Chinese Buddhist Charm with Sanskrit Characters

A Chinese charm displaying non-Chinese characters was recently featured on the website of the Beijing Hanhai Auction Company (北京翰海拍卖有限公司).

The only information provided, besides its size and weight, is that the charm “has writing from one of the ethnic minority groups of China”.  No translation is offered nor is there any hint as to the charm’s possible purpose.

At the left is the obverse side of the charm.

The shape of the characters and the colors of the patina make for a visually striking appearance much more akin to an ancient Chinese bronze.

The checkered field between the characters adds to its attractiveness.

This charm is not well documented but some experts believe it to be a Chinese Buddhist charm.

The inscription is not written in the script of one of the ethnic minorities of China but rather in Sanskrit.

The inscription is believed to be “a mi tuo fo” (啊弥陀佛).  “A mi tuo” (啊弥陀) is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word “Amida” which means “boundless”.  The “fo” (佛) refers to Buddha.

The inscription thus references the Amida Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism and the expression “a mi tuo fo” is considered to be a Buddhist blessing with the general meaning of “may Buddha protect” or “take refuge in the Buddha”.

The reverse side of the charm also has four Sanskrit characters but, unfortunately, the meaning of the inscription is still not understood.

Although Buddhist temple coins were popular during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the first appearance of this Buddhist charm with its Sanskrit inscription is believed to have occurred during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The charm has a diameter of 41.6 mm, a thickness of 2.1 mm, and a weight of 17.9 grams.

Please visit Buddhist Charms for additional images and a more detailed discussion of the history of Buddhist temple coins and charms in China.