Horyu-ji Temple dedication treasure Buddhist instrument, Tokyo National Museum

Buddhist tools are special items different from everyday items used in Buddhist rituals, or decorative items used by priests and other priests. It is also called a tool, a legal instrument.

Horyuji dedicated more than 300 precious Temple treasures to the Imperial family in 1878 (Meiji 11), and was awarded 10,000 yen. With this aid from the Imperial Family it was decided to maintain the cathedrals and dango since the 7th century. The treasure donated to the imperial family was temporarily transferred to Shosoin and was then stored in the Imperial Museum in 1882 (Meiji 15) as “Horyuji Temple dedication gift” (Collection of the Imperial Family). After the war, when the Tokyo Imperial Museum under the jurisdiction of the Miyauchi province became a national museum, all four were returned to Horyuji and all 10 treasures left in the court were stored in the National Museum. After that, some of the treasures left in the temple were transferred to the country, and these nearly 320 treasures are now stored in the Tokyo National Museum Horyuji Treasury.

Originally in Buddhism monks were forbidden by the prerogatives owning priests other than the three kimonos and bowls which are the minimum kimonos and dishes, but when 100 years after the death of Buddha passed, the minimum amount donated by believers The factions seeking permission for private ownership of money and daily necessities and the cults divide (fundamentally divide) into conservatives who observe the precepts, and in the permissive school the individual possession of money other than the monk’s three clothes one pot is allowed It was.

When Buddhism propagated to the west area and China past the era, the priest started to take charge of ceremonies such as prayers and funerals between people, and accordingly the tools used in rituals were developed.

In the seventh century, the esoteric tribe spread in India was introduced to China and Tibet, and special buddhist materials such as Kanjo pear and mandala became used.

In addition, the Pure Land faith established in China widely disseminates Buddhism among the people, the form that individual believers themselves directly to the Buddha is established in the general society from the faith in the Buddha through monks, Buddhist paintings such as Buddhist painting came to be used at home by ordinary believers who are not priests.

Besides, there are Buddhist altars, Buddhist altar production areas in various places including Kyoto Buddhist products designated as traditional crafts of the country.

Tokyo National Museum

Tokyo National Museum collects and preserves cultural assets spanning the Toyo region widely, mainly in Japan as a comprehensive museum in Japan, for public viewing and conducts research related to this and educational dissemination project etc. , Aims to preserve and utilize cultural properties that are valuable national assets.

From April 1, 2007, the National Museum belonging to the National Museum of Japan and the National Institute for Cultural Properties to which the National Museum of Japan belongs were integrated, and the “National Institute of Cultural Properties” was launched. We will promote the preservation and utilization of cultural properties, which are precious national assets under the new corporation, more efficiently and effectively.