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

This scroll is volume 8 of the Avatamsaka (Flower Garland) Sutra in Eighty Volumes (Ch., Huayan jing; J., Kegonkyo), translated from Sanskrit to Chinese by the monk Siksananda (652-710) during the Tang dynasty (618-907), from the reign years 695 (Zhengsheng 1) to 699 (Shengli 2). The modified characters introduced by Empress Wu (Wu Zetian, 625-705) can be seen throughout the volumes of this scripture. The usage of the Zetian characters and the graceful brushstrokes date this manuscript to the early eighth century during the Tang dynasty. The sutra appears to have been brought to Japan not long after its transcript.