The Bussokuseki-kahi: Japan's Oldest Buddhist Poetry Inscribed in Stone

Deep within the Lecture Hall (Daikodō) of Yakushi-ji Temple in Nara lies one of Japan's most extraordinary National Treasures—the Bussokuseki-kahi (仏足跡歌碑), a slender slab of slate bearing 21 ancient poems composed in praise of the Buddha's sacred footprints. Dating to approximately 770 CE, this remarkable stone monument represents one of the earliest surviving records of the Japanese language, inscribed using the man'yōgana writing system that would eventually evolve into the hiragana and katakana scripts used in Japan today.

Standing alongside Japan's oldest known Buddha Footprint Stone (Bussokuseki), which dates to 753 CE, the poetry stele offers visitors a rare and intimate window into the devotional world of Nara-period Japan. The 21 poems carved into the stone capture the spiritual awe and sincere faith of people who lived over 1,250 years ago, expressed in a unique poetic form found almost nowhere else in Japanese literary history.

What Is the Bussokuseki-kahi?

The Bussokuseki-kahi is a stone stele measuring approximately 158 cm in height, 49.5 cm in width, and just 4 cm in thickness. It is carved from a type of slate (nenbangan) that has a natural tendency to split along thin planes—making its survival over more than twelve centuries all the more remarkable.

Inscribed on the surface of the stone are 21 poems written entirely in man'yōgana, an early writing system that uses Chinese characters purely for their phonetic values rather than their meanings. This is the same system employed in the Man'yōshū, Japan's oldest anthology of poetry. However, unlike the Man'yōshū, which survives only in later manuscript copies, the Bussokuseki-kahi preserves its text exactly as it was originally carved—an unaltered, authentic record from the Nara period.

The poems are arranged in upper and lower registers on the stone's surface, and each is composed in a distinctive meter of 5-7-5-7-7-7 syllables. This six-line form, with an extra seven-syllable line appended to the familiar 5-7-5-7-7 tanka structure, is known as the bussokuseki-katai (Buddha Footprint Stone poetic form). It is one of the rarest verse forms in Japanese literary history, found in only a handful of other works including a single poem each in the Kojiki and Man'yōshū.

Why Was It Designated a National Treasure?

The Bussokuseki-kahi was first designated as an Important Cultural Property in 1897, and elevated to National Treasure status in 1952. Its designation reflects several layers of exceptional cultural and historical significance.

As a kinsekirun (inscription carved directly into stone), the stele preserves the original characters, script style, and orthography of the Nara period without the errors and alterations that inevitably occur through hand-copying manuscripts over centuries. Scholars regard it as an invaluable primary source for understanding ancient Japanese phonology, writing conventions, and the development of the Japanese language itself.

The 21 poems also represent the only substantial collection of the bussokuseki-katai verse form, a unique poetic style that emerged in the Nara period and virtually disappeared by the Heian period. Additionally, the content of the poems reveals how ordinary people of the 8th century understood and internalized Buddhist teachings—offering rare insight into the spiritual life of ancient Japan that goes beyond the formal doctrines recorded in temple chronicles.

Together with the Bussokuseki (Buddha Footprint Stone) that stands nearby, the poetry stele forms an irreplaceable pair of artifacts documenting early Buddhist devotional practice in Japan.

The Poems: Voices from the Nara Period

The 21 poems are divided into two groups by headings inscribed on the stone. The first 17 poems bear the heading "Bō Butsu-seki" (Yearning for the Buddha's Footprints) and express devotion to the sacred footprints and the virtues of the Buddha. The remaining 4 poems are titled "Kashaku Shōji" (Reproaching the Cycle of Life and Death), meditating on the impermanence of human existence and the importance of following the Buddhist path.

While scholars have noted that the poems are artistically simple, this very directness gives them a distinctive spiritual power. One poem describes the sound of carving the Buddha's Footprint Stone as reaching heaven and shaking the earth—composed for the sake of all parents and all people. Another compares the brevity of human life to a flash of lightning, warning that the "great king of death" walks always at our side.

These poems were likely chanted as monks and devotees circumambulated the Buddha Footprint Stone in a ritual act of worship—an ancient Buddhist practice connecting Nara-period Japan to the earliest traditions of the faith in India.

The Buddha Footprint Stone: A Companion National Treasure

Standing near the poetry stele in the Daikodō is the Bussokuseki itself—Japan's oldest surviving Buddha Footprint Stone, dated by its inscription to 753 CE (Tenpyō Shōhō 5). According to the text carved on its sides, this stone traces its lineage back through a remarkable chain of transmission: from the original footprint at the Deer Park in Sarnath (where the Buddha delivered his first sermon), a copy was brought to the Chinese capital of Chang'an, and from there a Japanese envoy copied it and brought the image to Nara, where Prince Chinu (a grandson of Emperor Tenmu) had it carved in stone as a memorial offering.

The footprint itself measures just under 50 cm in length and bears the auspicious markings described in Buddhist scripture, including the Thousand-Spoked Wheel (senpuku-rin) at the center of each sole, along with symbols such as the vajra (thunderbolt), fish, treasure vase, and conch shell between the toes. These are among the Thirty-Two Marks of a Great Man (sanjūni-sō) attributed to the Buddha.

In the early centuries of Buddhism, before the creation of Buddha images, the footprint served as one of the primary symbols of the Buddha's presence, along with the Bodhi Tree and the stupa. The Yakushi-ji Footprint Stone thus connects visitors to the very origins of Buddhist devotional art.

Highlights and What to Look For

When visiting the Daikodō, take time to appreciate several key aspects of these National Treasures. The man'yōgana characters on the poetry stele offer a rare opportunity to see the earliest form of Japanese phonetic writing preserved in its original state. While some portions have been worn by time, many characters remain clearly legible after more than 1,200 years.

On the Bussokuseki, notice how the flat feet depicted reflect the Buddhist teaching that the Buddha's soles were perfectly even—one of his thirty-two auspicious physical characteristics. The intricate symbolic carvings between the toes and at the center of each foot are remarkably detailed for their age.

The Daikodō itself is a magnificent structure—the largest wooden building constructed in the 21st century, rebuilt in 2003 with a frontage of 41 meters. It enshrines the Maitreya Triad (Miroku Sanzon), an Important Cultural Property, adding to the spiritual atmosphere surrounding these ancient stone monuments.

Yakushi-ji Temple: A World Heritage Setting

Yakushi-ji is one of Japan's most historically significant Buddhist temples and a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara." Founded by Emperor Tenmu in 680 CE as a prayer for the recovery of his ailing consort (later Empress Jitō), the temple was originally built at Fujiwara-kyō and relocated to its present site in Nara around 718 CE.

The temple is the headquarters of the Hossō school of Japanese Buddhism and houses an extraordinary collection of National Treasures, including the famous Yakushi Triad (Yakushi Nyorai with Nikkō and Gakkō Bosatsu) in the Main Hall, the elegant Shō Kannon in the Tōin-dō, and the sole surviving original structure from the Hakuhō period—the East Pagoda (Tōtō), praised by the American philosopher Ernest Fenollosa as "frozen music."

The temple's ongoing restoration program, funded by the nationwide sutra-copying campaign initiated by the late Abbot Takada Kōin, has beautifully reconstructed the West Pagoda, Main Hall, Lecture Hall, and other buildings, giving visitors a vivid impression of Yakushi-ji's original splendor.

Nearby Attractions

The Nishinokyō area surrounding Yakushi-ji offers a wealth of cultural experiences. Just a 10-minute walk north stands Tōshōdai-ji Temple, another UNESCO World Heritage Site founded by the great Chinese monk Ganjin (Jianzhen) in 759 CE. Its Golden Hall (Kondō) is one of the finest surviving examples of Nara-period architecture.

The Ōike (Great Pond) southwest of Yakushi-ji provides one of the most iconic photographic views in all of Nara—the twin pagodas of Yakushi-ji reflected in the water with Mount Wakakusa in the background. This scene is particularly stunning at dawn and dusk.

Nearby Heijō Palace Site (Heijō-kyū Seki) preserves the remains of the imperial capital that once stood here, with the reconstructed Suzaku Gate and Daigoku-den offering a tangible connection to the same era in which the Bussokuseki-kahi was carved. For those interested in traditional culture, the Sugawara Tenman-gū shrine and Kikō-ji Temple are also within easy reach.