Todaiji Temple: Reliquary
Gilt copper alloy
Todaiji Temple: Reliquary
JAPAN, Nara; Edo period
Relics are displayed on the three tiny shelves of this reliquary in a small, round glass case. An exquisite openwork flame pattern surrounds the case, and it is supported by a number of Sumeru platforms decorated with Dharma wheels, scroll leaf patterns, and plum blossoms. Above, there are eight lotus petals with an upright lotus pedestal, on which the relic case stands.
According to historical records, Bodhisena, an Indian Buddhist monk and scholar, offered 2,000 relics to the Japanese emperor, who distributed them to several temples. It is thought that this reliquary contains three of those relics.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts, page 338.
Cite this article:
Hsingyun, et al. "Todaiji Temple: Reliquary." Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts , vol. 18, 2016, pp. 338.
Hsingyun, Youheng, Youji, Stefanie Pokorski, Mankuang, and Wen Fan. 2016. "Todaiji Temple: Reliquary" In Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts , 18:338.
Hsingyun, Youheng, Youji, Pokorski, S., Mankuang, & Fan, W.. (2016). Todaiji Temple: Reliquary. In Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts (Vol. 18, pp. 338).
@misc{Hsingyun2016,
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Youji and Pokorski, Stefanie and Mankuang and Fan, Wen,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts },
pages = 338,
title = {{Todaiji Temple: Reliquary}},
volume = 18,
year = {2016}}
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Youji and Pokorski, Stefanie and Mankuang and Fan, Wen,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts },
pages = 338,
title = {{Todaiji Temple: Reliquary}},
volume = 18,
year = {2016}}