Five Hundred Arhats No.319 · The Venerable Asaṅga | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.319 The Venerable Asaṅga

Asaṅga (also rendered 'Without Attachment') was the ancient Indian master who founded the Yogācāra (Vijñānavāda) school of Mahāyāna, composing treatises under Maitreya to spread the teaching; listed among the five hundred arhats, the name is taken as title to signify the contemplative wisdom of consciousness-only and the spread of Mahāyāna. The venerable has the air of a master with a deep, wise look; the title is kept objectively without miraculous legend, conveying only composing treatises, deep contemplation of consciousness-only and carrying on Maitreya's learning.

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