It was on occasion that I could find out the 16 Disciples sculptures in Bongwon-sa temple on the way to my home.
The 16 Disciples were located near the entrance to the temple though, I couldn’t noticed them when I entered into the temple.
Those sculptures were covered by the trees, so it was not easy to notice those sculptures at once.
When I saw those sculptures, it was somewhat weird.
There were many similarities between Christianity and Buddhism.
What I'd like to introduce one of those similarities is the Disciples and the Apostles
There are 12 apostles in Christianity.
And there are 16 apostles in Buddhism.
As long as I know, the role and the function between Buddhist 16 Disciples and Jesus’s 12 Apostles was not so different.
They had played decisive role in theorizing and propagating their teacher’s teaching.
There were many 16 Disciples sculptures in Buddhist temple. But it was first time where I saw those Disciples sculptures outside.
I am not a Buddhist, so I don’t know well about those 16 Buddhist Disciples.
So I could not introduce each Disciples in detail.
But if you looked at those Disciples carefully, you could imagine the atmosphere of those Disciples.
Those Disciples sculptures were so vivid.
I took each faces of those 16 Disciples.
The first one seemed the most important figure among all Disciples like Peter in Christianity.
Each sculptures seemed to have their specific characteristics.
Below looks like Dharma
Most of the sculptures looked like to show the extreme practice of asceticism.
Their appearance looked scarcely at first, but those looks seemed results of the strict self-mortification.