Or.81.c.10

Variant title: Kongōchōkyō 金剛頂經 [金剛頂経]

Variant title: Kongōchō daikyōōgyō 金剛頂大教王經 [金剛頂大教王経]

Variant title: Kongōchō yugakyō 金剛頂瑜伽經 [ 金剛頂瑜伽経]

Translator: Bukong 不空, also known as Amoghavajra, 6th master in the lineage of esoteric Buddhism in China, 705-74.

Imprint: [Kōyasan] , Kongōbuji 金剛峰寺, Kōan 2, 1279. Copyist: Nōkai 能海. Ganshu: Adachi Yasumori 安達泰盛. Kango / ganmon on last fold (recto and verso) of maki 3 reads: 弘安二年己卯七月十七日於金剛峯寺書訖 ／ 權少僧都能海 ／ 爲續三寶慧命於三會之出世 ／ 廣施一善利益於一切之衆生 ／ 是則守大師之遺誡偸令遂 ／ 小臣之心願謹以開印板矣 ／ 弘安二年己卯十二月日 ／ 從五位上行秋田城介藤原朝臣泰盛.

Description: 3 kan, 3 jō 帖 in a modern wooden box. (jō 1) 261 / 2 folds; (jō 2) 23 folds + bidai; (jō 3) 25 folds. 26 x 15.6 cm. Originally an orihon, now bound in senpūyō style with cloth reinforcement along spine.

Blockprint. Printing frame 22 x 15.2 cm. (average). No borders or vertical rules.

Kanbun text, with handwritten okurigana in black. 8 lines to each half-fold, 17 characters to line.

Renewed dark blue covers without title slips. Gedai handwritten in gold paint on left: Kongōchō daikyōōgyō maki dai 1 (2, 3) 金剛頂大教王經巻第一 (二, 三). Title from naidai at head of each maki. Bidai: 金剛頂瑜伽經. Printed on greyish paper.

Edition: This edition of Kōan 2 弘安二年 (1279) is the earliest traceable in reference works. It is a fine example of an early Kōya-ban. As stated in the ganmon quoted above, this edition was sponsored at the expense of Adachi Yasumori 安達泰盛 (1231-85), who is known to have commissioned the printing of at least six other Shingon works at Kōyasan between Kenji 3 (1277) and Kōan 3 (1280).

Contents: Text of the Vajraśekhara-sūtra, commonly known as the Kongōchōkyō 金剛頂經 in Japan, translated from the Sanskrit in 753 by the Indo-Chinese monk Bukong. This work, one of the three major scriptures of Shingon Buddhism, sets forth the teaching that the universe is a manifestation of Vairocana Buddha, whose image is reflected in the heart of every living being.