Fragment from Volume 53 of the Flower Garland Sutra, one of the “Burnt Sutra Fragments”, c. 744
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Silver ink on indigo paperexpand_more
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundationexpand_more 2015.79.237
Not on Viewexpand_more
The Japanese writing system consists of a syllabary (symbols that represent a syllable) and Chinese characters. While non-elite Japanese had access to basic education, the ability to read and write Chinese texts was limited to aristocrats, warriors, and the clergy. Buddhist texts, which arrived in Japan through China, were written entirely in Chinese characters, as seen here.
This burnt fragment originally belonged to a multivolume set of handscrolls. The use of expensive and luxurious materials like indigo-dyed paper and silver ink suggests that the handscroll was likely commissioned by an elite. Sutras are the discourses of the Buddha that constitute the basic text of Buddhist scripture, and the act of copying them by hand was an important way of not only disseminating the Buddha’s words but also acquiring merit. The Flower Garland Sutra (Kegon kyō) was central to the Kegon school of Buddhism in Japan.
Details
- Title
- Fragment from Volume 53 of the Flower Garland Sutra, one of the “Burnt Sutra Fragments”
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.79.237
- Provenance
- Nigatsudō, Tōdaiji, Nara Jim Freeman until July, 1981 Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murase, Art through a Lifetime, no. 508
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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