"The Realm of Beasts" from The Six Realms of Existence
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"The Realm of Beasts" from The Six Realms of Existence (detail), Kamakura period, 13th century (National Treasure, Lent by Shōjuraikōji Temple, Shiga)
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 2
August 6, 2024 (Tue) - September 8, 2024 (Sun)Buddhism teaches that after death, a person is reborn into one of the Six Realms of Existence. People who led moral lives are reborn as humans or heavenly beings. Those who did evil may be reborn as violent gods, animals, hungry ghosts, or beings condemned to hell. People feared suffering in these realms and prayed for rebirth in a Buddhist paradise called the Pure Land.
The work on display is from the oldest series of paintings depicting the Six Realms. Previously owned by Shōjuraikōji, a Buddhist temple near the city of Kyoto, it depicts the misery of people reborn as animals. In the upper right, people force an ox to plow a field and hunt deer for food. In the bottom left, crows pick at the flesh of a starving horse. Many people would have looked at this painting and engaged in moral contemplation, questioning whether they had led virtuous lives.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | National Treasure | "The Realm of Beasts" from "The Six Realms of Existence" | Kamakura period, 13th century | Lent by Shōjuraikōji Temple, Shiga |