Illustrated is a carved wood panel from a
catalogue I found circa 1983. The panel was carved by Tsukigata Nahiko and
portrays a bonji or an ancient Sanskrit character which originated in Northern Indian
and through centuries of transmission made their way in to Japan and were used
by a variety of Buddhist sects for mantra(s) and sutra. This is the first bonji
I have seen carved by Tsukigata and the choice of wood, style of carving and
placement within the panel are just wonderful.
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