Details

Standardized Title:

Tipiṭaka. Abhidhammapiṭaka. Dhammasaṅgaṇi

Subjects:

Māleyya.
Buddhism -- Rituals.
Heaven -- Buddhism.
Heaven.
Buddhism.
Hell -- Buddhism.
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Thai -- Specimens.
Thai literature.
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Thai.

Form/Genre:

Folded books.
Manuscripts, Thai.
Manuscripts.
Manuscripts, Digital.
Specimens.

Language:

In Pali (Dhammasaṅgaṇi) and Thai (Phra Malai) (Thai Khom).

Summary:

Illustrated manuscript of the Dhammasaṅgaṇi (a text chanted at funerals), followed by a text titled Phra Bahaanayya Sutta and the popular story of Phra Malai (a monk who visits heaven and hell).

Notes:

Written in 8 lines per illustrated folio and 10-12 lines per text folio.
Probably written in the 1880s (Justin McDaniel).
Manuscript written on samut khoi paper, white except for 1 black folio with gold text (f. A08); folded concertina- or accordion-style, including upper cover.
Illustrated with images including devas (gods) and devis (goddesses); scenes from the Rāmmakīan (Thai version of the Rāmāyaṇa); and 2 scenes from the Phra Malai.
Covers with a border formed of additional layers of heavy paper.

Penn Provenance:

Sold to Konrad and Sarah M. Bekker in the 1950s or 1960s; Konrad Bekker worked for the State Department in Asia and Sarah Bekker was an art historian.
Sold from the estate of Konrad and Sarah M. Bekker at auction at Sloans & Kenyon, 14-16 June 2013, lot 451.

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Coll. 990, Item 2

Contributor:

Bekker, Konrad, died 1981, former owner.
Bekker, Sarah M., died 2013, former owner.

Contains:

Phra Bahaanayya Sutta.
Phra Malai.

OCLC:

865505213