Ban, Fragment with Sanskrit Characters and Bodhisattvas

{i=>[Hata, ban, bīja, shuji, samaya], content=>[ and , , Buddhist ritual banners, are hung throughout the grounds and within the halls of temples. These come from a set of thirty-two bodhisattvas of the Diamond World (Skt. Vajradhātu; J. Kongōkai) Mandala appearing across thirty-two banners. The bodhisattvas are embroidered in three forms: as their Sanskrit seed syllables (Skt. , ; J. , ), in their symbolic , form—the attribute that represents them—and in their form as an icon. The banners come from Hyōzu Taisha Shrine in Shiga.]}

— Museum description: Nara National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.