1702년 <순천 대흥사 석조석가여래좌상>의 조각승 수일(守一), 그리고 점안(點眼) 장소

초록

The Śākyamuni Statue of Chŏngam-sa is the seventh Śākyamuni Buddha, the principle statue among the Past Seven Buddhas and Fifty-three Buddhas (過去七佛・五十三佛) that were once enshrined at Sunchŏn (順天) Taehŭng-sa (大興寺). In 1910, all sixty Buddha statues were scattered throughout the country due to a fire at Taehŭng-sa - the most significant among them is the Śākyamuni Image of Chŏngam-sa. This is because the inscription on this statue provides valuable information regarding the production site, the location of the eye-opening ceremony (點眼), and the names of the sculptor-monks involved in the creation of ‘the Past Seven Buddhas and Fifty-three Buddhas’ of Sunchŏn Taehŭng-sa. The name of the mountain “Tongnyŏng Pulhoe-san” (東嶺 佛會山) in Kyŏngju (慶州) was first revealed by the inscription, and it further uncovered that the sculptor-monks relocated to the source site of zeolite (佛石) in order to carry out the production. Although it remains uncertain which specific mountain in the eastern region of Kyŏngsang-do the inscription’s Pulhoe-san refers to, it is presumed to be near Kiryŏm-sa (祇林寺), an area known for its abundant deposits of zeolite. The inscription further records that “the eye-opening ceremony was completed at the production site prior to the transfer to the main temple,” indicating that contrary to prior assumptions the statue was relocated only after the ceremony had taken place. This suggests a belief that once the eye-opening ceremony was performed, the Buddha was thought to have descended into the image, thereby preventing any potential misfortunes during the transfer and ensuring the safety of both the statue and the monks involved in its enshrinement. As such, the Śākyamuni Statue of Chŏngam-sa not only provides concrete information regarding key aspects of the Past Seven Buddhas and Fifty-three Buddhas of Sunchŏn Taehŭng-sa but also holds significance as what is believed to be one of the last major works by Suil (守一), a renowned sculptor-monk.

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