Illustration of the Lotus Sutra - Universal Gateway Chapter

JAPAN; Kamakura period

These illustrations are part of the scroll of the “Universal Gateway Chapter,” one of the chapters in the Lotus Sutra. The scroll was transcribed by Sugawara Mitsushige in 1257 of the Kamakura period (1185–1333).
The illustrations depict Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva saving sentient beings from flood, fire, and other tragedies. In this section of the scroll, small figures are painted within a vivid natural landscape of hills, trees, and lakes. In the bottom right corner, robbers attack their helpless victims, while in the top left corner, there is a golden image of Avalokitesvara with a petal-shaped mandorla. The figures and landscapes are painted with bright colors and fine lines.