太賢과 茸長寺의 佛敎彫刻

Master Tae-hyon and the Buddhist Sculpture of the Yongjang-sa Temple

There are two Buddhist images at the ruins of Yongjang-sa Temple. These are typical arts of the Yuga School(瑜伽宗) which flourished during the days of United Silla(新羅). The study of these images makes it possible to understand the Yuga School of Buddhism and its arts of United Silla: First, master Tae-hyon(太賢) who had given his whole life to the study of the Yuga School resided at the Yongjang-sa Temple on Mt. Nam-san(南山) of Kyong-chu(慶州). The structure of this temple were influenced by thought of the Yuga School. Second, we presume that the peculiar Buddhist image of this temple is a Maitreya’s(彌勒菩薩). The master Tae-hyon devoted himself to adore the Maitreya; the Yuga School had the Maitreya’s image as an main object of faith. Third, Master Tae-hyon, devotee of the Maitreya, was the first director of the Yuga School which was founded by Master To-jeung(道證). Master To-jeung was a teacher of Tae-hyon. Fourth, the Yuga School was cordially accepted by the royal family and the intellectuals of United Silla. It influenced considerably to Silla society at the 8th century. Last, the two Buddist images of the Yongjang-sa Temple was typical works of the Yuga School as well as the representative Korean sculpture of the 8th century. These are the symbol of the Buddhist Pure land(淨土).