East Asia Digital Library

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Title
Creator
Publisher

The Great Dharani Sutra


Abstract

  • This is one of the world’s oldest extant prints with a clearly specified date of production. It was produced at the order of Empress Shōtoku (稱德天皇, 718-770) as a prayer offering in the Nara period. These prints, detailing four mantras, consisting of the Dharani of the Fundamental (根本陀羅尼), the Dharani of the Final (相輪陀羅尼), the Dharani of Introspective Reflection (自心陀羅尼), and the Dharani of the Six Perfections (六度陀羅尼), were derived from the tenets of the Dharani Sutra of Immaculate and Pure Light (無垢淨光陀羅尼經), a scripture that wishes for longevity and wards off disasters. These four dharanis were said to have been printed, placed in a million small pagodas respectively, and enshrined in ten national Buddhist temples including Horyuji Temple (法隆寺). Only the one in Horyuji Temple, however, remains extant today. Our library houses three dharanis among the aforementioned four, with the exception of the Dharani of the Six Perfections, and a small pagoda. The three-storied stone pagoda was built out of a potter’s wheel, made from Japanese cypress as the main body of the stupa, and nine circular wheels, made from laurel and cherry tree. The surface of the pagoda is said to have been covered with white clay originally. Theories vary as to whether the scriptures were made using copperplate print or woodblock print, which has yet to be ascertained.(en)

    制作年代が明確な世界最古の印刷物の一つ。奈良時代の女帝、称徳天皇(718-770)の発願により作られた。延命、除災のための経典である無垢浄光陀羅尼経に説かれる根本陀羅尼、相輪陀羅尼、自心印陀羅尼、六度陀羅尼の四種の陀羅尼を印刷し、それぞれを百万基の小塔に納め法隆寺をはじめとする十大寺に分奉したといわれるが、今日残るのは法隆寺に伝来したものだけである。当館では根本陀羅尼、相輪陀羅尼、自心印陀羅尼と小塔を所蔵する。三重の小塔はろくろ挽きで、用材は塔身が檜、九輪は桂、桜など。塔の表面には白土が塗ってあったといわれる。経文の印刷方法については銅版説、木版説などあり、いまだ判明していない。

Metadata

Titledcterms:title
The Great Dharani Sutra(en) , 無垢淨光陀羅尼
Issueddcterms:issued
0770
Alternativedcterms:alternative
Dharani in the Million Pagodas, 百万塔陀羅尼
Datedcterms:date
神護景雲4刊, Jingo-keiun 4
Subjectdc:subject
Children’s Book/Books on Buddha/Commentary and Books on Knowledge and Experience, 子部/釋家類/經律論疏之屬
Audienceschema:audience
一般, General
Languagedc:language
chi
Data Providereadl:dataProvider
National Diet Library, Japan(en) , 国立国会図書館
Provided Ineadl:providedIn
Japan
Holding Agenteadl:holdingAgent
National Diet Library, Japan(en) , 国立国会図書館
Extenteadl:extent
4 Scrolls; 6×40-6×55cm, 4葉 ; 6×40-6×55cm
sameAsowl:sameAs
http://id.ndl.go.jp/bib/000007611843
TableOfContentsdcterms:tableOfContents
相輪陀羅尼, Root Dharani, Sōrin Dharani, 自心印陀羅尼, Dharani of Patience in One’s Mind, 根本陀羅尼
Descriptiondcterms:description
『List of the National Diet Library’s Chinese Collection』 Page 480, Right, 『國立國會圖書館漢籍目録』480頁右
Thumbnailfoaf:thumbnail
http://dl.ndl.go.jp/titleThumb/info:ndljp/pid/2583915
Has Vieweadl:hasView
http://id.ndl.go.jp/bib/000007611843
Local Holdingeadl:localHolding
WA3-1
Categoryschema:category
http://eadl.asia/collection/NDL_Other , http://eadl.asia/collection/JapanCollection , http://eadl.asia/collection/NDL_Classical_Material_Collection
Labelrdfs:label
The Great Dharani Sutra(en) , 無垢淨光陀羅尼
Digitizedeadl:digitized
eadl:DM-NDL000007611843_DO252 , eadl:DM-NDL000007611843_DO254 , eadl:DM-NDL000007611843_DO253 , eadl:DM-NDL000007611843_DO255

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