{"product_id":"sheng-man-shi-zǐ-hǒu-yi-cheng-da-fangbian-fangguǎngjing-the-great-expedient-means-of-the-srimaladevi-siṃhanada-sutra-circa-1700-1800-korea-or-possibly-east-sichuan-an-extraordinarily-rare-manuscript-with-69-full-pages-of-illustrations","title":"Shèng mán shī zǐ hǒu yī chéng dà fāngbiàn fāngguǎngjīng (The Great Expedient Means of the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra), Circa 1700-1800. Korea, or Possibly East Sichuan. An Extraordinarily Rare Manuscript. with 69 Full Pages of Illustrations.","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eTitle:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #5f6368; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eShèng mán shī zǐ hǒu yī chéng dà fāngbiàn fāngguǎngjīng (The Great Expedient Means of the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra), Circa 1700-1800. Korea, or Possibly East Sichuan. An Extraordinarily Rare Manuscript Trio of the Sutra on the Lion's Roar of Queen Srimala. 69 Full Pages of Mudra Hand Gestures and Much More\u003cbr\u003eAuthor: Translation of Guṇabhadra or Bodhiruci \u003cbr\u003eCondition: Very Good\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eA rare Late Joseon or Qing Period, 18th century trio of manuscript fascicles entitled Shèng mán shī zǐ hǒu yī chéng dà fāngbiàn fāngguǎngjīng, or The Great Expedient Means of the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eAlso known as the Lion’s Roar of Queen Śrīmālā, the sutra is one of the main early Mahāyāna Buddhist texts belonging to the Tathāgatagarbha sutras that teaches the doctrines of Buddha-nature and \"One Vehicle\" through the words of the Indian queen Śrīmālā.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eOriginally first composed sometime during 3rd century CE during the Indian Īkṣvāku Dynasty by the Caitika schools of the Mahāsāṃghikas division of Buddhism, the work was heavily revered for its Buddha-nature doctrine. The work teaches the reality of an immaculate consciousness within each living being, also known as the Essence of Truth. When freed from spiritual ignorance, it is said to constitute eternity, bliss, the self, and purity in that perfect state.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThe manufacture of this manuscript is rather unusual, as, while produced in a standard \u003ci\u003eorihon\u003c\/i\u003e format of sutra fascicle, the type of fibrous paper is unlike any I have ever handled, from 8th to 19th century examples. There is a thickness to it not dissimilar to Goryeo Period illuminated manuscripts, but the paper is of a limper quality and has a textured feel. There also appears to be usage of two different inks, from silver to gold, but it is not anywhere near as high in quality as those seen in earlier illuminated manuscripts from Japan, Korea, or China.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eEach line of text is written with up to 16 characters per column, but it is not very well structured, and is rather uneven at time with corresponding columns, unlike standard sutra productions. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eWhat makes this manuscript most unusual, is the inclusion of a suite of illustrations to each fascicle, totalling 67 painted illustrations all together. The first fascicle appears to feature a series of Mudra hand gestures, used to free and direct energy in the body where needed, and used for meditation, and awakening the consciousness in the body. The other two fascicles are illustrated with suites of various floral arrangements, and at the end of each fascicle is the painted depiction of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, though two of difficult to discern.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eRegarding the dating, some comparisons have been drawn to several examples sold at auction such as \u003cb\u003eLot 703\u003c\/b\u003e at the March 17th, 2021, sale of Bonhams, and \u003cb\u003eLot 151\u003c\/b\u003e at the June 17, 2021, sale at Bertolami Fine Art, but there are still significant quality differences. Having also spoken to James Soren Edgren at Princeton, a mutual consensus was reached that these manuscripts were most likely of Late Joseon production, if of Korean origin, though Qing Period, East Sichuan production in China was also raised as a possible origin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eA wooden box accompanies these manuscripts, preserving their contents.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThree manuscript fascicles in \u003ci\u003eorihon\u003c\/i\u003e format (33.3 x 11.4 cm), 24, 24, 24 double sided leaves. 69 pages of painted illustrations \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';\"\u003eThese manuscripts are in very good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the covers, more to the edges. Much of the text and illustrations are faded in place, with some text loss. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"That Guy With The Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51634529796407,"sku":null,"price":17500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0281\/1589\/4371\/files\/20260115_193836.jpg?v=1769975765","url":"https:\/\/thatguywiththebooks.com\/products\/sheng-man-shi-z%c7%90-h%c7%92u-yi-cheng-da-fangbian-fanggu%c7%8engjing-the-great-expedient-means-of-the-srimaladevi-si%e1%b9%83hanada-sutra-circa-1700-1800-korea-or-possibly-east-sichuan-an-extraordinarily-rare-manuscript-with-69-full-pages-of-illustrations","provider":"That Guy With The Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}