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- cosmic symbolism was complete only when the mantle was worn and the human body was physically enveloped and became part of the mandala, thus separating the monk from the secular world.
The kesa is a sacred symbol of Buddhism and is considered a physical reincarnation of the Buddhist teachings. Monks were presented with kesa at their ordination. This was one of the few possessions a monk would be permitted to own and became his most sacred vestment.
Sometimes an old master would give his kesa to his disciple signifying the transfer of his knowledge of Buddhism to his pupil. For example, the Japa�nese monk, Kukai (Kobo-daishi), who went to the Chinese capital in 804 as a member of an Embassy, apparently received a kesa from his Chinese master Huiguo. This symbolic transfer of the kesa from master to pupil meant that Kukai was the designated successor. He became the founder of the Shingon sect in Japan.
Special prayers were performed before donning or removing a kesa. When not worn, the kesa were carefully folded and preserved in special boxes or textile bags. The cleaning and repairing of kesa were also governed by a set of rules and regulations. Purified water and incense were selected for the wash�ing of a kesa and repairs had to be made with a certain type of stitch.
Because the Japanese have tremendous reverence for past traditions, Ja�pan can claim the greatest surviving concentration of kesa in the Buddhist world, and is therefore, the principal source of information on kesa. Japanese Buddhism has a highly institutional nature with strong beliefs in local and national pride and in preserving Buddhist relics.
Preserved kesa garments in Japan help not only in showing the magnifi�cence of Japanese Buddhist art, but also help to provide information on Japan's early textile industry. By tracing the development of the kesa styles, it enables us to appreciate and understand the incredible continuity of Japa�nese traditions.
Chronology of Kesa in Japan
From surviving kesa examples it is possible to distinguish three periods or stages for kesa development in Japan.
Period One begins in 552 with the introduction of Buddhism into Japan from Korea and extends through the Asuka (552-645), Nara (645-794) and Heian (794-1185) periods ending in 1185. It developed around six Buddhist sects. The early part of Period One runs roughly parallel with China's Tang dynasty (618-907) which, as was mentioned earlier, exerted great cultural and religious influence on Japan. Like in China, Buddhism in Japan was originally popular with the aristocracy and in time spread downwards to the lower classes.
There are relatively few surviving kesa from Period One. The oldest surviv�ing kesa in Japan, which probably all came from China, include the following: There are three kesa that once belonged to the Horyu-ji temple in Nara which are important but have a highly suspect provenance; one of the kesa is said to have belonged to Buddha himself; another is said to have belonged to
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