Title: Butsui Kyōgyō (Buddha's Last Teachings), 1871. Manuscript Edition of the Buddha’s Final Sutra. Only Two Fascicles, Finely Inked by Hand
Author: Commissioned for the Shiba(?) Clan
Condition: Very Good
An Early Edo Period, late 19th century manuscript edition of the Butsui Kyōgyō, translated as the Buddha's Last Teachings, but more commonly known as the Bequeathed Teachings Sutra. This manuscript is dated to the Fourth Year of the Meiji Era, being 1871. This is the eighth and ninth fascicle.
Being a brief Mahayana sutra, it contains instructions left by the Gautama Buddha before his final nirvana. The first Chinese translation was supposedly by the monk Kumarajiva, Circa 400 CE.
Presented as the Buddha’s last teachings, the sutra is delivered to disciples around his resting place, where the Buddha urges them to aim for enlightenment, and warns against material wealth or other similar temptations.
Accompanying the main text is also what appears to be a series of hiragana. Most likely, it served as a reading aid for Buddhist devotees and practitioners who were unable to or struggled to reach kanji.
Each sutra has been written on fine paper, and coated with mica dust, further adding to its quality. The title labels have been decorated with golden sprinkles as well.
The text has been written in a 2-column format, with up to 8 lines per column.
The manuscripts bear contemporary provenance having been produced for by a member of a previously existing clan. The calligraphy is difficult to make out, but it seems to read something along the lines of the Shiba(?) Clan, or something similar.
Two manuscripts in orihon format (23 x 8.7 cm), 94, 94 leaves
These manuscripts are in very good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the covers. A few leaf splits have early repairs to them. There is very little foxing or staining throughout.