Five Hundred Arhats No.239 · The Venerable Svāgata | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.239 The Venerable Svāgata

Svāgata (also Sugata, literally 'well-come') recalls the Buddha's 'come, bhikṣu' by which, at his words, aspirants renounced and realized the fruit; listed among the five hundred arhats, the name is taken as title to signify entering the path by a gracious welcome and instantly realizing liberation. The venerable looks gladdened as if receiving the welcome; the title is kept objectively, conveying only being graciously received, renouncing and realizing the fruit, and joyfully turning to the path.

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