Five Hundred Arhats No.223 · The Venerable Maudgala | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.223 The Venerable Maudgala

Maudgala is the shortened clan name of Maudgalyāyana (Moggallāna), who with Śāriputra was one of the Buddha's two chief disciples, foremost in psychic powers; listed among the five hundred arhats, the clan name is taken as title to signify unobstructed power and wisdom. The venerable has the air of a great disciple with a deep, far look; the title is kept objectively without detailing miracles, conveying only deep stillness-wisdom and ease in transformation.

Painted by Li Zongyi in the freehand Chinese ink (xieyi) tradition, the brushwork is fluent and the ink tones layered from dense to pale, capturing the arhat’s spirit in a few assured strokes. The blank paper itself breathes Zen; figure and spirit are one, blending monastic solemnity with the literati’s ease. Each of the Five Hundred Arhats bears its own name and practice, uniting faith, art and collectibility — an original, non-reproducible hand-painted work.

Size: approx. 100×50cm (4.5 square chi) | Traditional hand-painted Chinese ink Zen Buddhist figure painting | On paper