha of Western Paradise) to each side.

Vairocana, the Cosmic Buddha, represents the truth body (Dharmakaya), i.e. the absolute universal knowledge. Bhaisajyaguru is believed to possess the power to heal illness and prolong one's life, and Amitabha is believed to guide the dead to be reborn in the Buddhist paradise of the West.

This triad is presumed to have been created between 1624 and 1633. They are relatively tall, all measuring 3 m in height, with long waists. The Vairocana statue was so severely damaged that it had to be repaired in 2017. At this time, pieces of crystal were attached to each of the statue’s foreheads.

Source: Korea Heritage Service signboard ↗ · collected 2026-10-08