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Illuminated Buddhist scriptures, or sutras, produced at the Royal Scriptorium during the Koryo period (918–1392) were highly valued by monasteries and temples throughout northeast Asia. Produced on indigo-blue dyed paper, usually in rectangular accordion format, these volumes are characterized by exquisite calligraphy written in gold or silver pigment, often preceded by elaborate frontispiece illustrations that describe episodes from the sutra text.

The Lotus Sutra is a seminal text in Mahayana Buddhism  and, along with the Avatamsaka Sutra, one of the most frequently copied sutras. The lavish illustration of the Metropolitan volume portrays popular tales from the sutra, which addresses the question of universal salvation and the means by which sentient beings can be led to enlightenment and the attainment of Buddhahood.