Stone Buddhas in Four Directions at Gulbulsa Temple Site, Gyeongju

These Buddhist images, carved in relief onto a large boulder behind Baengnyulsa Temple, are presumed to date to the 8th century during the Unified Silla period (668-935). They depict the Buddhas of the Four Directions, namely Amitabha (Buddha of the Western Paradise) to the west, Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha) to the east, Maitreya (Buddha of the Future) to the north, and Sakyamuni (Historical Buddha) to the south.

On the western side, Amitabha is depicted in a standing position. His head made of a separate rock placed atop the boulder. He is flanked by two separately-made standing bodhisattvas to create a Buddhist triad. On the eastern side, Bhaisajyaguru is depicted alone in a seated position. On the southern side, there was originally a Buddhist triad consisting of a buddha in the center with a bodhisattva to either side, but the bodhisattva to the left is completely worn away, as is the face of the buddha. On the northern side, Avalokitesvara is depicted not in relief but as a line carving. He has eleven faces and six arms, which is an uncommon depiction. To his right is a depiction of a standing bodhisattva.

There is a legend about the origin of these carvings. It is said that when King Gyecngdeok (r. 742-765) of Silla went to visit Baengnyulsa Temple, he heard the chanting of a Buddhist prayer coming from underneath the ground When the ground was dug up, a boulder with depictions of buddhas on four sides was found. In commemoration of this, a temple named Gulseoksa ("Temple of the Excavated Buddhas") was founded at this site. This temple came to be known as Guiseoksa ("Temple of the Excavated Stone") and is presumed to have stood until the Mongol invasions in the 13th century.

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