Title: Kanshin Jippokai Zu (Picture of the Ten Directional Realms for Contemplating the Mind), Circa 1669, Kanbun Era. Hand Colored Woodblock Print Illustration of the Realms of Rebirth and Enlightenment
Author: Hinokimae Hisei
Condition: Very Good
An Early Edo Period, mid 17th century woodblock print illustration displaying the Ten Directions, being an interpretation of the Avatamsaka Sutra. The woodblock depicts the ten realms of existence according to Buddhist teaching: the Six Realms of Rebirth plus four realms located at the top of the diagram--realm of Buddhas (top), realm of bodhisattvas (top right), realm of disciples (sravaka; second top right), and realm of enlightened beings (pratyekabuddha; top left). The Chinese character at the center is Shin, or Kokoro in Japanese, or Heart in English.
Several of the Hell Realms have some rather gruesome scenes of sinners being punished.
According to the text, each world contains the others, and - as Tendai teaches - one instantaneous thought contains 3,000 worlds. Further, if each time the believer recites the ‘sūtra’ 10,000 or, better, 100,000 times and inks in one of the small circles, he will reach the Pure Land when all are completed.
The woodblock illustration has been neatly mounted onto a kakejiku (hanging scroll).
One woodblock illustration mounted on a kakejiku (hanging scroll), 40.3 x 82.5 cm; main paper, 30 x 41.4 cm
This illustration is in very good shape, with minor staining to the paper, and several creases. Part of the kakejiku is torn slightly.