rakan　羅漢

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Arhat. Ch: lohan, Sk: arhan. Abbreviation of arakan 阿羅漢, a translation of the Sk. term arhan. Also ougu 応供. The highest disciples of *Shaka 釈迦. In Hinayana Buddhism, rakan are revered as having completed their training and ranked as mugaku 無学 (nothing else to learn), which indicates that they achieved the highest point that a disciple of Shaka could reach. However, in Mahayana Buddhism, rakan who aim at their own salvation are placed next in rank to boddhisattva *bosatsu 菩薩. It is said that when Shaka entered nirvana (see *nehan-zu 涅槃図), rakan were ordered to live in this world and protect the True Law shouhou 正法. Therefore, rakan are depicted in the guise of priests, with buddhist monks' robes *kesa 袈裟 and bald heads teihatsu 剃髪. Rakan were depicted in painting in the Six dynasties, but after Xuanzhuang (Jp: Genjou 玄奘, 600-664) translated HOUJUUKI 法住記 containing biographies of sixteen rakan *juuroku rakan 十六羅漢, the cult of rakan became popular . Since the 9c numerous paintings and sculptures of rakan were produced in both China and Japan. Typically, they are depicted in a group of sixteen or eighteen juuhachi rakan 十八羅漢, and this may be expanded to five hundred rakan *gohyaku rakan 五百羅漢. Rakan paintings are often stylistically classified into two groups: the riryuumin-you 李龍眠様, the moderate style with thin, even lines which is associated with the 11c painter Li Gonglin (Jp: Ri Kourin 李公麟) also called Li Longmean (Jp: Ri Ryuumin 李龍眠), and the zengetsuyou 禅月様, a bolder style with exaggerated lines that is associated with the 9c painter Guanxiu also called Chanyue (Jp: Kankyuu 貫休). See *zengetsuyou rakan 禅月様羅漢. However, there are quite a few examples which are not included in either of these two styles.

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