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

　　The metaphor of this the White Path Between Two Rivers (Niga Byakudo) is describes in the fourth volume of Kanmuryo Jyubutsu Kyo Sho (Kan kyo sho), that is the annotated edition of the sutra translated by Tang priest Zendo (613–681), the Sutra of Infinite Life. In Japan, the contents started to be pictorialized by various Jodo sects after the founder of Jodo sect, Honen (1133–1212) and the founder of Jodo Shin sect, Shinran (1173–1262) quoted and referred to it in their books.
　　Two rivers, a river of fire (a symbol of anger and hatred) and a river of water (a symbol of obsession or greed), appear before the eyes of sentient beings (shujo) when they are heading toward the west (the direction of the Land of Heavenly Bliss of Amida (Gokuraku Jodo)) as they are about to be attacked by robbers and evil beasts (metaphors of wrongdoing and temptation). In a moment, a white path, Byakudo (a pure heart wishing for Gokuraku Jodo) to the opposite shore appears. Sentient beings can cross the path to the other shore and reach Gokuraku Jodo by praying to Amida with all their heart and soul. The features of the images of the White Path Between Two Rivers. (Niga Byakudo zu) is various seasonal scenes added to the scenes that pictorialize the allegory of the two rivers in Kan kyo sho. The top left of the painting represents the Land of Heavenly Bliss of Amida, which contains bodhisattvas in anthropomorphic forms in the jeweled pond (hochi) and Amida Triad on the western shore of the white path. They are beautifully represented in a shape of water's edge with silver paint (gindei) and cut gold leaves (kirikane) and jeweled trees (hoju), flowering plants and sacred birds are beautifully drawn. The lower part (eastern shore) represents the actual world and scenes such as evil beasts, samurais who are about to attack and people trying to tempt others into wrongdoing are drawn in details. The elaborate and delicate expressions of this painting are extremely characteristic, and it is interesting that these features are like the paintings derived from the derivative iconography of Taima Mandala such as the picturization of the overture of the Sutra of Infinite Life of the same era that are held in places including Chionji Temple in Kyoto Prefecture and the Nara National Museum. The one held in the Kosetsu Museum of Art clearly represents the Queen of Kingdom Magadha, Idaike (Idaike Bunin) and it indicates the close connection between the Niga Byakudo zu and the overture of the Sutra of Infinite Life.