A Study on the Costumes of stone Buddhist image in the Sokkuram Cave Temple

석굴암 불상에 나타난 법의 연구

Prime Minister Kim tart-song is said to have built this cave temple in the tenth year of the reign of King Kyongdok-wang(742-765) of Unified Shilla(751). The numerous stone Buddhist images in the grotto represent the best Buddhist figure of the Unified Shilla period and of all Korea. The Sokkuram Grotto is composed of the main hall, entrance to the main chamber and antechamber in space. The main hall beyond the small antechamber is round and the ceilling is domed. Within the rotunda sits a majestic Buddha(Amitabha), 3.48m in height and 2.6m in width, carved in granite and facing east. Surrounding the main Seated Buddha are eleven-headed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, Manjusri Bodhisattva and the other three Buddhist images, Ten disciples, Buddhist figures in the ten Niches in relief. An eleven-headed Avalokltesvara Bodhisattva of boundless mercy is sculptured on the wall behind the main Seated Buddha. Further guarding the Buddha are ten standing Arhans of the Disciples of Buddha. Next, two Devas. one on each side, stand guard. Two Bodhisattvas are the saints who are next to the Seated Buddha in importance, also one on each side. And, There are ten niches around the dome. They contain seven seated Bodhisattvas and one Vimalakirti(the name of a famous lay disciple of the Buddha). Two niches are empty. Consequently, there are total thirty-eight Buddhist images in the Sokkuram cave temple. The Buddhist images have been reguarded as masterpieces of Buddhist art and Shilla culture of Unified Shilla in the eightth century. The Buddhist images are represented very dear, elegance and beauty of detail skill