In the context of Silken Painting of Emperor Go-Daigo, discuss the Kesa of the Content.
The Kesa shown in the image is the National Treasure, the "Kesa of Buddhism.
However, the actual kesa depicted in the painting is different from the actual "Buddhism thread kesa" because the strips are painted with a series of floral patterns. The kesa in the image is a nine-jointed kesa, with the stripes painted in greenish blue and lined with vermilion chrysanthemums . However, Hideo Kuroda claims that it appears to be a shichijo kesa, and points out that the kesa used by the great ajari in the Go-Shichichi Goshuho is also a shichijo kesa . Keiichi Uchida has pointed out that since this work was painted in Yoshino, it was not possible to use the actual kesa in Tō-ji as a reference, and therefore it is possible that another kesa was copied.
The Threaded Kesa is said to have been given by Huiguo, an esoteric Buddhist monk of the Qinglong Temple (Xi'an) in the Tang dynasty capital Chang'an, to his disciple Kūkai (Kobo-Daishi). It is said that Huiguo, an esoteric Buddhist monk, gave this kesa to his disciple Kūkai (Kobo-Daishi). It appears in many records such as "Kobo-Daishi Shinrai Mokuroku", "Toho-ki", and "Yowa 2-nengo 7-nichi Goshuho-ki", and was regarded as a rare and precious treasure at Tō-ji. Restoration work was carried out by successive emperors, and according to the "Second Buddhist Treasure" in the Tō-ji Records, the first restoration was carried out in the second year of Ninji (1241) by order of Emperor Shijō, and the second by Go-Daigo's father, Emperor Go-Uda had this kesa repaired when he received the Dharma transmission from Zensuke of Ninna-ji in the third year of Tokuji (1308).
However, on June 25, Karyaku 4 (1329), thieves entered To-ji Temple and stole many temple treasures, including this kesa ("Ato Documents", "Toho-ki") . When the bandits tore off only the back silk, they threw away the kesa around the temple, which was discovered on July 1 ("Toho-ki") . Therefore, the third restoration work was carried out under the direction of Emperor Go-Daigo (Toho-ki)..
Emperor Go-Daigo did not use the "Kesa of Buddhism Threads" when he received the Dharma transmission from Bunguan. However, he wore it in the Yu-Gi-Kan (the scene in the image) held the year after the repair..Uchida speculates that Go-Daigo's enthusiasm for the Yu-gi Kampo can be felt in the way he wears the same kesa as his father, and that he must have been deeply moved when he and his son were able to wear the jewel, which is usually only allowed to be worn by the chief priests of Toji Temple.The artist, Bunkan himself, is not depicted in the painting because he is the one who gives the perfusion, but he is also wearing the legendary kesa (robe) handed down from generation to generation at Toji..
Buddhism 1308 Huiguo 1241 Ninna-ji Chang'an Emperor Kesa Kūkai Ninji Emperor Go-Daigo Emperor Shijō Bunkan Emperor Go-Uda Tō-ji National Treasure Tokuji Karyaku Qinglong Temple (Xi'an) Tang dynasty