| Native Name | Kakemono |
| Object Number | 29-96-495 |
| Current Location | Collections Storage |
| Culture | Japanese | Buddhist |
| Provenience | Japan |
| Section | Asian |
| Materials | Paper |
| Iconography | Monk | Kukai | Kobo Daishi | Buddhist Monk | Light Mantra |
| Inscription Language | Sanskrit |
| Description | A painting on paper depicting Kobo Daishi (Kukai) seated in a red chair holding a vajra and prayer beads with Dainichi Nyorai above in two positions at the right and left. Centered above is a gilded disc with Sanskrit characters (Jp. Bonji) supported by a lotus based and under an ornamental canopy. This is the light mantra, Komyo Shingo 光明真言, rendered in Shittan (Jp 悉曇) or Siddham script, a form of Sanskrit. It reads starting at the bottom and moving counterclockwise: Oṃ Amogha Vairocana Mahāmudrā Maṇi-padma Jvāla-pravarttaya Hūṃ. A stream of colors in green, gold, red, white and blue form a background for the figures. The surrounding area is black with gold rays. |
| Length | 150 cm |
| Width | 54 cm |
| Credit Line | Bequest of Maxwell Sommerville, 1904 |
Report problems and issues to digitalmedia@pennmuseum.org.