Lot 345
345
MANUSCRIPTS
ANONYMOUS: Sorin dharani; no colophon, n.d. [770]; printed text (5.7 x 33.6 cm.), block printed in ink, contained within a three-tier, turned wood pagoda, 21 cm. high; moderate impression, losses, relined; pagoda tiers chippped and portions now missing

Details
ANONYMOUS: Sorin dharani; no colophon, n.d. [770]; printed text (5.7 x 33.6 cm.), block printed in ink, contained within a three-tier, turned wood pagoda, 21 cm. high; moderate impression, losses, relined; pagoda tiers chippped and portions now missing


Contents: Scroll, 17-column text, 5 characters per column

Lot Essay

The Empress Shotoku commissioned 1,000,000 pagodas (hyakumanto) in 770 of which this is one. Each contained one of four types of printed texts. The Empress presented the pagodas in equal shares to ten large temples in Nara as a gesture of gratitude to Buddha for the end of civil war. Of the ten temples only Horyuji survived destruction by fire.