Translator: Xuanzang (唐) 玄奘 (Japanese: Genjō), Chinese monk, 602-64. Imprint: [Nara] , Sokei 素慶, Genkō 4, 1334. Kanki, on final half-fold of maki 116 only, reads: 元弘四季正月十五日以自力刋當巻矣 ／ 為国土泰平自他成佛也 勸進沙門素慶. Description: 3 kan, 3 jō 帖, in a yellow brocade chitsu case. (Maki 116) 27.7 x 9.2 cm; (maki 144 and 170) 27.7 × 9.6 cm. (each half-fold). Orihon. Blockprint. Printing frame (height) : maki 116, 20-20.2 cm; maki 144 and 170, 20.2-20.7 cm. No borders, nor vertical rules between columns. Kanbun text without kunten or kutōten. 5 lines to half-fold, 17 characters to line. Buff front covers, possibly original, but back covers of maki 144 and 170 have been recently renewed. No title slips. Maki number (no gedai) handwritten at top right of each front cover. Title from naidai at head of each maki. Text paper: ganpi, dyed yellow. Edition: A Kasuga-ban of late-Kamakura period as shownby the type of paper and style of printing (hanshiki). But maki 116 exhibits unusual features. From the 8th half-fold, line 2, the style of script characteristic of Kasuga-ban changes to a smaller-sized, neat, regular form, widely spaced between lines and between characters, and this continues to the end of the volume, including the unique kanki which is lacking in maki 144 and 170. In view of this, and of the differences in page size and print frame, there is a distinct possibility that maki 116 belongs to a different edition from the other two. Contents: Three volumes from an edition of the Chinese translation of Mahāprajñā-pāramitā-sūtra, the 'Perfection of Wisdom in 600 chapters', first printed in Japan in its entirety in the Jōō-Karoku periods, 1222-27.
Daihannya haramittakyō, kan dai-116, 144, 170 大般若波羅蜜多經巻第百十六・百四十四・百七十 [大般若波羅蜜多経巻第百十六・百四十四・百七十]
This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections
- Reference
- GB 59 Or.81.c.5
- Dates of Creation
- 1334
- Language of Material
- Japanese
- Physical Description
- 3 volumes Condition: Very good, except for water-staining on inner folds of maki 116 and 144, especially the latter. Impression: Maki 116, shozuri. Maki 144 and 170 show slight block wear in places, but mostly sharp and clear. Seals of ownership: None.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Acquired from Kōbunsō, 1 March 1982.
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. 7, pp. 431-3; Butten kaidai daijiten 仏典解題事典, pp. 78-9; Nara kangyōshi 寧楽刊経史, passim; Kōbunsō keiaisho zuroku 弘文荘敬愛書図録, p. 210.