Mandala of the Sutra for Protecting Children
Color on silk · Kamakura period · 13th century · Chishaku-in, Kyoto
A mandala painted to protect children: the protagonist is not a Buddha but the Gandharva king who binds fifteen hostile spirits.
Exhibition: Celebrating 1250 Years Since the Birth of the Great Master Kūkai: Kūkai and the Treasures of Shingon Buddhism — Tokyo National Museum · –