Tanjō butsu: The Buddha at Birth

Figures of Tanjō butsu are commonly found in Japan and Korea, and the Sainsbury Collection contains examples from both countries. [4] In Japan, the diminutive figure of the Buddha at Birth becomes the central icon in the religious rite of sprinkling the Buddha (J. Kanbutsu-e 潅仏会), which is performed every year on the 8th April to commemorate the birthday of Gautama Buddha. [5] In this ceremony, the figure of the infant Buddha is stood in a wide, shallow basin and washed with scented water or hydrangea tea (J. amacha 甘茶). It is said that when the Buddha was born, he was sprinkled with perfume or sweet rain by the dragon kings. [6] Kanbutsu-e recreates this legend and invites temple visitors to perform these lustrations using a small ceremonial ladle.

Kanbutsu-e was brought to Japan from China around the 7th century. The first recorded enactment of this rite took place at Gangōji temple in Nara in 606. [7] A tanjō butsu statue and its engraved metal basin (J. kanbutsuban 潅仏盤), made for Kanbutsu-e and dating from the Nara period (710-784), are preserved at Tōdaiji temple in Nara. [8] The Sainsbury Centre’s Tanjō butsu figure is from the same period.

In Kanbutsu-e a small shrine decorated with flowers (J. hanamidō 花御堂) is set up in front of one of the temple’s main halls to house the tanjōbutsu statue. [9] In Japan, Guatama Buddha’s birthday is also celebrated with the Flower Festival (J. Hanamatsuri 花祭り). This festival was invented in the 20th century and links celebrations held for the birth of the Buddha with the cherry blossom season in Japan. [10]

Lady Sainsbury purchased this figure of the Buddha from Mitsuru Tajima, owner of London Gallery.

Vanessa Tothill, January 2023

[1] The Japanese phrase is Tenjō tenga yuiga dokuson 天上天下唯我独尊. https://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/k/kanbutsue.htm [accessed 27/1/23]. This is sometimes translated as, ‘I am the chief of the world’. Jana Igunma, and San San May (eds), Buddhism: Origins, Traditions and Contemporary Life (London: The British Library, 2019), p. 37.

[2] Heinz Bechert and Richard Gombrich, The World of Buddhism: Buddhist Monks and Nuns in Society and Culture (London: Thames & Hudson Ltd., 1984, reprinted 2007), pp. 20-21.

[3] https://www.buddha-heads.com/buddha-head-statues/ears-of-the-buddha/

[accessed 27/1/23].

[4] ‘The Figure of the Infant Buddha’ from the Korean peninsular (object number 911). https://www.sainsburycentre.ac.uk/art-and-objects/911-figure-of-the-infant-buddha/ [accessed 27/1/23] [5] Buddha’s birthday is celebrated through East and Southeast Asia on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month. In Japan, the fixed date of the 8th April was decided during the Meiji period (1868-1912) with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. https://www.kanpai-japan.com/lifestyle/hana-matsuri-kanbutsue [accessed 27/1/23] [6] https://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/k/kanbutsue.htm [accessed 27/1/23] [7] https://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/k/kanbutsue.htm [accessed 27/1/23] [8] https://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/k/kanbutsue.htm [accessed 27/1/23]

These two objects have been designated National Treasures: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaka_at_Birth_(T%C5%8Ddai-ji)#/media/File:Shaka_at_birth_basin.JPG [accessed 27/1/23]; Penelope Mason, History of Japanese Art, Second Edition (New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005), pp. 93-4.

[9] https://www.kanpai-japan.com/lifestyle/hana-matsuri-kanbutsue [accessed 27/1/23] [10] https://www.kanpai-japan.com/lifestyle/hana-matsuri-kanbutsue [accessed 27/1/23]