List of National Treasures of Japan (writings: others)
Sutras

List of National Treasures of Japan (writings: others)

Section Title: Sutras
Table Section Text: None

Name	Authors	Remarks	Date	Format	Present location	Image

Segment of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経残巻 Kengukyō zankan), Yamato edition	attributed to Emperor Shōmu	Chapters 8 ("Vajra, the Daughter of King Prasenajit"), 9 ("Golden Wealth"), 10 ("Heavenly Flowers"), 11 ("Heavenly Jewels"), and the final lines of Chapter 48 ("Upagupta") of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish, or Sutra of the Karma of the Wise and Foolish; total of 262 lines with eleven to fourteen characters per line; also known as Great Shōmu (大聖武 ōshōmu) after Emperor Shōmu; originally kept at Tōdai-ji in Yamato	Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper, 25.7 cm × 696.9 cm (10.1 in × 274.4 in)	Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo	KENGU KYO Vol8.JPG

Segment of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経残巻 Kengukyō zankan)	attributed to Emperor Shōmu	Volumes 1 (419 lines), 2 (149 lines), 3 (18 lines); also known as Great Shōmu (大聖武 ōshōmu) after Emperor Shōmu	Nara period, 8th century	Three handscrolls, ink on paper	Maeda Ikutokukai, Tokyo	—

Segment of the Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経残巻 Kengukyō zankan)	attributed to Emperor Shōmu	Volumes 1 (461 lines), 2 (503 lines); also known as Great Shōmu (大聖武 ōshōmu) after Emperor Shōmu; formerly in the possession of Kaidan-in, Tōdai-ji	Nara period, 8th century	Two handscrolls, ink on paper, 27.5 cm × 1,200 cm (10.8 in × 472.4 in)	Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe, Hyōgo	-

Lotus Sutra, Chapter on "Expedient Means" (法華経方便品 Hokekyō hōbenbon)	attributed to Minamoto Toshifusa (源俊房) by Shōkadō Shōjō in a postscript from 1625	28 lines per page; also known as Chikubushima Sutra (竹生島経) as the scroll is in possession of Hōgon-ji on Chikubu Island; paper decorated with gold and silver underdrawings of butterflies, birds, flowering plants, imaginary Buddhist flowers, and clouds; the introductory chapter of the same work, located at Hōgon-ji, has been designated as a National Treasure	Heian period, 10th century	One handscroll, ink on decorated paper, 29.6 cm × 528.5 cm (11.7 in × 208.1 in)	Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo	-

Lotus Sutra in minute characters (細字法華経 saiji hokekyō)	transcription by Li Yuanhui (李元恵 rigenkei)	39 pages of 56 ruled lines with 32 characters per line; also known as Honored Companion Sutra (御同朋経 godōbōkyō); handed down at Hōryū-ji	Tang Dynasty, 694	One handscroll, ink on paper; 25.7 cm × 2,150 cm (10.1 in × 846.5 in)	Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo	-

Commentary on the Vimalakirti Sutra (浄名玄論 jōmyō genron)	unknown	Oldest extant text using the Japanese dating system; 20 to 40 characters per line; originally in the possession of Tōdai-ji	Asuka period, 706	Eight handscrolls, ink on paper, height: 27.8–28.0 cm (10.9–11.0 in), length: 296.0–1,092.0 cm (116.5–429.9 in)	Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto	-

Mahāratnakūṭa Sūtra on deep blue paper (紺紙金字大宝積経 konshikinji taihō shakukyō) vol. 32, Goryeo Tripiṭaka with gilt letters (高麗国金字大蔵経 kōraikoku kinji daizōkyō)	Choi Sung-sak	Earliest copied sutra of the Goryeo dynasty and only surviving volume of a set of complete Buddhist scriptures, offered by Queen Heonae and Kim Chi-yang.	One handscroll, gilt letters on deep blue paper, 29.1 cm × 881.2 cm (11.5 in × 346.9 in)	Goryeo, 1006	custody of Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto, Kyoto; owned by National Institues for Cultural Heritage (独立行政法人国立文化財機構)	Deep blue paper with Chinese characters and line drawings of bodhisattvas and floral motives.

Segment of the Sutra of the Incantation of the one thousand armed, one thousand eyed Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva (千手千眼陀羅尼経残巻 senju sengen daranikyō zankan)	Genbō (玄昉)	Only extant portion of one thousand copies of the Senju sengen daranikyō made by Genbō; mentioned in the Essential Records of Tōdai-ji (東大寺要録 tōdaiji yōroku); total of 109 lines; beginning of scroll is lost	Nara period, 741	One handscroll, ink on paper, 25.5 cm × 246.0 cm (10.0 in × 96.9 in)	Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto	Senjyu Sengan Daranhi Kyohaku.JPG

Golden Light of the Most Victorious Kings Sutra (紫紙金字金光明最勝王経 shishikinji konkōmyō saishōōkyō)	unknown (Sutra Copying Bureau)	One of the sutras enshrined in the state-sponsored "Temples for the Protection of the State by the Golden Light (of the) Four Heavenly Kings"; said to have been enshrined in Bingo Province	Nara period, 8th century, Tenpyō era after 741	Ten handscrolls, gilt letters on violet paper, 26.4 cm × 841.1 cm (10.4 in × 331.1 in) (vol. 1)	Nara National Museum, Nara, Nara	-

Dhāraṇī of the Adamantine Place (金剛場陀羅尼経 Kongō Jōdaranikyō)	transcription by the priest Hōrin	Oldest hand-copied sutra in Japan	Asuka period, 686	One handscroll, ink on paper	Agency for Cultural Affairs, Tokyo	Nine lines of text in Chinese script. Four lines of text in Chinese script, broken by spaces.

Konkōmyō Saishōō Sutra with gilt letters (紫紙金字金光明最勝王経 shishikinji konkōmyō saishōōkyō)	unknown (Sutra Copying Bureau)	One of the sutras enshrined in the state-sponsored "Temples for the Protection of the State by the Golden Light (of the) Four Heavenly Kings" founded by Emperor Shōmu	Nara period, 8th century	Ten handscrolls	Reihōkan (owned by Ryūkō-in (龍光院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—

Mahavairocana Sutra (大毘盧遮那成仏神変加持経 Daibirushana jōbutsu jinpen kajikyō)	unknown	—	Heian period	Seven handscrolls, width: 27.6 cm (10.9 in), length: 56.0–1,386.1 cm (22.0–545.7 in)	Saidai-ji, Nara, Nara	-

Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (大般若経 Daihannya-kyō) or Yakushi-ji Sutra (薬師寺経 Yakushiji-kyō)	various (ten-odd people)	Formerly in the possession of Yakushi-ji	Nara period, 8th century	387 handscrolls, ink on paper, height: 27.3 cm (10.7 in)	Fujita Art Museum, Osaka	-

Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (大般若経 Daihannya-kyō)	unknown	Made on request of Prince Nagaya praying for the deceased Emperor Mommu	Nara period, 712	27 bound books	Jōmyō-ji (常明寺), Kōka, Shiga	—

Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (大般若経 Daihannya-kyō)	unknown	Made on request of Prince Nagaya praying for the deceased Emperor Mommu; oldest extant manuscript of the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra	Nara period, 712	142 bound books	Taihei-ji (太平寺), Kōka, Shiga	-

Konkōmyō Saishōō Sutra (金光明最勝王経 Konkōmyō Saishōōkyō)	unknown	—	Nara period, 762	Ten handscrolls, 32.4 cm × 803.0 cm (12.8 in × 316.1 in)	Saidai-ji, Nara, Nara	-

Konpon hyakuichi konma (根本百一羯磨) vol. 6	unknown	Transcription of a Chinese translation from 703, 12–13 characters per line	Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper, 27.4 cm × 1,164.9 cm (10.8 in × 458.6 in)	Nezu Art Museum, Tokyo	-

Sutra of the Wise and Foolish (賢愚経 kengukyō) vol. 15	unknown	467 lines	Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper	Tōdai-ji, Nara, Nara	-

Lotus Sutra in large characters (大字法華経 daiji hokekyō)	unknown	Volume three missing	Nara period, 8th century	Seven handscrolls, ink on paper	Reihōkan (owned by Ryūkō-in (龍光院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—

Fukū Kenjaku Shinpen Shingon Sutra (不空羂索神変真言経 fukū kenjaku shinpen shingonkyō)	unknown	—	Nara period, 8th century	18 handscrolls	Reihōkan (owned by Sanbō-in (三宝院)]], Kōya, Wakayama	—

Buddhist Monastic Traditions of Southern Asia (南海寄帰内法伝 nankai kiki naihōden) vols. 1,2	unknown	Oldest extant manuscript of this work; handed down in Ishiyama-dera	Nara period, 8th century	One handscroll, ink on paper, vol. 1: 26.5 cm × 885 cm (10.4 in × 348.4 in), vol.	custody of Tenri University Library (天理大学附属天理図書館 Tenri daigaku fuzoku Tenri toshokan) (owned by Tenri University), Tenri, Nara	-

Lotus Sutra on deep blue paper (紺紙金字法華経 konshikinji hokekyō) and Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra on deep blue paper (紺紙金字観普賢経 konshikinji kanfugenkyō)	Taira no Kiyomori and his younger brother Yorimori	First couple of lines of each scroll transcribed by Taira no Kiyomori, following lines by Yorimori; therefore also called (両筆経, lit.	Heian period, 1170–1172	Seven handscrolls (Lotus Sutra) and one handscroll (Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra), gilt letters on deep blue paper	Itsukushima Shrine, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima	-

Instruction manual of the Nirvana Sutra (大般涅槃経集解 Daihatsu nehankyō shūge)	unknown	Scrolls 11 to 69 of a 71 scroll manuscript; formerly in the possession of Tenkai, handed down in Rinnō-ji	Nara period (43 scrolls) and Heian period (16 scrolls)	59 handscrolls, ink on paper	Rinnō-ji, Nikkō, Tochigi	-

Instruction manual of the Nirvana Sutra (大般涅槃経集解 Daihatsu nehankyō shūge)	unknown	Centered around a 54 scroll sutra edition from the Tang period to which 17 scrolls were added during the Kamakura – Edo period	Nara period – Edo period	71 handscrolls, ink on paper	Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe, Hyōgo	—

Complete Buddhist scriptures in gold and silver letters (金銀字一切経 kinginji issaikyō) or Chūson-ji Sutras (中尊寺経 Chūson-ji kyō)	unknown	Large-scale collection of sutras, Buddhist regulations and sutra explanations initiated by Fujiwara no Kiyohira; dedicated to Chūson-ji and later presented to Kongōbu-ji by Toyotomi Hidetsugu; decorated with various pictures in gold and silver paint; a set of 15 similar scrolls that were part of the same collection remained at Chūson-ji and are a National Treasure	Heian period, February 1117 – March 1126	4,296 handscrolls, gold and silver letters on indigo blue paper	Reihōkan (owned by Kongōbu-ji), Kōya, Wakayama	-

Complete Buddhist scriptures on deep blue paper with gilt letters (紺紙金字一切経 konshikonji issaikyō) or Chūson-ji Sutras (中尊寺経 Chūson-ji kyō)	unknown	Large-scale collection of sutras, Buddhist regulations and sutra explanations initiated by Fujiwara no Kiyohira; dedicated to Chūson-ji; each scroll's end page is decorated with a drawing in gold paint; 15 scrolls with alternating gold and silver letters are part of a set of up to 5,300 scrolls most of which are now in the possession of Kongōbu-ji and a National Treasure	Heian period, February 1117 – March 1126	2,739 handscrolls, of which 15 are with gold and silver letters and 2,724 in gilt letters on indigo blue paper	Daichōju-in (大長寿院) (Chūson-ji), Hiraizumi, Iwate	-

Preface to the Lotus Sutra decorated with Buddhas (一字一仏法華経序品 ichiji ichibutsu hokekyō johon)	Kūkai	Next to each character there is an image of a Bodhisattva in-between the lines said to be drawn by Kūkai's mother, Tamayori Gozen (玉依御前)	Heian period	One handscroll, length: 21.2 m (70 ft)	Zentsū-ji, Zentsūji, Kagawa	-

Lotus pedestal character Lotus Sutra (一字蓮台法華経 ichijirendai hokekyō) or The Encouragements of Bodhisattva Fugen (普賢勧発品 Fugen kanbotsubon)	unknown	Below each character a lotus flower is drawn thereby equating each character with the Bodhisattva; endpapers decorated with an inside scene of a Buddhist memorial service in blown away roof technique (吹抜屋台 fukinuki yatai)	late Heian period	One handscroll, ink on paper decorated with gold and silver dust and foil	custody of Yamato Bunkakan, Nara, Nara; owned by Kintetsu Corporation	-

Lotus pedestal character Lotus Sutra (一字蓮台法華経 ichijirendai hokekyō)	unknown	Below each character a lotus flower is drawn just like Bodhisattvas are often depicted on a lotus pedestal; volume 6 missing	Heian period	Nine handscrolls, ink on paper	Ryūkō-ji (龍興寺), Aizumisato, Fukushima	Lotus Sutra Ryukoji.JPG

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō) (prefatory sutra (開結共 kaiketsutomo))	unknown	—	Heian period, 11th century	Ten handscrolls, ink on decorative paper with five-colored design	Sensō-ji, Tokyo	-

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō) or Kunōji Sutra (久能寺経 Kunōjikyō)	Emperor Toba and others	Part of 30 scrolls (28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra plus introduction and postscript).	Heian period, 12th century	4 handscrolls, ink on decorated paper, 26.7 cm × 196.4 cm (10.5 in × 77.3 in)	private, Tokyo	-

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō) or Kunōji Sutra (久能寺経 Kunōjikyō)	Fujiwara clan	Originally offered to Anrakuji-in on occasion of Emperor Toba entering priesthood, later transferred to Kunōji. Part of 30 scrolls (28 chapters of the Lotus Sutra plus introduction and postscript).	Heian period, 12th century	19 handscrolls, ink on decorated paper	Tesshū-ji (鉄舟寺), Shizuoka, Shizuoka	Kunoji-kyo2.JPG

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō) vol. 6	unknown	—	Heian period	One handscroll, ink on colored paper	Reihōkan (owned by Kongōbu-ji), Kōya, Wakayama	—

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō)	Unkei	Part of an eight scroll set, scroll 1 has been lost and scroll 8 is in private hand and a National Treasure; Unkei was supported by a female sponsor named Akomaro (阿古丸)	Heian period, 1183	Six handscrolls, ink on paper	Shinshōgokuraku-ji, Kyoto	-

Complete Buddhist scriptures, Song edition (宋版一切経 sōhan issaikyō)	unknown	Contains an inscription dated 1198.	Southern Song	6102 bound books, woodblock prints, 29.6 cm × 11.7 cm (11.7 in × 4.6 in)	Daigo-ji, Kyoto	-

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō) vol. 8	Unkei	Part of an eight scroll set, scroll 1 has been lost and scrolls 2 to 7 are located at Shinshōgokuraku-ji and a National Treasure; includes a postscript explaining the circumstances of the sutra transcription; Unkei was supported by a female sponsor named Akomaro (阿古丸)	Heian period, 1183	One handscroll, ink on paper	private, Tokyo	Lotus Sutra vol8 UNKEI.JPG

Lotus Sutra (法華経一品経 hokekyō ipponkyō), Amitabha Sutra (阿弥陀経 amidakyō) and Heart Sutra (般若心経 hannyashinkyō)	unknown	Also called Jikō-ji Sutras (慈光寺経 Jikō-ji kyō)	Kamakura period	33 handscrolls, ink on paper decorated with gold and silver dust and foil	Jikō-ji (慈光寺), Tokigawa, Saitama	-

Lotus Sutra (法華経 hokekyō), Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra (観普賢経 kanfugenkyō), Sutra of Immeasurable Meanings (無量義経 muryōgikyō), Amitabha Sutra (阿弥陀経 amidakyō) and Heart Sutra (般若心経 hannyashinkyō)	unknown	Also called Hase-dera Sutras (長谷寺経 Hase-dera kyō); endpapers decorated with richly colored paintings on gold ground using ultramarine, verdigris, gold and silver paint and scarlet red	early Kamakura period	34 handscrolls: 28 Lotus Sutra, 1 Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra, 3 Sutra of Immeasurable Meanings, 1 Amitabha Sutra, 1 Heart Sutra, ink on paper decorated with mist and clouds in gold and silver foil, width: 28.5 cm (11.2 in)	Hase-dera, Sakurai, Nara	-

Maharatnakuta Sutra (宝積経要品 hōshakukyō yōhon)	Musō Soseki	—	Nanboku-chō period	One bound book, ink on paper, 31.5 cm × 10.5 cm (12.4 in × 4.1 in)	Maeda Ikutokukai, Tokyo	-

Kegon Sutra, Kanji meaning and reading (花厳経音義 kegonkyō ongi)	unknown	Collection of difficult to interpret Chinese words showing their Japanese pronunciation and meaning in Man'yōgana; only extant manuscript	Heian period, 794	Two handscrolls, ink on paper	Agency for Cultural Affairs, Tokyo	-

Sutra of the Bodhisattva's Dwelling in the Womb (菩薩処胎経 bosatsu shotaikyō)	unknown	Sutra on Buddha entering nirvana; first scroll is a transcription from the late Heian period, fifth scroll a transcription from the Nara period; remaining three scrolls contain a postscriptum from 550	Western Wei, 550	Five handscrolls, ink on paper	Chion-in, Kyoto	-

Dairōtankyō (大楼炭経) vol. 3	unknown	Sutra on the occurrence of heaven on earth	Tang Dynasty, 673	One book bound by fukuro-toji	Chion-in, Kyoto	—

Konkōmyō Saishōō Sutra in minute characters (細字金光明最勝王経 saiji konkōmyō saishōōkyō)	unknown	34 characters per line instead of the usual 17	Nara period, 710	Two handscrolls, ink on paper	Reihōkan (owned by Ryūkō-in (龍光院)), Kōya, Wakayama	—

Shaku makaenron (釈摩訶衍論)	unknown	Commentary on the Awakening of Faith (大乗起信論 daijō kishinron); one of the principal books of Shingon Buddhism; lower part of opening phrase of volume one features Chinese characters of Empress Wu	Tang Dynasty, 618	Five bound books, ink on paper	Ishiyama-dera, Ōtsu, Shiga	—

Vajrasekhara Sutra (金剛経 kongōkyō)	Zhang Jizhi (張即之)	—	Southern Song, 1253	One bound book, ink on paper, 32.2 cm × 1,781.0 cm (12.7 in × 701.2 in)	Chishaku-in, Kyoto	-

Biography of the Sixth Patriarch (六祖恵能伝 rokusoenōden)	unknown	Brought back from China by Saichō	Tang Dynasty, 803	One handscroll, ink on paper, 26.1 cm × 38.1 cm (10.3 in × 15.0 in)	Enryaku-ji, Ōtsu, Shiga	—

Vajrasekhara Sutra written by Daikaku Zenshi (大覚禅師筆金剛経 Daikaku Zenshi-hitsu kongōkyō)	Lanxi Daolong (大覚禅師 Daikaku Zenshi)	—	Southern Song, 13th century	One bound book	Ryūkō-in (龍光院), Kyoto	—

Preface to the Lotus Sutra (法華経序品 hokekyō johon) or Chikubushima Sutra (竹生島経 Chikubushimakyō)	attributed to Minamoto Toshifusa (源俊房) by Shōkadō Shōjō in a postscript from 1625	28 lines per page; paper decorated with gold and silver underdrawings of butterflies, birds, flowering plants, imaginary Buddhist flowers, and clouds; the Expedient Means chapter of the same work, located at the Tokyo National Museum, has been designated as National Treasure	Heian period, 11th century	One bound accordion book, ink on decorated paper, 26.3 cm × 481.5 cm (10.4 in × 189.6 in)	Hōgon-ji, Nagahama, Shiga	-

Sutra of Immeasurable Meanings (無量義経 muryōgikyō) and Samantabhadra Contemplation Sutra (観普賢経 kanfugenkyō) or Ornamental sutra (裝飾経)	unknown	Thought to have formed a set together with the Lotus sutra	Heian period, 11th century	Two handscrolls, one each, ink on paper dyed in different shades of brown, muryōgikyō: 25.2 cm × 927.9 cm (9.9 in × 365.3 in), kanfugenkyō: 25.4 cm × 845.8 cm (10.0 in × 333.0 in)	Nezu Art Museum, Tokyo	-

Sentence(s)

Dhāraṇī of the Adamantine Place (金剛場陀羅尼経 Kongō Jōdaranikyō) is the oldest sutra copied in Japan in 686 and has been designated a National Treasure.

final_sentence: Dhāraṇī of the Adamantine Place (金剛場陀羅尼経 Kongō Jōdaranikyō) is the oldest sutra copied in Japan in 686 and has been designated a National Treasure.