石山寺本尊観音菩薩像

According to the Shōsōin Documents, an Avalokiteśvara supposed to be the original main image of the Ishiyamadera was a painted clay image measuring three times the human size made in the period from November of the fifth year of Tempyō-hōji Era (761) to August of the sixth year of the same era (762) in the Nara Period. The names of two sculptors who made it and a person who painted it are known. From the middle Heian Period on, many people have recorded the peoples' strong belief toward this Avalokiteśvara. The main hall of the temple was lost by fire in the second year of Jōryaku Era (1078). And, as for the image of Avalokiteśvara, Fusō-ryakki says that it was destroyed by the fire and Hyakurenshō says, "the holy face was not damaged." After the fire, the temple was reconstructed and, according to Ichidai-yōki, it was dedicated in the first year of Eichō Era (1096). But nothing is mentioned about the image in this record. The literary works concerning the history of the temple, Ishiyama Nendaiki and Ishiyama-yōki, quote some records said to be of the Kamakura Period which mention that the main image was made newly. But both of the literary works were edited by Priest Sonken of the temple in the Edo Period and they are not necessarily reliable materials. Besides, there are some copied versions of the text of the Scroll Painting of the History of the Ishiyamadera which have introductory words adde d in the Edo Period stating that the present wooden main image was made by Priest Eison of the Saidaiji in Kōan Era (1278-1288). And this, too, is by no means reliable as the text of the oldest versions of the scroll painting which are in the Ishiysmadera and Kyoto National Museum do not refer to it. When we observe the present main image itself from stylistic point of view, we find that the present multi-blocked wooden image, the Avalokiteśvala known as Cintāmaṇicakra, shows characteristics of the Late Heian Period sculpture of Jōchō style both in facial expression and the form of the body and that it could not be a style around Kōan Era (1278-1288). The author considers that the main image was newly made just after the fire. She thinks that the document concerning the annual donation of rice which suggests the deep belief of the wife of the chief advisor to the emperor, FUJIWARA no Yorimichi, (990–1072) and the record of Edo Period which tells that the present image was made around the century from 990 A.D. to 1090 A.D. could be te supports for her supposition. This Cintāmaṇicakra with only two arms and half-crossed legs retains iconographical traits already seen in the Nara Period. It is, therefore, an interesting work from iconographical viewpoint as well.