Frontispiece of the Lotus Sutra

CHINA; Southern Song dynasty

This frontispiece is part of a folding Lotus Sutra printed during the Southern Song dynasty. The frontispiece encompasses five folded segments and depicts Sakyamuni Buddha teaching the Dharma. An inscription at the end of the sutra notes that it was printed in Lin’anfu (present day Hangzhou), which was the capital during the Southern Song dynasty. The area around Hangzhou was the center of book printing during the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties.
Sakyamuni Buddha is in the middle of the frontispiece. The Buddha has a nimbus decorated with flame patterns and sits in full lotus position on a tall Sumeru throne. There is a canopy above his head. On either side of the canopy, Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and heavenly beings stand or sit upon clouds. The figure riding a lion is Manjusri, while Samantabhadra is shown riding an elephant. Surrounding the Buddha are the Ten Great Disciples, the Four Heavenly Kings, and heavenly beings such as Brahma, Sakra, the naga king, asuras, and garudas. Each figure is identified by an inscription within a cartouche.