Amida Shoju Raigozu (The Arrival of the Holy One)

Japanese: 阿弥陀聖衆来迎図 - あみだしょうじゅらいごうず

This painting depicts the great fantasy of a nembutsu practitioner praying for rebirth in the Pure Land, depicting the Amida Buddha arriving before their very eyes accompanied by an assortment of holy men to welcome them. Among the many raigo-zu paintings, the painting in the possession of the 18 temples of the Koyasan Yushi Hachiman-ko (National Treasure), considered the greatest masterpiece, is full of lyricism and displays an outstanding depiction of a group of figures. It was probably originally hung in a Buddhist hall as a single painting and used as the principal image for the mukaeko (welcoming lecture) of nembutsu practitioners, which included people of high rank. This painting, in which the various raigo-zu statues face the viewer directly, retains the tradition of contemplative nembutsu, and is different in character from the explanatory raigo-zu paintings from the Kamakura period onwards.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

極楽浄土への往生を願う念仏者の一大幻想を，阿弥陀如来が諸聖衆をしたがえて，今まさに眼前に来迎した情景として描き出した絵画。数ある来迎図の中でも最高傑作とされる高野山有志八幡講十八箇院蔵の図(国宝)は抒情性にあふれ，卓越した群像表現をみせる。当初一幅の画面で仏堂にかけられ，高位の人をも交えた念仏者の迎講（むかえこう）の本尊として用いられたものであろう。来迎の諸尊が見る者と直接向かい合う本図には，観想念仏の伝統が残っており，鎌倉時代以後の説明的な来迎図とは性格を異にする。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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