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rare miniature antique buddhist shrine with kukai & candle holder
rare miniature antique buddhist shrine with kukai & candle holder
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Love Japanese Style Like We Do
Create a touch of rare elegance in your space with this wonderful miniature antique lacquer Buddhist shrine. Housing the revered monk Kukai, this finely detailed piece also comes with a small candle holder for a serene ambiance. Perfect for collectors and spiritual enthusiasts alike.
Kukai, or Kobo Daishi, a great man of the Heian Period, founded the Shingon School of Japanese Buddhism; a form of Buddhism that teaches enlightenment can be found through meditation in a single lifetime. The sacred sites where he wandered in the mountains of his birthplace, Shikoku, while practicing asceticism, still continue to be a place of worship as part of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage.
This delightful miniature zushi is made of a light Japanese cypress wood. It is lacquered black on the outside and gold on the inner surface. It is a simple box style with two doors that open to reveal the small metal figure of Kukai.
Kukai sits in the lotus pose, with his shoes beneath his chair. He holds a three-pointed scepter, symbolizing the three jewels of Buddhism and the three mysteries of word, thought, and action. The scepter is also a weapon that destroys all evil. In his left hand is a rosary of 108 beads, used for prayers and mantras. 108 is a sacred number, representing the number of earthly passions and desires that blind and delude us. The water jug at his left side is associated with the lotus, which symbolizes supreme understanding and also represents spiritual cleansing.
The small gold metal candle holder is in the form of an onion shaped houju. A buddhist jewel, houju symbolize the power of purification and are believed to fulfill wishes. The candle holder has the space for three candles.
The zushi and Kukai figure are in good structural condition. There is some dulling of the black lacquer, tarnish marks on the gold and some scratches on the surface of the figurine. The candle holder has the signs of age and heavy use.
A rare treasure of miniature Buddhist art.
(listing for Kukai in zushi with candle holder)
- zushi measures around 6 cm (2.4”) tall x 6 cm (2.4”) across.
- Kukai measures around 2. 5 cm tall (1”) x 3 cm (1.2”) ) across.
- candle holder measures around 13.5 cm (5.3”) tall x 10 cm (3.9”) across.
- weighs 106 gm.
SHIPPING INFORMATION
- please read the shipping policy.
- we use recycle packaging wherever possible and wrap for safety, rather than appearance!
ABOUT OUR VINTAGE, ANTIQUE AND OTHER ITEMS
We list pieces we feel are worthy of display. There may be scratches, dents, fading and signs of wear and tear. We try to explain the condition of each item exactly, but may miss something.
Information regarding the item and it’s age is obtained from dealers and our personal research. We do our best to give you the correct information but please be aware that we cannot guarantee this information.
Please message us prior to purchase with any questions you may have about our products.
KOBO DAISHI/KUKAI
Kukai ( Kobo Daishi ) was a renowned monk who established the Shingon ( Esoteric ) school of Buddhism in Japan during the early Heian era ( 794-1185 ). Even after 1,200 years since his birth, his followers call him by the more familiar name of Odaishi-sama, and his beliefs continue to be popular, as is the Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail.
Kukai was born in Zentsu-ji, Tadotsu Province, in present-day Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku. At the age of 15 he moved to the capital to study, where he came under the influence of a Buddhist priest. He returned to Shikoku to pursue a severe, ascetic form of Buddhism among the mountains. These mountains include Mt. Ishizuchi in Ehime Prefecture and a large rock at Tairyu-ji, the 21st temple. He is said to have attained enlightenment at a cave located in Muroto, Kochi Prefecture. Thereafter, he changed his name to Kukai, meaning 'sky and sea', which reflects the view he saw from this cave.
At the age of 31 he went to China where he mastered Esoteric Buddhism from its preeminent master, Hui-guo. After returning to Japan, Kukai moved to the capital city and established a seminary nearby at Koya-san ( Mt. Koya ). He spread the beliefs of Shingon Buddhism and spent much time in meditation before he died at the age of 62. Some believe that Kukai did not die, but is in a higher level of meditation.
HOUJU
The Houju is used in Buddhist artwork as a decoration. Houju are either depicted in a ball or onion shape. Sometimes they are depicted with a flaming halo. Houju symbolize the power of purification and are believed to fulfill wishes. The kanji used for houju means treasure and jewel.
The large number of figures in Buddhism made it difficult to tell the difference between them when they were depicted visually. As a solution to this problem, a number of items called "jimotsu" (held things) were created to help tell the difference between the many figures. One such item was the Houju.
The Houju is held by several deities. One popular figure that holds a Houju is "Jizo". Jizo is a bodhisattva who saves souls after someone dies. Jizo is venerated as the guardian of children; specifically unborn, aborted, miscarried, and stillborn babies. Offerings are made by parents to thank Jizo for saving their children from serious illness. It is thought that children who die prematurely are denied entry to the Pure Land because they haven’t lived long enough to build up enough good karma. The Jizo is credited with smuggling these unfortunate souls into the Pure Land beneath his robes.
As stated the shape for the houju is that of a ball or an onion. However, it can also be associated with a peach shape and perhaps stems back to several sources. One is a classical Chinese novel "Journey to the West" (1592) which was very popular in Japan and East Asia. The plot involved a monkey king who ate the peaches of immortality from the heavenly peach garden. The monkey king successfully fought a celestial army but was finally stopped by Buddha. This well-know piece of literature had a strong connection to Buddhism and it is thought to have influenced Buddhist art and architecture.
Japan also has many stories referring to peaches, perhaps the most famous being the story of Momotaro (The Peach Boy). Momotaro was born from a mysterious giant peach that was floating along a river. Momtaro grew up to be strong and exhibited heroism. As a result, Momotaro's attributes were associated with peaches. Also, ancient Japanese mythology references peaches in the story of Izanagi and Izanami (sometimes referred to as the Japanese version of Adam and Eve). As Izanmi was fleeing "Yomi" (the world of the dead) he used three peaches to stop his pursuers. As a result, Izanagi declared the peach to be divine and ordered it to grow in the land of the living to help people when in need.
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