jihisou　慈悲相

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Also bosatsusou 菩薩相. The expression of compassion found on Buddhist images. The opposite is *funnusou 忿怒相 (an expression of rage). The jihisou figure represents the Buddha's pity for common people. The figures may be standing or seated, their posture and expression calm, and their eyes jihigan 慈悲眼 or jigan 慈眼 compassionate. This expression is found on *nyorai 如来 and *bosatsu 菩薩 images. It is also found on *Kannon 観音 (Goddess of Mercy) figures, the only exception is *Batou Kannon 馬頭観音, who has an angry countenance. Of the eleven tiny faces of the *Juuichimen Kannon 十一面観音, three are always jihisou faces, jihimen 慈悲面.

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