A Study of Various Aspects of Biography of the Buddha and Buddha’s Previous Lives: About Shakuson Eden, a Tibetan Illustrated Biography of the Buddha Śākyamuni in Tohkan TADA’s Collection
Basic Research Division
Specific Research Grants (Joint)
A Study of Various Aspects of Biography of the Buddha and Buddha’s Previous Lives:
About “Shakuson Eden”, a Tibetan Illustrated Biography of the Buddha Śākyamuni
in Tohkan TADA’s collection
FY 2024 to FY 2025
Principal Investigator
Tomoko Iwata (Professor, Ryukoku Museum)
Co-Investigators
Masaaki Nohnin (Professor, Faculty of Letters, Ryukoku University)
Kensuke Okamoto (Professor, Faculty of Letters, Ryukoku University)
Akira Miyaji (Emeritus Professor, Ryukoku University)
Shoko Nimura (Former Research Assistant, Ryukoku Museum)
Natsuko Akabane (Research Assistant, Ryukoku Museum)
Shin Amano (Part-time lecturer, Ryukoku University)
Research Type
Joint Research
Overview
This project will study the various materials already collected regarding the Tibetan Illustrated Biography of the Buddha Śākyamuni (“Shakuson Eden“), which was donated to Tada Tōkan (1890-1967), a Buddhist monk associated with Nishi Honganji in 1937, in accordance with the will of the 13th Dalai Lama. It will also collect additional related materials, conduct basic research, gather information, and study several other illustrated biographies of the Buddha with newly discovered connections to the Shakuson Eden.
Tada Tōkan was dispatched to Tibet in 1912 as a monk studying abroad, as part of the Otani Expeditions, under the order of the 22nd Head of Nishi Honganji, Kōzui Ōtani, in order to study Tibetan Buddhist culture. For about ten years, until he returned to Japan in March 1923, he studied the precepts and monastic discipline of both Early Buddhist Schools and Mahayana Buddhism, which traces back to India. He became an official Tibetan Buddhist monk and devoted himself to his studies while living in a monastery. He received direct instruction from the 13th Dalai Lama, the highest political and religious leader in Tibet. After returning to Japan, he collaborated with various academic research institutions in Japan, including our university and the Toyo Bunko, to organize and study the Tibetan Tripitaka and Buddhist art materials, and to publish the results of his research. In 1960, he was awarded the Japan Academy Prize.
Shakuson Eden (color on cotton, Hanamaki City Museum) is believed to have been produced in Tibet in the 17th century. This illustrated biography of the Buddha depicts approximately 120 scenes from the life of the Buddha, making it a huge and rare collection even by Asian standards. However, it is not well known even within Japan at present (in fact, many were amazed when this illustration was discussed at the international research conference Japanese Association for Tibetan Studies just before the COVID-19 pandemic), and research is still ongoing. This illustration is central to our study.
In addition, while continuing to collect examples of illustrated biographies of the Buddha, we have also had the opportunity to collect illustrated biographies of the Buddha’s previous lives, which depicts stories of Śākyamuni’s past lives. In this collaborative research project, we will conduct further research, including these newly discovered examples. In addition, we will continue to study and organize unsorted materials related to the Tada Tōkan materials held by Toyo Bunko (such as unpublished translation research notes).