"[Burmese Kammavaca Leaf]", Anon.

This is a single leaf from a 19th century Burmese Kammavaca, a Buddhist monk's ordination text. The text, written in Pali script, is part of a collection of extracts from the Pali Vinaya, the monastic code of discipline, outlining the rituals and observances of the Buddhist order and concerned principally with ordination and the bestowal of robes. The leaves are made of several layers of cloth, purportedly the fabric of discarded monks' robes, which have been lacquered to provide a rigid surface. The lacquered surface is gilded with gold leaf and the design is finely painted in red lacquer with the text in thick black lacquer made from tamarind seeds. This piece has text on one side; the other side is covered by rich gilt decoration with figures of deities in red lacquer. The whole in the middle of the left side is the binding hole - not a defect.

References:

Condition: B+

Top right corner slightly chipped else very good.