National TreasureLetter by Saicho known as Kyukakujo

Save Image

image 全画面表示
  • 伝教大師筆尺牘 弘仁四年十一月廿五日
  • By Saicho
  • 1 hanging scroll
  • Ink on paper Hanging scroll
  • H 29.3, W 55.2
  • Heian period/Konin 4(813)
  • Nara National Museum
  • 648(書18)

  This is a letter written by Saicho (767–822, posthumously known as Dengyo Daishi), the founder of the Japanese Tendai sect of Buddhism. It is addressed to his most beloved disciple, Taihan, who at the time was studying at Takaosanji Temple (present-day Jingoji Temple) in Kyoto with Kukai (774-835, posthumously known as Kobo Daishi), the founder of the Shingon sect in Japan. This is the only extant letter in Saicho’s own hand. It is called the Kyukakujo (Kyukaku Letter) because it begins with the phrase, “I have not heard from you in a long time (kyukaku seion).” Seki toku (尺牘) means a letter by classical Chinese.
  On the twenty-third day of eleventh month of Konin 4 (813), Saicho wrote a letter to Kukai asking to borrow the texts Manjusri’s Praises of the Dharma-body, also known as One Hundred Twenty Lines in Praise of the Buddha, Square and Round Charts, and Notes and Commentaries, as well as Interpretation of the Truth Sutra. In response, however, Kukai severely criticized Saicho for wanting to study esoteric Buddhism only through texts and refused to lend him Interpretation of the Truth Sutra. Upon reading this, Saicho wrote Taihan the Kyukaku Letter on the twenty-fifth day of the eleventh month, requesting that Taihan ask Kukai in person the meaning of Manjusri’s Praises of the Dharma-body, Square and Round Charts, and Notes and Commentaries.
  Previous to this, Saicho had received a poem from Kukai, to which Saicho intended to compose a poem in response. However, the preface of Kukai’s poem mentioned the titles of the texts Manjusri’s Praises of the Dharma-body, Square and Round Charts, and Notes and Commentaries, all of which were unfamiliar to the Tendai patriarch. Saicho, ever earnest in his dealings, wanted to read these texts himself in order to write an appropriate poetic response. Although he seems to have given up the idea of borrowing Interpretation of the Truth Sutra, he at least wanted Taihan to ask about the contents of the unknown sources.
  At this time, Saicho was forty-seven and Kukai was forty. In the text of the letter, Saicho takes various measures to show courtesy to the younger Kukai, as in always positioning Kukai’s title, Great Esoteric Teacher (Dai Ajari), at the beginning of a new line. This careful attention to etiquette reflects Saicho’s sincere character. His handwriting also reveals a high level of sophistication.

Pieces

Loading