This was used in the esoteric Buddhist rite of Turning the Wheel of the Law (tenpōrin hō), which was performed to subdue demons and triumph over enemies. One would write the name of the enemy or whomever one sought to defeat on a piece of paper and then put the paper in a special cylinder. Yakṣas, dragon kings, and celestial beings in feminine attire are among the figures painted in ink on this wooden cylinder, which comes from Kōsanji Temple in Kyoto.
NAITO SakaeEnglish by Mary Lewine
Buddhist Art Paradise: Jewels of the Nara National Museum. Nara National Museum, 2021.7, p.339, no.139.
Cylinder for the Rite of Turning the Wheel of the Law
Ink on wood
Height 23.6 cm, diameter (lid) 5.8 cm; diameter (body) 5.3 cm
Heian period 12th century
- H032133
- H032267
- 2016/01/13
- H032268
- 2016/01/13
- H032269
- 2016/01/13
- H032270
- 2016/01/13
- H032133
- 2015/12/21
- H032134
- 2015/12/21
- H032135
- 2015/12/21
- H032136
- 2015/12/21
- H032137
- 2015/12/21
More
| Accession Number | 1510-0 |
|---|---|
| Category | Decorative Arts |
| Bibliography | Buddhist Art Paradise: Jewels of the Nara National Museum. Nara National Museum, 2021.7, 354p. Nara National Museum News Vol.104. Nara National Museum, 2018.1, 8p. |