Translator: Kumārajīva, 4th-5th century. Imprint: N.p., n.d. [c. Kan'ei period, 1624-44. Not later than Kan'ei 20, 1643; see under Edition below.]. Description: 3 kan (of 8), 3 rolls (巻子本) in a paulownia-wood box. Incomplete copy, comprising part of maki 1: prefatory section and no. 2, Hōbenbon 方便品 (incomplete at end); the whole of maki 3: no. 5, Yakusōyubon 藥草喩品, no. 6, Juki-hon 授記品, and no. 7, Kejōyubon 化城喩品; maki 4: no. 8, Gohyaku teishi jukibon 五百弟子受記品, no. 9, Jugaku mugaku jinkibon 授學無學人記品, and no. 10, Hosshibon 法師品 (incomplete at end). Maki 1 is made up of 16 sheets, each 49.5 cm. long and 29.5 cm. in height; maki 3 of 23 sheets, 49.5 x 29.5 cm; maki 4 of 11 sheets, 49.5 × 29.5 cm. Blockprint. Printing frame (height) 21.5-22.5 cm. No borders above or below text; no vertical rules between columns. Kanbun text without kunten or reading marks. 25 lines to sheet, 17 characters to line. No end covers or gedai on any of the 3 rolls. Manuscript title on box: Katsuji-ban hokekyō 活字版法華經. This is incorrect. The work is blockprinted. No rollers (軸). Edition: Apparently an early-Edo period reprint of an edition of the Lotus Sutra sponsored by the ganshu Shōgen 昌源 and published for presentation to Nikkōzan 日光山 in Meiō 5, 1496. According to Kabutogi (Hokke hangyō no kenkyū 法華版経の研究, 1982 ed., pp. 64-5), the original 1496 edition was in orihon form and contained a dated colophon, quoted in full on p. 65, at the end of maki 8. This kanki was reproduced in a later reprint of the Shōgen 昌源 edition published at Nikkō in Tenmei 6 天明六年, 1786. The present copy, lacking maki 8, contains no kanki. Like the original 1496 edition, however, it does contain the blockprinted ganmon 願文 at head of main text of maki 1 which reads: 奉施入日光山 ／ 願主當御留守坐禪院昌源. The hanshiki of the present copy reflects the traditional Kasuga-ban 春日版 form of characters. Contents: The first (incomplete), third (complete) and fourth (incomplete) volumes (maki) of the Hokekyō or Myōhō rengekyō in Chinese.
Myōhō rengekyō, kan dai-1, 3, 4 妙法蓮華經巻第一・三・四 [妙法蓮華経巻第一・三・四]
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- ReferenceGB 59 Or.70.bbb.7
- Dates of Creation[1624-1643]
- Language of MaterialJapanese
- Physical Description3 scrolls Condition: Very good, apart from some torn paper on first sheet of maki 1 and 3. Impression: Atozuri, showing marked signs of block wear. It is conceivable that this copy was printed from the original blocks of Meiō 5, 1496, which, according to Kabutogi, survived into the 18th century. Seals of ownership: None. Manuscript notes: A note in black ink, 天海御靈前, is written in the upper margin at the head of each maki. A further note in the same hand, recording the presentation of the three rolls to Nikkōzan in Kan'ei 20 (1643), appears also at the head of each maki, reading: 奉納寛永廿癸未年十月二日. Following this, in all three kan, are the names of three donors. They read, respectively: (maki 1) 新井宗休重之; (maki 3) 日光山照尊院惠海: (maki 4) 日光山養源院竹翁. Note that each roll was presented by a different donor.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Acquired from Ernest M. Satow, 22 Sept. 1884.
Other Finding Aids
Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993). B. Buddhist works 仏書 2. Basic mahayana scriptures 主要大乗経典
Bibliography
Bussho kaisetsu daijiten 仏書解説大辞典, vol. 10, pp. 356-67; Hokke hangyō no kenkyū 法華版経の研究, pp. 64-5, 334, 398, pl. 22; Kokatsujiban no kenkyū 古活字版の研究, p. 122.