Illustrated Manuscript of the Sutra of Cause and Effect in the Past and Present

JAPAN; Nara period

These eight illustrated scrolls inscribed with the Sutra of Cause and Effect in the Past and Present date from the 8th century, making them the oldest examples of Japanese Emaki (narrative scroll) paintings. They are based on a set of scrolls produced in China during the Tang dynasty (618–907), with the text of the scripture written in the Chinese script of that period. The scrolls are kept separately at the Jobon-Rendaiji Temple and Daigoji Temple in Kyoto, and at the Tokyo University of the Arts. They were listed as National Treasures in 1951, 1952, and 1955.
The third scroll, kept at Jobon-Rendaiji Temple, describes the early life of Prince Siddhartha and his four encounters outside the palace. The fifth scroll, kept at Daigoji Temple, shows the Buddha’s ascetic practice, the Defeat of Mara, and Enlightenment. The eighth scroll is kept at the Tokyo University of Arts and depicts the conversion of Mahakasyapa, Sariputra, and Maudgalyayana to Buddhism, the establishment of Venuvana Vihara, and Buddha’s visit to King Bimbisara.
The images are arranged in sequence to match the text of the sutra, and are separated by hills, trees, and bushes. They are painted in a variety of bright colors that give them a vivid appearance. The figures are depicted in an unadorned style, but the content of the stories is still effectively conveyed.