Kongōkai sanjūshichison shuji 金剛界三十七尊種子

Variant title: Shujishū 種子集. Author/compiler: Chōzen 澄禪, Shingon monk, later abbot of the Jizōin 地藏院 in Higo province, d. 1680. Imprint: N.p., Tenna 2, 1682. Kanki on last page of maki 2 reads: 天和貳年壬戌孟春吉日□兵衛開板. Description: 2 kan, formerly in 2 satsu, now rebound in 1 vol. western style. (Maki 1-本) ff. 2, 60; (maki 2-末) ff. 36. 27 x 18.4 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 20.2-21.2 x 15.4 cm. Single-line borders all round. Fishtail design on hanshin. Large, bold siddham script, with names of deities indicated in kanji and pronunciation in katakana. 1-4 siddham characters to page. Original dull grey-buff front cover of maki 1 only, with original printed title slip (upper part missing). Gedai: □ [=種?] 子集. Title from naidai at head of mokuroku. Hashiragaki: (maki 1) Hon 本; (maki 2) Matsu 末 + folio no. In a western style half-leather binding. Edition: First published in Kanbun 10 (1670). This edition of Tenna 2 (1682) may be an unaltered reprint from the same blocks. No edition of 1682 is recorded. Contents: A Shingon work consisting of finely drawn siddham characters representing the names of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and lesser deities from the Buddhist pantheon. The compiler, Chōzen, was a noted calligrapher in the siddham script. His name appears on fol. 36b of maki 2, followed by his printed kaō.

Unrestricted

Acquired from I. Summers, bookseller 5 August 1861.

Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993). B. Buddhist works 仏書 9. Shingon sect 真言宗

Bussho kaisetsu daijiten 仏書解説大辞典, vol. 3, p. 442.