Five Hundred Arhats No.287 · The Venerable Guardian of Vinaya Practice | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.287 The Venerable Guardian of Vinaya Practice

'Guardian of vinaya practice' means one who receives and keeps the vinaya well, governing the actions of body, speech and mind by the monastic code, keeping discipline pure as a guarded pearl; the name marks one who holds the vinaya, whose disciplined conduct is without lack. The venerable straightens his robe with a solemn, dignified look, possessing the dignity of keeping the vinaya well, threefold action ordered, precept conduct complete, guarding self and Dharma through pure discipline.

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