Item Details

Kammavaca Manuscript.

Burma (Myanmar): nd [circa 19th cent.]. Kammavaca are among the most sacred of Burmese religious texts. Kammavaca (kammavaca in Pali) consist of nine Khandakas from the Pali Vinaya Pitaka, each of which relates to a specific ceremony associated with monks of the Theravada school of Buddhism. "Kammavaca are volumes of one, five, or nine extracts from the Theravadin Vinaya, each relating to specific ceremonies associated with monks. Noel F. Singer writes that the earliest kammavaca consisted of folios made of plain palm leaves, each of which had four lines of square-inked script on a gold or silver background." ("Kammavaca Texts: Their Covers and Binding Ribbons," Arts of Asia, 23, 1993) Each leaf holds six lines of Pali script written in square Burmese script in black magyi zi lacquer made from tamarind seed, between hatched (yazamat) borders. Each leaf is numbered in Burmese script. The leaves of this example have been fabricated from saffron-coloured textile - most probably the old robes of a venerated monk as was the practice - and then lacquered and cut into shape. A complete and very handsome copy. Very Good+. Minor rubbing and shelf/edge wear, binding hole through block, else bright and clean. Red lacquered cloth, gilt decorative elements, black ink lettering. 23.25"x5.16. 16 leaves between two teak boards, printed doubled sided save two leaves with decorative elements at verso. Item #6971

Price: $4,500.00