Amidakyo (Amitabha Sutra)

Unknown artist

Heian Late・11th～12th

Kyoto National Museum

A dark scroll displays many columns of Japanese text in a light brown border. The Sutra of the Buddha's Teaching on Amitabha (Skt., Amitabha sutra , J., Bussetsu Amidakyô , also known as simply as Amidakyô ), is one of the Three Pure Land sutras (J., Jôdo sanbukyô). It describes the magnificent adornments (J., shôgon ) found in the Pure Land of the Western Paradise (J., Jôdô) and encourages the chanting of the nenbutsu (the calling of the Buddha Amida's name, "Namu Amida Butsu"). This highly ornate sutra from the early Kamakura period (1185-1333) was written on gampi paper with margin lines executed in gold. The upper and lower margin spaces are decorated with tiny, t