Great Wisdom Sutra (Daihannya-kyō), one of the Chūsonji Sutras (Chūsonji-kyō)
Not on view
This chapter from the Great Wisdom Sutra is one of more than five thousand scrolls of Buddhist scripture that were dedicated in 1176 to the northern Japanese temple Chūsonji by the nobleman Fujiwara no Hidehira for the salvation of his father, Motohira. Collectively, they are referred to as the Chūsonji Sutras. Despite its execution in a provincial setting, the calligraphy is as high quality as that seen in works produced for wealthy temples in the capital, Kyoto.
The frontispiece illustrates the Buddha’s first sermon, at the Deer Park near Sarnarth, India. He is seated on a lotus platform, as are the two bodhisattvas who flank him. Gathered around are five ascetics dressed in simple robes, who would become the Buddha’s disciples. Several deer set the scene.
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