Maitreya's Contemplation Becomes a Ripple

This painting is composed around the Maitreya Bodhisattva in Pensive Pose (Mireuk Bangasayusang). The statue's serene appearance seems like the source of contemplation itself. Though Maitreya does not initiate a single thought, his mind is not motionless. Rather, he warmly embraces the vibrations of all existence, quietly creating resonance within them.

The afflictions (bönnoe) visualized on the left side of the painting scatter in various forms, and within them, weeds, growing like wild grasses, float about. Although weeds are often considered unnecessary, in this painting, they feel like a symbol of vitality and the flow of sensation that blooms even within a turbulent mind. Maitreya Bodhisattva's contemplation does not oppose any of these afflictions. He neither pushes them away nor suppresses them. He simply observes all things as they are.

That deep contemplation creates a tranquil ripple, embracing all afflictions. Ultimately, his contemplation flows, becoming a ripple. And that ripple, at this very moment, reaches the hearts of us who stand before this painting. This work suggests that contemplation is not 'thinking,' but rather 'a flow that warmly embraces existence.' That is the moment when Maitreya's contemplation becomes a ripple.