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

This manuscript is a copy of the Sutra of the Great Illuminator (J., Daibirushana jôbutsu jinbenkaji kyô, popularly known in Japanese as Dainichi kyô; Skt., Mahavairocana sutra), the most important scripture for the Shingon Sect of esoteric Buddhism (J., mikkyô). It was translated from Sanskrit into Chinese by Subhakarasimha (J., Zenmui; 637-735) and Yixing (J., Ichigyô; 683-727) during the Tang dynasty (618-907). The sutra explains the teachings of the matrix (J., taizôkai, Skt., garbhadhatu), which represents Buddhist ideas of all-inclusiveness, and describes the composition of the Matrix or Womb Mandala (J., taizôkai mandara, Skt., garbhadhatu mandala), the major esoteric mandala that is paired with the Diamond Mandala (J., kongôkai mandara, Skt., vajradhatu mandala).
Although this copy has no postscript or other indication of when it was transcribed, from its calligraphic style, it appears to date from the Jingo-Keiun era (767-770).