Five Hundred Arhats No.318 · The Venerable Subduer of Māra | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.318 The Venerable Subduer of Māra

'Subduer of Māra' means overcoming the four māras of affliction, the aggregates, death and the deity through the power of the right path; strong as the demonic foe is, the power of the path subdues it; the name marks one skilled in conquering māra, realizing fearlessness. The venerable takes the māra-subduing posture with a resolute look, possessing the fortitude of subduing māra through the path, all four māras conquered, the heart fearless, breaking demonic obstacles through right view and 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