ticketsMember | Make a donation

Nigatsudō Burned Sutra

ca. 744
Not on view
This fragment of the Flower Garland Sutra (Kegonkyō) comes from a set of sixty handscrolls donated to the temple Tōdaiji in Nara in 744. Damaged by a fire at the temple’s Nigatsudō Hall, the surviving sections are known today as Nigatsudō Burned Sutras (Nigatsudō yakegyō). The scripture’s singed edges, capturing the Buddhist idea that everything is impermanent, has made these remnants especially prized.

Such fragments also represent some of the earliest surviving examples of the practice of transcribing Buddhist texts using precious materials. The copying of religious writings was thought to confer spiritual merit on all those involved in the project, including the donors, scribes, and craftsmen who prepared the materials, and so was done in great numbers during this period.

The characters are written in a special form of “regular script” (kaisho) that, while written quickly, is balanced and even, with each stroke clearly visible to maximize legibility. The thickened downward diagonal strokes and exaggerated hooks at the ends of other strokes lend a sense of ornamentation and elegance.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 二月堂焼経
  • Title: Nigatsudō Burned Sutra
  • Artist: Unidentified artist
  • Period: Nara period (710–794)
  • Date: ca. 744
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Hanging scroll; silver ink on indigo-dyed paper
  • Dimensions: Overall with mounting: 41 3/4 × 26 1/2 in. (106 × 67.3 cm)
    Overall with knobs: 41 3/4 in. × 28 5/8 in. × 1 in. (106 × 72.7 × 2.5 cm)
    Image: 9 7/8 × 21 1/4 in. (25.1 × 54 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Mrs. Jackson Burke Gift, 1978
  • Object Number: 1981.75
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Portrait of a Member of the Family (?) of Emperor Tongzhi (1862–74)
Unidentified artist
19th century
Mountains in the Snow, Unidentified artist, Handscroll; Ink and color on silk, China
Mountains in the Snow
Unidentified artist
Liu Songnian
Illustrated Story of Yoshitsune, Unidentified artist, Monochrome woodblock print; ink on paper, Japan
Illustrated Story of Yoshitsune
Unidentified artist
One Hundred Poems of Moritake Illustrated with Comments, Unidentified artist, Two volumes; monochrome woodblock print; ink on paper, Japan
One Hundred Poems of Moritake Illustrated with Comments
Unidentified artist
Illustrated book
Unidentified artist

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.