Displayed in the Buddhist Sculpture Gallery at the National Museum of Korea, this exquisite gilt-bronze Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statue stands with its left arm bent at a right angle and extended outward, holding a medicine bowl. The right hand is lowered and lightly grasping the edge of the robe. It is estimated that the Buddha once stood on a lotus pedestal with a background halo behind the body, both of which were separately attached. However, those pieces are no longer present.

The Buddha has a skirt-like cloth wrapped around the belly with continuous U-shaped folds flowing down the legs like waves, conveying a three-dimensional appearance. A separate undergarment is visible on the chest, and a long outer robe is draped across the shoulders and back, with zigzag folds in the fabric. Just below the left shoulder, there is a small knot tied with a loop and string, which was used to fasten the outer robe and prevent it from slipping off.

The statue features a large round ushnisha, the protrusion of flesh atop the head that symbolizes Buddha’s wisdom, along with elongated earlobes that hang down almost to the shoulders. The facial expression is somewhat rigid, and the head is visibly enlarged in proportion to the body. Even so, the statue shows outstanding three-dimensionality, with the varying patterns of folds in the clothing on the upper and lower body harmonizing to create a striking artistic beauty.

There are three small holes in the figure’s back—one in the head, one in the lower back, and one in the legs—that were created during the casting process. The gilding on the surface shows good color and stability. Based on these characteristics, it is estimated that this gilt-bronze Buddha was likely produced in the early eighth century of the Unified Silla period (676–935).

Within Buddhism, there is a particular faith devoted to the sutras of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, who presides over the eastern realm of “Pure Lapis Lazuli.” In accordance with these sutras, practitioners of this faith reverently worship and perform rituals to Bhaisajyaguru Buddha in order to be healed of diseases, extend their lifespan, and fulfill their wishes.

The name of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha was translated into Chinese characters as “藥師” (Kr. yaksa), which means “doctor.” Meanwhile, Sakyamuni Buddha was sometimes called “大醫王” (Kr. Daeuiwang), meaning “Great Healer King,” based on the belief that he healed people’s mental and spiritual illnesses. From these concepts, the belief emerged within Mahayana Buddhism that Bhaisajyaguru Buddha could cure physical diseases and ailments.

Faith in Bhaisajyaguru Buddha emphasizes benefits in one’s present life over rewards in the afterlife. The notion of praying for good health is very appealing and easy for anyone to understand, which may explain why it has endured in East Asia from ancient times to the present day.

During the Unified Silla period, the faith in Bhaisajyaguru Buddha was a subject of doctrinal interest relating to the sutras, such that various monks compiled commentaries on Sutra on the Original Vows and Merits of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata (藥師琉璃光如來本願功德經). Two extant examples of such commentaries are Yaksagyeongso (藥師經疏), written by Monk Gyeongheung (who was originally from Baekje) in the late seventh or early eighth century, and Yaksa bonwongyeong gojeokgi (藥師本願經古迹記), written by Monk Taehyeon in the mid-eighth century during the reign of King Gyeongdeok (r. 742–765).

Buddhists of Unified Silla believed that the world contained countless Buddhas, each of whom resided in a Pure Land where they disseminated their teachings. The people of Unified Silla wished to be reborn in the western realm of the Pure Land, a belief that gave them solace from the inherent uncertainty of death. Meanwhile, for help in their present lives, they placed their faith in Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, the embodiment of compassion, and Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, who resided in the eastern realm of “Pure Lapis Lazuli” and offered relief from suffering, disasters, and diseases. As the concept of the pure lands became standardized, carvings and other images of the “four-directional Buddhas” were produced with Bhaisajyaguru Buddha in east, across from Amitabha Buddha in the west. For example, this arrangement can be seen in a boulder carving at the site of Gulbulsa Temple in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, as well as on the stone pagoda at the site of Jinjeonsa Temple in Yangyang, Gangwon-do Province.

According to Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms (三國遺事), in 755 (fourteenth year of King Gyeongdeok’s reign), a skilled craftsman named Ganggo Naemal created a massive Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statue at Bunhwangsa Temple in Gyeongju, using 306,700 geun of bronze. Around the same time, Monk Jinpyo went to Geumgangsan Mountain and built a temple with a pagoda and various statues, with Bhaisajyaguru Buddha honored as the deity in the temple’s main hall. The faith in Bhaisajyaguru Buddha became widely popular in the late eighth and ninth century, a period marked by famine, epidemics, and social instability. As a result, numerous Bhaisajyaguru Buddha sculptures were produced throughout the country, ranging from small gilt-bronze images to huge stone figures.

Most Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statues can be easily distinguished from other Buddha statues by the alms bowl or medicine bowl that they are holding. This symbolic object was generally believed to contain medicine for curing ailments or grains to alleviate hunger. On this particular statue, the bowl held in the left hand has a rounded bottom and a flattened top

What function did statues of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha serve within the religious context of the past? It is assumed that large statues of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha were likely enshrined as objects of worship in the halls of Buddhist temples, along with images of other deities. Unfortunately, however, there are no known historical records that describe the specific function or intention of small statues like this one. Nevertheless, some clues about these statues can be found in the sutras of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha, including the aforementioned Sutra on the Original Vows and Merits of the Medicine Master Lapis Lazuli Light Tathagata (藥師琉璃光如來本願功德經), translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Monk Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty in 650.

As translated by Xuanzang, the sutra recommends disciples to produce either one or seven Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statues, and then perform a variety of reverential acts with the statues, including making offerings of flowers and incense, decorating them with flags, and walking around the statue to the right. The sutra also states that anyone who is near death should recite the sutra and place a seven-tiered lamp and sacred flags of five colors in front of a Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statue, which will prolong their lifespan. Images of such a ritual seem to be depicted in wall paintings of the Dunhuang Caves in China, dating from the Sui and Tang dynasties, providing a key reference. Similarly, since the mid-eighth century, Japanese Buddhists have performed a ritual that involves producing a Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statue, reciting the sutra, making offerings, and repenting for their wrongdoings. Records of these related practices in two neighboring countries provide a fresh perspective that helps us to imagine why the people of Unified Silla produced so many small statues of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha and what those statues might have been used for.

Another way to understand gilt-bronze Buddha statues is by examining their manufacturing techniques, which is useful for recognizing both the structural features and sculptural styles of the statues. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the casting techniques used to make this statue.

One notable detail about the casting technique used for this statue is that parts of the body were cast separately and then assembled. Upon closer examination, for example, you can see that the entire right arm was made separately and attached to the shoulder. This feature is highly unique among small gilt-bronze statues of the Unified Silla period, which were usually cast as a single piece.

This separate casting technique was likely devised for the sake of convenience, while also allowing for more diverse formal expressions. On this statue, for instance, the robe on the right arm, which was produced separately, has a greater three-dimensional quality with more intricate details, such as the zigzag folds. It would have been very difficult to achieve the same level of sculptural detail and physical presence in the right arm if the statue had been produced as a single piece.

The National Museum of Korea houses another small gilt-bronze statue of Bhaisajyaguru Buddha (bon 324) from Unified Silla that was also produced with the separate casting method. Once again, the right arm of that statue was produced separately, but it is raised, rather than lowered. In addition, a modified version of the same technique was used to produce a seated gilt-bronze Buddha statue that is currently enshrined in Kannondo in Kurose, Tsushima Island, Japan. Unlike the two standings Buddhas, the seated Buddha has its right shoulder exposed. Thus, a portion of the right chest and the entire right arm were separately cast and smoothly combined with the rest of the body, with the hem of the robe serving to conceal the seam. This method can also be observed in some later iron Buddha statues from the Unified Silla period, hinting at the connection between casting techniques for gilt-bronze and iron Buddha statues of the era.

In conclusion, the gilt-bronze Bhaisajyaguru Buddha statue introduced in this article is a splendid treasure that showcases many important characteristics of Buddhist practices and sculptural techniques of the eighth century during the Unified Silla period.