The Precious Garland of Confession and Atonement

Tibetan Buddhist text The Precious Garland of Confession and Atonement (Mna’ bshags rin chen phreng ba).

• Circa 19th century.
• Hand-painted manuscript.

The cover image on this manuscript depicts the Buddha Shakyamuni. The two monks depicted on the following leaf, although unnamed, are typically two of the Buddha’s wisest disciples: Shariputra and Maudgalyana or Mahakashyapa. They typically flank the Buddha on altars and in artworks.

The text is written is a standard U-chan script, with a calligraphic style. The lines of text alternate between gold and silver pigments, or yellow and white to mimic these precious materials—a way of honoring the words of the Buddha. This text draws on the tradition of black or indigo-dyed manuscripts with its black text panels on each page, the margins left plain.

John C. Huntington, a professor of art history specializing in Tibetan Buddhist art, acquired these texts as a part of his personal study collection. In addition to relying on the collection for his own research and publications, he also incorporated it into his seminar courses and other teaching and mentoring during his long career at the Ohio State University.