Shimousa Type “Itabi” of Image of the Amitabha Tripitaka

Date of Designation: August 5, 1982 

Location: 1841 Kobayashi (Komyo-ji Temple) 

“Itabi” or tablet is a memorial monument with a stone slab on which “Shuji” or Sanskrit characters representing Buddha, or a mantra is etched, and was erected in large numbers from the Kamakura to Muromachi periods. 

This tablet is approximately 97センチメートル high, 49センチメートル wide, and 14センチメートル thickthick, and is of the Shimousa type with “Shuji” of the Amitabha Buddha and Bodhisattvas engraved on biotite schist. 

In the center is Kilik, Amitabha Buddha; to the left is Sak, Seishi Bodhisattva; to the right is Sa, Kannon (Avalokitesvara) Bodhisattva; and Kilik is depicted seated on a lotus throne with a canopy and a circular halo. 

Above the upper edge of the square enclosing the images of Amitabha Tripitaka are inscriptions of the Dainichi Nyorai  Mantra【a,ba,la,ka,kya】, the Five Buddhas of the Vajrayana Realm 【bang, un, talak, kirik, aku】 on the right side of the right edge, and the Dainichi Nyorai Ho-jin Mantra 【a, bi, la, un, ken】 on the left side of the left edge.  The inscription below the lower edge reads, "The right person is the mother. The extremely bad man, without any other convenience, only says the Buddha's name and gets to be born in the ultimate bliss. April 10 of 4th year of Rekiou (1341 AD)”.

This tablet was built as a memorial to the maker's mother.

2024

Inzai City Education Board

Words in brackets are in Sanskrit.

In the center is Kilik, Amitabha Buddha; to the right is Sak, Seishi Bodhisattva; to the left is Sa, Kannon (Avalokitesvara) Bodhisattva; and Kilik is depicted seated on a lotus throne with a canopy and a circular halo.