Every Burmese Buddhist must spend a certain amount of time in a monastery during their youth. Afterwards, he may stay on as a monk or return to his family. A boy’s entry into a monastery is a great occasion for the family. On this occasion, wealthy parents or relatives of the novice will give him a ‘kammavaca’ manuscript. They are produced by specialists and contain sacred texts and instructions for monks. The present ‘kammavaca’ manuscript consists of 16 palm leaf segments, hardened with lacquer. Each page has 6 lines each in Burmese writing, written in black lacquer. Both covers are made of wood and carry, just like the end-paper and individual segments, sweeping, fine illustrations in red lacquer. Originally, the cover and segments of each ‘kammavaca’ manuscript were held together in the correct order by means of a bamboo peg in a through-hole.
The present manuscript has previously had the individual segments secondarily connected using sewn black cords, in order to hang it on a wall as a decorative ‘wall painting’. A spectacular object with minor age-related damage (minimal pieces broken off).
First third of the 20th century; dimensions: 62 cm x 16 cm x 6.5 cm (closed manuscript); 62 cm x 295 cm (completely unfurled as a ‘wall painting’). (ME)

Provenance: Austrian Private Collection.