Lotus Sutra, Chapters 12 and 14

The Lotus Sutra, the most popular of all Buddhist scriptures, promises salvation to all who place faith in it. The set to which this handscroll belongs demonstrates how the courtly tradition of late Heian-period sutra copying was revived by the palace in early modern times. Each frontispiece has a delicate miniature painting executed in ink and gold. Margins above and below the text are decorated with designs stenciled in gold, silver, and various colors. The twelfth chapter, “Devadatta” (Japanese: Daibadatta), refers to the name of a friend and mentor of the Buddha in a former life. The frontispiece illustration includes a scene of the daughter of the Dragon King, who lives in a palace in the sea, appearing before the Buddha and presenting him with a precious jewel.

The frontispiece of chapter fourteen, though illustrating the section of the sutra called “Peaceful Practices,” shows a fighting scene in the upper-right corner, reminding viewers that the proselytizing efforts of Buddhist monks were often militant.