Ryan Richard Overbey

The Consecration Scripture is a Chinese Buddhist anthology in twelve scrolls, likely compiled in the mid-fifth century CE. The sutras in this collection are overwhelmingly focused on rituals for protection, healing, divination, and the production of merit for the living and the dead. The length and narrative detail of the ritual anthology makes the Consecration Scripture a fascinating resource for understanding Buddhist anxieties, desires, and ritual practices. With its mixture of Buddhist, Daoist, and folk religion, the Consecration Scripture also provides a unique window into Chinese religions of the early medieval period. This is the first monograph-length study and translation of the Consecration Scripture.