Japan: 'Hungry Ghosts Scroll'. Detail from a handscroll painting, late 12th century. Seventh section of the Hungry Ghosts Scroll located at the Kyoto National Museum. The scroll depicts the world of the hungry ghosts, one of the six realms of Buddhism and contains tales of salvation of the hungry ghosts. This particular section tells how Ananda, a disciple of Shakyamuni, passed on the method of salvation which was recounted in the sixth section of the same scroll. It shows monks offering food and drink to the spirits of the dead.

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Seventh section of the Hungry Ghosts Scroll located at the Kyoto National Museum. The scroll depicts the world of the hungry ghosts, one of the six realms of Buddhism and contains tales of salvation of the hungry ghosts. This particular section tells how Ananda, a disciple of Shakyamuni, passed on the method of salvation which was recounted in the sixth section of the same scroll. It shows monks offering food and drink to the spirits of the dead. The whole scroll has been designated a National Treasure of Japan in the category paintings. It was possibly part of a set of scrolls depicting the six realms which was kept at Sanjūsangen-dō.

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Size: 10000px × 1918px
Photo credit: © Pictures From History / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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