National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

This is a shallow flat Zushi with double doors on the front. Hanging rings are attached on both sides of the top panel for wearing around neck. An intermediate plate is fit in a form that can move up and down on a rail and a mirror regarded as Gachirin (moon) is placed in the center of the surface. Shari (cremated remains) and gold-plated bronze Aji (Shuji, Sanskrit word, representing Taizokai-Dainichi) are held in a hole opened in the center of the mirror. The mirror is placed on a lotus flower shaped base and casts light around. When the mirror is removed, a piece of paper, which indicates that this Zushi was made in 1387, is stored in a hollow for Shari on the intermediate plate. On the four edges of the piece of paper, four small round papers with Shuji representing Kongokai-Shibutsu written in ink are attached and Shari being in the center is regarded as a Kongokai-Dainichi. In conjunction with the Aji in the hole for Shari, it seems that Shari was regarded as Dainichi-Nyorai of Ryokai (Kongokai and Taizokai). A Kongokai-Mandara was drawn by Damie on the back of the intermediate plate and a Taizokai-Mandara was drawn on the back wall that appears when the plate is removed.

Fudo-Myoo and two children on the observer's right and Kouzanze-Myoo on the observer's left were drawn on the doors by Damie. This article was handed down to the Gakuan-ji temple in Nara. This temple was restored by Eison from the Saidai-ji temple, who preached belief in Shari in the Kamakura period and the strong influence of belief in Shari by Eison can be seem in this Zushi, which has a strong sense of esoteric Buddhism.