Sutra Container

JAPAN; Heian period

After the mid-Heian period (794–1185), there was a widespread belief in the Age of Dharma Decline and thus, a large number of copies of the Lotus Sutra were transcribed, placed in sutra containers, and buried in mounds, so that they would be preserved for the arrival of Maitreya. Thought to have been excavated in Fukuoka, the body of this sutra container has an inscription dating it to the year 1141, and the name Teihiro, a monk who raised funds for its creation. It was listed as an Important Cultural Property in 1981.
The container has a flat base and the lid resembles a pagoda. It measures 41.2 cm high, with a diameter of 8.8 cm. The lid is in the form of an inverted bowl with a spire consisting of three stacked rings followed by a jewel. There are seven bands on the container with line engravings depicting images from the “Chapter on Dharani” from the Lotus Sutra; these include Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, Bhaisajyaraja Bodhisattva, Dhritarastra, Vaisravana Heavenly King of the North, and a yaksa.