The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 29, 2024

Avatamsaka Sutra No. 78

Avatamsaka Sutra No. 78

1300s
Book: 20.6 x 43.7 cm (8 1/8 x 17 3/16 in.); Each page: 20.7 x 11 cm (8 1/8 x 4 5/16 in.)
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

The pristine condition of this manuscript indicates that it was rarely used after its creation, revealing that the act of making a manuscript rather than reading it was the main religious goal.

Description

This illuminated manuscript presents one part of the multivolume sacred text titled Avatamsaka (Flower Garland) sutra. Both the script and the image are rendered in gold ink on the smooth surface of the dark blue, indigo-dyed mulberry paper. This portion of the text, which reads from right to left, describes the encounter of the Buddha of the Future (Maitreya) and the young pilgrim Sudhana. The Buddha gives his words of wisdom to Sudhana, who asks questions about the path toward spiritual awakening.

Mixed with ink and glue, the gold has a brilliance that strikingly reflects Sudhana’s ardent quest for understanding the way to reach enlightenment.
  • ?–1994
    (Kang Collection, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1994–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Lee, Ji Kwan. "Position of the Avatamsaka - sutra in Korean Buddhism [한국불교에 있어 화엄경의 위치: 각판유통을 (刻板流通) 중심으로]." Bulgyohakbo 20 (September 1983): 11-43. www.dbpia.co.kr
    Hwang, Su-young. “A Study on Goryeo Buddhist Sutra [高麗寫經의 硏究].” Gogo misul (1988): 51-67. www.dbpia.co.kr
    Cunningham, Michael R., "Reflective Golden Brushwork." The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine (1995, Summer): 8-9.
    Cunningham, Michael R., "Reflective Golden Brushwork", Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine. Vol. 35 no. 06, Summer 1995 Mentioned & reproduced: p. 8 archive.org
    Cunningham, Michael R., "Sacred Metalwork of Korea", Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine. Vol. 43 no. 05, May 2003 Mentioned & reproduced: p. 8-9 archive.org
    Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment, 918-1392. San Francisco: Asian Art Museum, 2003. Reproduced: p.128, fig.36
    Kwon, Hi-Kyung. "Style Analysis of Byunsangwha of the Scripts of Sutras for Personnal Praying in Late Koryo Dynasty [고려후기 개인발원 고려사경 변상화의 양식분석]." Journal of Studies in Bibliography 31 (September 2005): 153-200. www.dbpia.co.kr
    Farthing, Stephen. Art: From Cave Painting to Street Art. New York: Universe, 2010. Reproduced: p.104, fig.1
    Pak, Do-hwa. “Dr. Hwang Soo‐yeong’s Study on Sutra Copying and Its Meanings: Rediscovery of Sutra Copying from New Research Perspectives [黃壽永博士의 寫經 연구와 의의 - 사경의 재발견과 새로운 연구 시각].” Kangjwa misulsa (2014): 319–342. www.dbpia.co.kr
    McBride, Richard D. "Koryŏ Buddhist Paintings and the Cult of Amitābha: Visions of a Hwaŏm-Inspired Pure Land." Journal of Korean Religions 6, no. 1 (2015): 93-130. www.jstor.org
    Goryeo: The Glory of Korea [대고려, 그 찬란한 도전]. Seoul: National Museum of Korea, 2018.
    Ch'a, Mi-rae, Kwi-suk An, Cleveland Museum of Art, and 국외소재문화재재단. The Korean Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Edited by An Min-hŭi. First edition, English ed. Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Series, 16. Seoul, Republic of Korea: Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2021. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 148-153, no. 101
    Kim, Jongmin. "Exquisite Goryeo Manuscript; Avatamsaka Sutra No. 78 in the Cleveland Museum of Art." In The Korean Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Ch'a, Mi-rae, Kwi-suk An, Cleveland Museum of Art, 국외소재문화재재단, and An Min-hŭi, ed., 260-273. First edition, English ed. Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Series, 16. Seoul, Republic of Korea: Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation, 2021. Mentioned and reproduced: p. 260-273
    "Recommendations from Our Curators.” Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine 61, no. 2 (Spring 2021): 32. Reproduced and Mentioned: P. 32.
  • Interpretation of Materiality: Gold (Korean art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 29-October 24, 2021).
    Main Asian Rotation (Gallery 238). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (July 21-November 10, 2015).
    Japanese and Korean Gallery Rotation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (July 6, 2015-January 4, 2016).
    Goryeo Dynasty: Korea's Age of Enlightenment (918-1392). Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (organizer) (October 22, 2003-January 11, 2004).
  • {{cite web|title=Avatamsaka Sutra No. 78|url=false|author=|year=1300s|access-date=29 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1994.25