Five Hundred Arhats No.486 · The Venerable Gathering Beings' Hearts | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.486 The Venerable Gathering Beings' Hearts

'Gathering beings' hearts' means ably drawing in the hearts of beings, gathering all faculties through loving-kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity, turning hearts to the true Dharma, unstrayed and unconfused; the name marks one skilled at gathering beings' hearts, drawing all in. The venerable makes a gathering gesture with a uniting look, possessing the harmony of gathering hearts, drawing through compassion, turning to the true Dharma, holding beings' hearts without distraction.

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