Five Hundred Arhats No.390 · The Venerable Upholder of Vow and Practice | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.390 The Venerable Upholder of Vow and Practice

'Upholder of vow and practice' means holding practice and vow, the two sustaining each other, upholding great vows through great practice, like Samantabhadra's vows, no vow made in vain, practice always matching the vow; the name marks one who holds vow-power, practice and vow non-dual. The venerable makes a recollecting gesture with a firm look, possessing the rectitude of holding vow and practice, their mutual support, fulfilling vows through action, moving to bodhi through great practice and vow.

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