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Secondary sourcePainting11th century CE

Shaka Rising from the Gold Coffin

11th century CE

An anonymous 11th-century Japanese hanging scroll showing the Buddha rising from his golden coffin to speak with his mother after death.

This painting imagines a legendary scene after the Buddha's death, reflecting how later generations retold and revered his story.

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A Japanese painting on silk showing the Buddha standing in a golden coffin-like halo at center, with a glowing gold mandorla behind him. Crowds of robed figures, monks, and red-skinned demons surround him in a dense, gold-toned scene with trees at the sides.
Shaka Rising from the Gold Coffin, anonymous, 11th century. Kyoto National Museum.

About this source

What it is

This hanging scroll, painted in colors on silk by an unknown artist in the late Heian period, depicts the resurrection of Shakyamuni Buddha as told in the Mahamaya Sutra. It is held at the Kyoto National Museum and designated a National Treasure of Japan.

Why it matters

The painting shows how stories about the Buddha continued to be reimagined long after his lifetime, blending religious teaching with dramatic storytelling. It depicts Buddha's mother Maya rushing to see her son after his death, and his final message that the law he taught would outlast him. The delicate brushwork and gold decoration reflect the refined court culture of the Fujiwara period.

Look closer

  • What emotions do you think the artist wanted viewers to feel looking at this scene?
  • Why might the artist have surrounded the Buddha with so many different figures, including demons and animals?
  • What does the scene tell us about how Buddhists imagined the relationship between death and teaching?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Buddha on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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