Embroidered Amida Triad in the form of Sanskrit Syllables, 14th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Embroidered silk, possibly human hairexpand_more
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundationexpand_more 2015.79.452
Not on Viewexpand_more
This is an example of a shūbutsu, or an embroidered Buddhist image. Three large Sanskrit seed syllables, appearing encircled under a golden canopy, represent the Amida triad: Amitābha (Jp. Amida) Buddha in the center; and the bodhisatvas Mahāsthāmaprāpta (Jp. Daiseishi bosatsu) and Avalokiteśvara (Jp. Kannon) on the left and right, respectively. The cartouches at the top right and left corners read:
(Right) The light of Amida illuminates the entire world
(Left) All who praise Amida will attain salvation.
A monk or a devotee stitched the seed syllables—the most sacred parts of the image—with their own hair as a way to accumulate merit. This act, of embroidering one’s hair into a Buddhist image, was not uncommon, especially among women. Hair was considered a precious offering because it symbolized a corporeal sacrifice.
Details
- Title
- Embroidered Amida Triad in the form of Sanskrit Syllables
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.79.452
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murase, Art through a Lifetime, no. 843
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.