Category:

Municipally Designated Tangible Cultural Property (Archaeological artifact)

Title:

Manzoji itaishitoba

The Stele of Manzoji Temple

満蔵寺板石塔婆

No. of features:

One flat stone stele

Designated:

January 19, 1961

Location:

Manzoji Temple

902 Hizako, Minuma Ward

Owner:

The religious juridical person of Manzoji Temple

Description:

 Itaishitoba steles are flat, stone, pillar-shaped stupas used in Buddhist memorials. They are often inscribed with seed syllables (in Sanskrit, “bīja,”) Sanskrit characters representing the names of buddhas and bodhisattvas.

This itaishitoba stele is inscribed with the date “September 23, 1329”. It is marked with three seed syllables representing the Amitabha Triad of the buddha Amida (Amitabha) and the attending bodhisattvas Kannon (Avalokiteśvara) and Seishi (Mahāsthāmaprāpta). The seed syllables float upon lotus pedestals and are surrounded by a demarcation line.  The Mantra of Light is written below.

The stele is 110.5 cm tall, 3.3 cm thick, and 34.9 cm at its widest point.

Associated Texts:

(1979). “Survey Report on Omiya City’s Cultural Properties” (vol. 13). Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1981). “Survey Report on Omiya City’s Cultural Properties” (vol. 15). Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1986). “Cultural Properties in Omiya” (vol. 2). Omiya Board of Education.

This cultural property is not currently on public display. Please seek permission from its owners/curators before viewing. Please be courteous towards other visitors and the site’s owners/curators when visiting this cultural property.

Inquiries (Japanese only)

Cultural Heritage Preservation Division, Department of Lifelong Learning, Board of Education Secretariat　

TEL：048-829-1723 FAX：048-829-1989

https://www.city.saitama.jp/004/005/006/001/017/013/003/p000377.html