Nara Park Today 🦌 Nara National Museum Buddhist Art Hall Part 2
For the past six months or so, whenever I have time, I have been going to the Nara National Museum Buddhist Art Hall.
I like to go after climbing Mount Wakakusa, but if the time and weather don't allow for that, just standing blankly in front of my favorite Buddhist statues at the hall gives me a great sense of satisfaction. I also own the catalog for this place.
The Buddhist Art Hall is a permanent exhibition, but it is very interesting because each volunteer guide explains things differently. They also change the exhibits from time to time.
Please let me introduce the ones that left an impression on me that day, in no particular order.
At the Nara National Museum, items from their own collection can be photographed. Items on loan cannot.
He cannot raise his hand, but he answers energetically.
Loans are a curious system. The Nara National Museum pays the temples. In reality, it means the temples and shrines cannot handle the repairs, management, or securing of a place to enshrine them, so they entrust them to the Nara National Museum for an almost indefinite period.
He doesn't have his attributes right now, but apparently, he originally had a sword and a rope.
(It seems the seated statue of Fudo Myoo by Kaikei at the Nara National Museum is popular.)
Although I feel a sense of discomfort that museums are not where Buddhas truly belong, the reality is that the original temples and shrines cannot protect them.
In any case,
The Buddhist Art Hall has 100 statues on permanent display and you can view them for 700 yen!!
With admission fees rising everywhere, it honestly feels like a great deal.
Actually, thanks to being equipped with a National Museum permanent exhibition annual pass (2,500 yen per year), I can enter anytime with just one pass 🦌!
Like this Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, many Buddhist statues were originally painted. Their current appearance is beautiful, but I am also curious about their original colors.
Omiya Shrine, Kyoto
Due to the effects of war and the Haibutsu Kishaku (anti-Buddhist movement), there are not a few Buddhas whose original locations or true names have become unclear as time passed while they were evacuated to nearby temples and shrines or hidden in attics or priests' quarters.
(For example, the principal image of the Muro-ji Kondo is also "attributed to Shakyamuni Nyorai," but it is originally Yakushi Nyorai.)
Standing Statue of Nyorai
Nara to Heian Period
No matter how many times I see this Nyorai, it always feels so sacred. Like the Asuka Daibutsu, the damage only serves to enhance its majestic presence.
I really love this kind of feeling.
It has a superhero squad vibe.
Among the items where photography is prohibited, the very cool Jikokuten and Zochoten from Hotokuji Temple are also on display. I love the Four Heavenly Kings!!
Oh, that's right, it wasn't on display in Nara that day, but a famous one among those who have participated in the Nara Marathon is
Running Daikoku
So Daikoku-san has a Kansai accent, huh.
Standing Statue of Garanjin.
It should descend to the Nara National Museum when the winter season arrives!!
It seems it will be on the commemorative T-shirt for the 2024 event!!
I feel the sense of Nara in the fact that they chose this Daikoku-san instead of someone like Idaten. Well,
to be honest, looking at that arm swing, I really can't imagine him running a long distance.
However, the schedule for this year's Nara Marathon is a bit tricky. I have signed up, though.
The weather is also unstable, but for now, I think I'll just keep running every day without falling over.
No,
without any sign of rushing, they are majestically ignoring the red light.
Thank you for reading.
Have a happy weekend~