print
- Museum number
- 1919,0718,0.1
- Title
- Object: Koso go-shinpitsu Taishaku ten'o 高祖御真筆帝釈天王 (Heavenly King Indra, drawn by the esteemed hand of the Great Patriarch)
- Description
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Woodblock print. Buddhist print from the temple Kyoeizan Daikyoji, in Shibamata-mura, Edo (now Tokyo); the god Indra with mantra. Sumizuri-e on paper.
- Dimensions
-
Height: 125 centimetres
-
Width: 27 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- According to legend, Nichiren (the founder of Nichiren Buddhism) carved an image of Indra (J. Taishaku) into a wooden plank, but the plank was lost for centuries until “rediscovered” at Daikyo-ji during restoration of the temple's main hall in 1779, at the time of the 9th abbot Kotei’in Nikkyo. On one side was carved the Nichiren mantra "Namu myoho Renge-kyo" (Hail the wondrous teachings of the Lotus Sutra) and a key passage from the "Yakuo" chapter (chapter 23) of the sutra; the reverse showed Taishaku holding a sword. During the famine of 1783, Nikkyo carried this carved image around the city to ease suffering, and it is said to have had good effect. After that, the Daikyoji image became a focus of special worship. Pilgrims to the temple would purchase a woodblock-printed version for daily worship at home. The "Shibamata Taishaku" is still renowned.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1919
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1919,0718,0.1
