Sahā Triad Explained

The Sahā Triad or Three Saints of the Saha World (娑婆三聖, pinyin: suōpó sānshèng) is a devotional motif in East Asian Buddhist art.^[1] It represents the chief Buddha and bodhisattvas of the Sahā World:^[2]

• Śākyamuni Buddha
• Avalokiteśvara bodhisattva, often depicted in the form of Guanyin
• Kṣitigarbha bodhisattva

The figures are usually presented such that Buddha is in the middle with Guanyin to the Buddha's left (that is on the viewer's right) and Kṣitigarbha on the Buddha's right.

Summary

The Sahā Triad is a relatively recent development in Buddhist art and is particularly popular in Taiwan. Although largely affiliated with the Tzu Chi Foundation, it has spread among the broader circle of Chinese Buddhism.^[3]

Chapter 12 of the Kṣitigarbha Sūtra provides an episode in which all these of these figures are present:

Notes and References

1. Xu . Rucong . 2014 . A Discussion on Sangha Statues and Sangha Worship (试论僧伽造像及僧伽崇拜) . Southeast Culture . 5 . 89–100.
2. Web site: Tan . Piya . How Buddhism Became Chinese . dharmafarer.org.
3. ZHIRU . The Emergence of the Sahā Triad in Contemporary Taiwan: Iconic Representation and Humanistic Buddhism . Asia Major . 2000 . 3 . 2 . 83-105.