Nanatsudera Temple: Sutra Box

JAPAN, Chubu, Nagoya; Heian period

Between 1175 and 1180, a large number of sutras were transcribed by Yasunaga, a court official, and his team. These sutras, around 5,000 fascicles, were stored in 31 sutra boxes in Nanatsudera Temple. This box is one of six which contained 600 fascicles of the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra. The inscription on the lateral side of the box suggest the box keeps fascicles 401 to 500. It was listed as an Important Cultural Property in 1958.
The sutra box is made from black lacquered wood and is rectangular in shape with a fitted lid. In addition to being inscribed with the date, the inner face of the lid uses vermilion paint and gold maki-e to depict Sakyamuni Buddha and the 16 deities who guard and recite the Prajnaparamita Sutra. The box contains ten rectangular cases, each measures 50.6 cm in length, 33.8 cm in width, and 5.7 cm in height. The cases are arranged in two sets of five and each stores ten sutra fascicles. The interiors and exteriors of the four upper cases are illustrated using gold maki-e with lotuses, lotus leaves, and lotus ponds to depict the Pure Land. The lowest cases are illustrated with waves using silver maki-e.