"Sutra on the Wise and Foolish" (Called "Ōjōmu")

Exhibition information: There are currently no plans to exhibit this artwork at the TNM Collection Exhibitions.

Purportedly transcribed by Emperor Shomu (701–756), this fragment from the [Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish] is much admired for its robust calligraphy."

[Sutra on the Wise and Foolish] is a collection of Buddhist stories about wise and foolish people. The scroll on display here is a partial copy of the sutra dating to the 8th century.
For centuries, people believed this copy had been written by Emperor Shōmu (701–756), a devout supporter of Buddhism. The copy was named Ōjōmu (Great Shōmu) in honor of the emperor and came to be regarded as an exceptional work of calligraphy. Originally consisting of sixteen or seventeen scrolls, it was stored at Tōdaiji, a historic Buddhist temple in Nara.