Glossary of Selected Japanese
and Sanskrit Terms and Na mes
Note: Japanese words are romanized according to the standard Hepburn system,
followed by a rendering in Japanese/Chinese characters. Sanskrit words are
transliterated according to the simplified system commonly employed in nonspecialized
texts, followed, where there is a variance, by the standard scholarly
transliteration.
ajari (J. ; Sk. āchārya, ācārya): “Holy teacher.” Title given to priests who
have received Shingon or Tendai esoteric initiation. There are two ranks,
great ajari (J. ; dai ajari) and ordinary ajari.
A-ji-kan (J. ): “Meditation on the Letter A,” in which the Sanskrit A
(both as sound [ah] and in its written form) is perceived to be the uncreated
essence of all things, the Dharma-kāya, Dainichi Buddha. The most
important of many Shingon meditative practices.
Amida-nyorai (J. ; Sk. Amitābha [“infinite light”] or Amitāyus
[“infinite life”] Tathāgata): One of the five Buddhas of the Diamond
Realm, residing in the West and associated especially with compassion.
Amida is the primary Buddha in the Pure Land sects, which emphasize
Amida’s vow to accept into his Gokuraku paradise all who sincerely call on
his name.
Ashuku-nyorai (J. ; Sk. Akshobhya, Akşobhya Tathāgata): The name means
“immovable.” One of the five Buddhas of the Diamond Realm, residing in
the East and representing the Wisdom of the Perfect Mirror (that is, seeing
all things precisely as they are). Ashuku’s primary emblem is the fivepronged
vajra. In esoteric Buddhism, Yakushi, the healing Buddha, is
equated with Ashuku.
a-un (Sk. om ; J. , on): Also AUM or OM. A mystic syllable that announces
the presence of the absolute in the phenomenal world, the perpetual outward
(a) and inward (un) flow of the progenitive Diamond Breath. At
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Kōyasan the sound is “observed” in the open-mouthed and close-mouthed
guardian deities at the Great Gate (Daimon) and in the two guardian dogs
at the Myōjin-sha. It begins the darani of the Diamond Realm. One of the
most complex and comprehensive symbols of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Benzaiten (J. ; Sk. Sarasvatī): Also Benten or Daibenzaiten. A goddess who
variously grants wisdom, beauty, wealth, victory, protection from danger, eloquence
in speech or music, and other benefits. Derives from an Indian river
goddess. Has an eight-armed form and a two-armed form. In the latter form
she plays a lute (biwa) and appears in the Womb Realm Mandala.
Bodhisattva (Sk.; J. , bosatsu): Literally, “enlightenment being.” A transcendent
being who has attained enlightenment but renounced entry into
Nirvāna in order to assist other sentient beings gain enlightenment. Often
takes on the suffering of others or transfers own personal merit. Among the
most popular are Jizō, Kannon, Fugen, and Kōkuzō. The term also may be
applied to a person whose striving for enlightenment is distinguished by
altruism.
bon (J. ): Japan’s major mid-August festival honoring the ancestral dead.
bonnō (J. ; Sk. klesha, kleśa): “Evil passions” (karma bonds) that pollute the
human mind and body. Some commentaries hold that there are 108 of
these afflictions.
Busshō-e (J. ): The ceremonial observance of Shākyamuni’s birthday,
April 8. Also known as the Hana-matsuri, or Flower Festival.
Butchō (J. ; Sk. ushnīsha, uşņīşa): A fleshy protuberance on the crown of
the head that indicates the attainment of Buddhahood. One of the thirtytwo
distinguishing marks (sanjūni-sō) on the body of the Buddha.
butsudan (J. ): A Buddhist altar, most especially in a private home or private
quarters of a temple, where family ancestors are enshrined and religious
rites performed.
chigo (J. ): A child, especially one who represents a divinity at a festival.
Chō-ishi-michi (J. ): “Chō-stone-path.” The primary pilgrimage trail
that ascends Kōyasan. Extends from Jison-in near the Kinokawa River to
the Daitō at Kōyasan, and thence to Kōbō Daishi’s tomb. Named for the
stone markers spaced one chō (109 meters) apart along the route.
Dainichi Nyorai (J. ; Sk. Māhāvairochana [Māhāvairocana] Tathāgata):
The Great Sun Buddha. The Essence of the cosmos. Ultimate Reality.
All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and all their teachings, emanate from
Dainichi.
Daishi Kyōkai Honbu (J. ): Daishi Mission Headquarters. A
training and worship center at Kōyasan devoted primarily to the laity.
340 sacred ko¯yasan
Daishi-tanjō-e (J. ): The “Daishi Nativity Ceremony,” held on June
15. Also known as the Aoba matsuri, or “Blue (Green) Leaves Festival.”
Daitō (J. ): Great Stūpa. At Kōyasan the massive central “pagoda” built in
the form of a tahōtō (“tower of many treasures”). It enshrines Dainichi
Buddha, whose cosmic body it represents. See also stūpa.
dan (J. ): The square altar table in a sanctuary where the offering rituals are
performed. The dan for a fire offering is called a goma-dan.
Denpō-kanjō (J. ): The formal “Dharma-transmission initiation” into
the esoteric priesthood.
deshi (J. ): A student formally receiving instruction from a teaching priest
or master, the shisō.
Dharma (Sk.; J. , hō): Close to the English word “religion,” but with a wider
connotation: law, truth, ethics, universal norms. A summational term for
principles of conduct that are conducive to good karma. Also used to refer
to the totality of Buddhist teaching.
Dharma-kāya (Sk.; J. , hosshin): The transcendent body (kāyā) of the
Buddha that equates with Ultimate Reality, the Essence of the Universe. In
Shingon Buddhism this body directly reveals the fundamental esoteric
teachings. The two other Buddha bodies are the enjoyment body (Sk.
sambhoga-kāya, sam bhoga-kāya) that enjoys bliss in paradise and the transformation
body (Sk. nirmāna-kāya, nirmān a-kāya) by which a Buddha
appears on earth—Shākyamuni, for example.
dōjō (J. ): Literally, “hall of the way.” A hall or location reserved for religious
practice and the worship of the Buddha.
ema (J. ): Literally, “horse picture.” A small wooden tablet (usually fivesided)
with a votive picture on the front and a written appeal on the back.
The tablet is hung at the shrine of a kami or, more rarely, a Buddhist
divinity.
En-no-Gyōja (J. ): En-the-Ascetic (b. 634?). Also known as En-noOzunu.
A semilegendary Buddhist mountain ascetic believed to have
achieved miraculous powers. Patriarch of the mountain sect Shugendō,
whose followers are called yamabushi (“one who sleeps in the mountains”).
Fudō Myō-ō (J. ; Sk. Achala-vidyā-rāja, Acala-vidyārāja): “Immovable
Mantra King.” The best known of the myō-ō and, despite his frightening
demeanor, among the most beloved and trusted of Japanese Buddhist
deities. A direct manifestation and servant of the Great Sun Buddha.
fusuma (J. ): An interior screen or sliding door made of two thicknesses of
paper stretched over a wooden frame. Usually covered with a painting or
decorative design.
glossary 341
garan (J. ; Sk. samghārāma, sam ghārāma): The courts and buildings of a
Buddhist temple referred to collectively. At Kōyasan the term is applied to
the halls and large court at the original temple location.
gasshō (J. ; Sk. añjali): A gesture of salutation or reverence made by joining
one’s palms together and placing them before the breast.
Gobutsu (J. ): The comprehensive central “five Buddhas” in esoteric Buddhism.
In the Diamond Realm Mandala the Gobutsu are depicted with
Dainichi in the center surrounded by the four directional Buddhas: Ashuku,
Hōshō, Amida, and Fukūjōju. In the Womb Realm Mandala the equivalent
directional Buddhas are Hōdō, Kaifuke, Muryōju, and Tenkuraion.
gobyō (J. ): A place of burial. At Kōyasan applied almost exclusively to
Kōbō Daishi’s mausoleum.
godai-myō-ō (J. ): The Five Great Kings of Light (or Mantra Holders),
each a direct manifestation of one of the Five Buddhas. With fierce
demeanor they protect Buddhism, subdue evil, and aid those in search of
enlightenment. There are other myō-ō (Sk. vidyārāja) beside the five, most
importantly (at Kōyasan) Aizen Myō-ō. The myō-ō occupy their own mansion
in the Womb Realm Mandala.
goeika (J. ): A choral chanting of sacred songs to the accompaniment of
hand bells.
gokuraku (J. ; Sk. Sukhāvatī): “Highest joy.” The paradise of Amida
Buddha and, by popular extension, any heavenly paradise.
Gokusho (J. ): Offering Hall. The large hall at the Okunoin where various
offerings are prepared, including Kōbō Daishi’s two daily meals.
Goma (J. ; Sk. homa): The ritual act of burning special votive sticks and
other materials as an offering to a deity. The offering may be performed for
a wide range of objectives, such as stopping some calamity, destroying evil
passions, and gaining enlightenment. A saitō-goma is a large-scale outdoor
version of the ritual that includes a central pyre of logs and often the burning
of thousands of soe-goma-gi (“attached-goma-sticks”). A “fire walk” over
hot coals usually concludes a saitō-goma.
gorintō (J. ): Literally, “five-ringed tower.” A tombstone made up of five
vertically placed stones, each stone carved to represent one of the five elements
(earth, water, fire, air, space). The monument as a whole represents
both the sixth element, consciousness, and the Dharma body of the Great
Sun Buddha.
goryō (J. ): An unquiet or vengeful spirit who may have died unhappily
and without receiving appropriate rites. Such a spirit can be pacified
through specific ceremonies known as goryō-e.
342 sacred ko¯yasan
Go-shichinichi-no-mishuhō (J. ): “Imperial Rite of the Second
Seven Days of the New Year.” Often shortened to mishuhō. Grand ceremony
inaugurated by Kōbō Daishi for the purpose of praying for the
health of the Emperor and the peace of the nation. Originally held at the
Imperial Palace, but now at Tō-ji in Kyōto.
gumonji-hō (J. ): A lengthy and demanding ritual practice, dedicated
to Kokūzō Bodhisattva, for obtaining an enhanced memory and understanding
of the scriptures, thus assisting one toward enlightenment. Performed
several times by Kōbō Daishi.
Gyoi-kaji (J. ): “Precious Clothes Incantation.” The ceremony held at
Hōki-in on March 17 during which Kōbō Daishi’s new robe and other garments
are purified.
haibutsu kishaku (J. ): “Abolish the Buddha, destroy Shākyamuni.” A
slogan of Japan’s anti-Buddhist activists during the early Meiji period.
hanamidera (J. ): A bower of flowers made to shelter a small statue of the
infant Shākyamuni or the infant Kōbō Daishi during celebrations of their
respective nativities.
Hannya-rishu-kyō (J. ; Sk. Prajñā-pāramitā-naya-sūtra): Often
shortened to Rishu-kyō. The teaching of perfect wisdom conveyed to
Kongōsatta by the Great Sun Buddha. In the Shingon sect the Rishu-kyō
is chanted each morning as the core sūtra of the Rishu-zammai-hōyō
service.
Hannya-shin-gyō (J. ): A very short sūtra (262 characters) that represents
the essence of the long Prajñā-pāramitā-sūtra, an expression of the
transcendental wisdom of emptiness (Sk. shūnyatā, śūnyatā). Frequently
chanted from memory by the laity and often copied for shakyō.
Henjō-kongō (J. ): Roughly, “the light that shines everywhere and is as
eternal as the diamond.” The esoteric name given to Kōbō Daishi by his
Chinese mentor, Hui-kuo. Also the esoteric name of Dainichi-nyorai.
henro (J. ): A religious pilgrim.
hibutsu (J. ): Literally, “secret Buddha.” A Buddha image that is hidden
permanently or revealed only on special occasions.
higan-e (J. ): A Buddhist ceremony for the dead held at the spring and
fall equinoxes. Higan translates as “the other shore.”
hijiri (J. ): Itinerant holy men who at times lived in large numbers at Kōyasan
(the kōya-hijiri) and did much to spread the fame of the mountain and its
founder.
hōin (J. ): The highest liturgical office at Kōyasan, held for one year by a
senior priest who acts as Kōbō Daishi’s ceremonial surrogate.
glossary 343
honden (J. ): The main shrine or inner sanctuary where a kami is
enshrined. A haiden is an oratory or hall (or space) for worship that stands
in front of a honden.
hondō (J. ): The main hall of a temple where the honzon is enshrined.
honji suijaku (J. ): The theory that the Shintō gods are incarnations of
Buddhist divinities.
honzon (J. ): A temple’s principal object of worship.
hotoke (J. ): A Buddha. Or an ancestral spirit that after a period of time and
with proper ritual support becomes a Buddha. Hotoke ni naru, “to become
a Buddha,” is a polite term for dying.
Hui-kuo (Ch.; J. , Keika): (746–805) The Chinese mentor to Kōbō Daishi
and the seventh of Shingon’s Eight Patriarchs of the Propagation of Doc-
trine.
ihai (J. ): A memorial tablet on which the posthumous name of a deceased
person is written.
ikebana (J. ): Literally, “flowers kept alive.” The art of flower arrangement,
with ancient origins in the practice of preparing flower offerings for
Buddhist deities.
Inari (J. ): Formerly a Japanese god of the rice harvest, but now a god who
assists with almost any enterprise. Closely linked to Kōbō Daishi, especially
as the primary guardian deity of Tō-ji temple in Kyōto. Also a guardian of
Kōyasan.
Iroha-uta (J. ): The Japanese syllabary ingeniously arranged in a
sequence that forms a Buddhist poem. Its composition is popularly attributed
to Kōbō Daishi.
Jizō Bosatsu (J. ; Sk. Kshitigarbha-bodhisattva, Ksitigarbha-bodhisattva):
Literally, “womb of the earth.” Popularly venerated as protector of
the suffering dead, especially the children. Also protector of travelers. Has
the appearance of a simple monk.
Jōdō-shin-shū (J. ): The “True Essence Pure Land Sect” founded c.
1224 by Hōnen’s disciple Shinran. Usually referred to as Shin-shū. More
revolutionary than Jōdo-shū in that it abandoned the vinaya precepts, permitted
its priests to live as laymen (get married, eat meat, etc.), and gave
less stress to the nembutsu. Teaches total dependence on Amida’s grace for
salvation.
Jōdō-shū (J. ): The “Pure Land Sect” founded by Hōnen in 1175.
Teaches that anyone who believes in Amida’s original vow and recites the
nembutsu will be reborn in Amida’s Pure Land.
Jūjū-shin-ron (J. ): “The Ten Stages of the Development of the
Mind.” The title of Kōbō Daishi’s discourse on the evolution of human reli-
344 sacred ko¯yasan
gious thought and temperament from the most primitive stage to the most
transcendent.
juzu (J. ): A string of prayer beads. The standard Shingon juzu has 108
beads.
kaimyō (J. ): An honorific posthumous name assigned by a priest.
kaji (J. ): A transference of the Buddha’s compassionate power to provide
physical health and peace of mind, usually in association with specific
prayers and rituals.
kakejiku (J. ): A decorative hanging scroll. At Kōyasan often refers to a
long scroll that displays the seals of the eighty-eight temples of the Shikoku
pilgrimage.
Kakuban (J. ): (1095–1143) A head abbot who did much to revitalize
Kōyasan, but was driven from the mountain in 1140 when he attempted to
introduce new doctrines. Kakuban’s followers later founded the Shingi
branch of the Shingon Sect.
kami (J. ): In general use refers to indigenous “Shintō“ deities, many of whom
were assimilated into Buddhism during the eleventh and twelfth centuries
through identification with Buddhist figures. Also may be used to describe
any person, object, entity, or place that has a sacred, numinous quality.
kanchō (J. ): The chief abbot. The elected superintendent priest of
Kōyasan.
kanjō (J. ; Sk. abhisheka, abhiseka): A formal anointing or consecration
ceremony that confers important powers.
karma (Sk.; J. , gō): A principle of causality that holds that the intention of
every thought, word, and deed, whether good or evil, imprints a latent
influence on one’s life that produces an eventual corresponding effect, often
in future lifetimes.
kechien-kanjō (J. ): A Shingon initiation rite during which a priest or
lay devotee is bonded more closely to the Buddha. Among the several ceremonial
devices employed are the dropping of a shikimi leaf on a mandala
while blindfolded and having one’s head sprinkled with water.
kegyō (J. ): A period of intense practice that the monks and priests of
Kōyasan enter from time to time. A formal one-hundred-day shidō kegyō is
a requirement in seminary training.
kesa (J. ): An outer vestment worn by priests. Considered a sacred symbol
of the priesthood and the Buddhist faith.
kō (J. ): A lay religious association.
Kōbō Daishi (J. ): “Dharma-spreading Great Teacher.” Posthumous
name awarded priest Kūkai (774–835), founder of the Japanese Shingon
sect and the monastery on Kōyasan. See also Kūkai.
glossary 345
Kōmyō-shingon (J. ): “Mantra of Light.” A basic Shingon mantra by
which evil karma is destroyed by the light of the Buddha.
kondō (J. ): “Golden hall.” The chief hall of a large Buddhist temple com-
pound.
Kongōbu-ji (J. ): “Diamond Peak Temple.” The name selected by
Kōbō Daishi for the overall temple-monastery he founded on Kōyasan. The
name now usually applies only to the central headquarters temple of the
mountain, which also is the headquarters of the international Kōyasan
Shingon-shū branch of Shingon.
Kongō-kai (J. ; Sk. Vajra-dhātu): The “Diamond Realm” that represents
the Wisdom aspect of the Great Sun Buddha. Depicted in the Kongō-kai
(Diamond Realm) Mandala.
Kōya-maki (J. ): Japanese umbrella pine. Bundles of this lush, long-lasting,
dark-needled pine are sold to visitors for decorating family graves and
butsudan. Said to contain the spirit of Buddhism.
Kōyasan (J. ): Mount Kōya, named for the elevated level valley (kōya)
where the temple monastery is built.
Kūkai (J. ): The assigned ordination name of Saeki no Mao (774-835),
born in Sanuki Province, Shikoku, founder of the Shingon sect and
Kōyasan. The name literally means “sky-sea,” but perhaps is better rendered
as “the ocean of emptiness.” See Kōbō Daishi.
kyō (J. ; Sk. sūtra): A scripture that conveys the Buddha’s teaching.
kyōzō (J. ): A storehouse for Buddhist scripture.
Mahāyāna (Sk.; J. , Daijō): Literally, “the Great Vehicle (of salvation).”
The dominant form of Buddhism in China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan, and
therefore often referred to as the Northern School. Emphasizes the Bodhisattva
ideal of renouncing Nirvāna in order to work for the enlightenment
of all people. Usually teaches that earthly desires, when properly redirected,
are inseparable from enlightenment. The contrasting term
Hīnayāna (Sk.; J. shōjō; literally, “small or lesser vehicle” of salvation), once
a common description of southern Buddhism, is now largely avoided.
mandala, man d ala (Sk.; J. , mandara): A visual representation of the
forces—Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and other divine beings—that make up the
cosmic order. Esoteric mandalas usually follow the model of the ground
plan of a symmetrical palace with a square central court and exterior
entrances in each of the four directions. Used as aids in various rituals and
as objects of meditation.
mani-shu (J. ; Sk. chintāmani, cintāman i): A sacred globular gem with a
pointed top, often surrounded by flame, that represents the Buddha and his
teaching. May be equated with the nyoi-shu, a symbol of Bodhichitta, the
346 sacred ko¯yasan
compassion that impels one to seek enlightenment for the sake of all living
beings. Is the primary emblem of the Daitō at Kōyasan.
mantra (Sk., J. , shingon): “True word.” A mystical syllable, word, or
phrase, usually chanted, employed to concentrate the mind and effect spiritual
and temporal change. Mantra made up of longer verses are called
darani (J. ; Sk. dhāranī, dhāran i).
mappō (J. ): The final period of the decay of the Dharma during which
people find it all but impossible to understand or practice Shākyamuni’s
teachings, and therefore are in need of an easier path to salvation. In Japan
mappō was thought to have begun in 1052. The concept is important in
Pure Land Buddhism but generally rejected by Shingon.
miedō, or mieidō (J. ): “Hall of the honorable portrait.” A hall where an
image (usually a painting) of a noble priest or founder of a temple is
enshrined.
Mikkyō (J. ): Literally, “esoteric (secret, hidden, difficult, profound, mystical)
doctrines.” Contrasted with kengyō, “exoteric doctrines.” According to
tradition the esoteric doctrines were made known by Dainichi, the Dharmabody
Buddha, and subsequently transmitted through a succession of receiving
patriarchs (Kongōsatta, Nāgārjuna, etc.). After surfacing in India in the
seventh and eight centuries, Mikkyō was carried to China in the eighth,
then introduced to Japan as Shingon Esoteric Buddhism in the ninth by
Kōbō Daishi. Mikkyō also was incorporated into Tendai by Saichō and
others. Sometimes referred to as Mantrayāna, Vajrayāna, and Tantrayāna.
mikkyō-no-hana (J. ): Esoteric flower arrangement.
mikoshi (J. ): An ornate covered litter for transporting a deity from one
location to another.
Miroku (J. ; Sk. Maitreya): The Buddha of the future, now dwelling in the
Tushita heaven (Sk. Tusita; J. , Tosotsu).
mokujiki (J. ): “Wood-eating.” An ascetic practice limiting the diet to fruit,
berries, and nuts, all of which grow on vines and trees, and abstaining from
rice and other grains.
mudrā (Sk.; J. , inzō): Literally, “sign.” Symbolic poses of the hands and fingers
used in conjunction with mantras during meditation. Specific mudrā
usually are associated with the enlightenment or vows of a particular
Buddha, Bodhisattva, or other divinity. Mudrā were introduced to Japan by
Kōbō Daishi and are employed primarily by followers of Shingon and
Tendai.
muen-botoke (J. ): The forgotten or “unconnected” dead who have no
one to mourn for them or perform rituals in their behalf. Gravestones of
the muen-botoke are called muen-tō.
glossary 347
myōjin-sha (J. ): Shrine for a “bright kami” or deity. The term usually
implies a shrine where the deity is thought to be a combined kami and
Buddha (or Bodhisattva).
Nāgārjuna (Sk.; J. , Ryūju): (c. 150–c. 250) One of the chief philosophers
of Mahāyāna Buddhism and the first of Shingon’s Eight Patriarchs of the
Propagation of Doctrine. Legend has Nāgārjuna receiving the basic esoteric
sūtras in a miraculous Iron Tower in southern India.
naijin (J. ): Literally, “inner section.” The inner sanctuary of a hondō where
the honzon and altar are located and where the rituals are performed. The
gejin, or outer section, is primarily a gathering place for those witnessing
the ceremony.
Nehan-e (J. ): Ceremonial commemoration of Shākyamuni’s entering
Nirvāna (Feb. 15).
nembutsu (J. ): Literally, “thinking of the Buddha.” Usually refers to the
chanted invocation “namu-Amida-butsu” (“I take refuge in Amida
Buddha”) with the intention of gaining rebirth in Amida’s western paradise
after death. A practice of the various Pure Land sects.
Nirvāna (Sk. Nirvān a; J. , Nehan): Literally “extinction,” but more accurately
a mode of blissful existence that is free from the effects of karma and
change. In esoteric Buddhism the emphasis is on union with the universal
wisdom and compassion of Dainichi, the cosmic Buddha, and consequently
on continued service to others.
nō (J. ): Noh drama. A highly stylized poetic dance-drama, often employing
masks, that originated in the fourteenth century. Nō plays frequently
address Buddhist themes.
nōkotsudō (J. ): A special temple hall for the interment of cremated
remains.
nōkyō-chō (J. ): An album carried by pilgrims in which the stamp or seal
of each visited temple is entered.
nyonin-kinzei (J. ): “No women allowed.” The policy of excluding
women from sacred areas or areas reserved for male religious practice.
Nyonin-Kōya (J. ): “Kōya for Women.” Shingon temples specially
dedicated to providing women with the religious training and experience
denied them by their exclusion from Kōyasan.
nyūjō (J. ): Literally, “entering into meditation (Sk. samādhi).” At Kōyasan
the term is applied especially to the meditation Kōbō Daishi entered at the
end of his life and which he still sustains at his place of burial.
o-fuda (J. ): A type of talisman purchased at a temple or shrine that brings
good luck or wards off bad influences. Usually a flat, slightly-tapered piece
348 sacred ko¯yasan
of wood stamped with the temple/shrine name and wrapped in white
paper.
ōhiroma (J. ): The grand room. A large public room in a temple where
major gatherings and ceremonies are held.
okunoin (J. ): An especially sacred “inner hall or sanctuary” located in a
remote area of a temple property. At Kōyasan the Okunoin is composed of
Kōbō Daishi’s mausoleum, the dozen or so halls and residences that support
the ceremonial observances at the mausoleum, and the forest cemetery
through which pilgrims make their approach.
Rishu-zammai-hōyō (J. ): The primary morning ceremony at
most Shingon temples, used for such purposes as venerating the honzon,
healing the sick, and assisting the dead. Central to the ceremony is the
chanting of the Hannya-rishu-kyō.
rokudai (J. ): The Six Elements (earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness)
that are the basic ingredients of the universe. The six fully interpenetrate
one another, thus supporting the essential unity of temporal phenomena
and unchanging ultimate reality (that is, the unity of the Womb and
Diamond Realms).
Ryōbu-mandara (J. ): The “Dual Mandala” made up of the Kongōkai
and Taizō-kai mandalas. Although each mandala emphasizes a different
aspect of Dainichi Buddha, the two are fully equivalent.
Ryōbu Shintō (J. ): “Two-sided” or “Dual” Shintō, which holds that
the indigenous gods of Japan are manifestations of various Buddhist divinities.
For example, the sun deity Amaterasu of Ise Jingū is a manifestation of
Dainichi Buddha. The theory is associated especially with Shingon.
Saichō (J. ): (767–822) Founder of the Japanese Tendai sect (Ch. T‘ien-t‘ai)
and of Enryaku-ji temple on Mount Hiei near the capitol. Posthumously
named Dengyō Daishi.
saisen bako (J. ): The donation boxes found in front of nearly all Shintō
and Buddhist shrines.
samādhi (Sk.; J. , jō): Meditation. The condition of mind that is reached
through meditation. See also nyūjō.
sannō (J. ): Mountain king or mountain god.
Senshū-gakuin (J. ): The one year “Specialization School” at Kōyasan
for training male priests in ritual practice. Women attend the Nisō-gakuin.
settai (J. ): An offering made to a pilgrim (henro).
shakujō (J. ): Literally, “copper staff.” A monk’s wooden walking staff with
a top of loose metal rings that rattle. The approaching noise warns ground
insects and other creatures away or, alternatively, awakens them from
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illusory dreams. Commonly held by images of Jizō, En-no-Gyōja, and
Kōbō Daishi when he appears as a traveling monk.
Shākyamuni, Śākyamuni (Sk.; J. , Shakamuni, Shaka, Shakuson): Literally,
“Sage of the Shaka Clan.” Epithet for the historical Buddha and founder of
Buddhism who lived in India around 500 BCE.
shakyō (J. ): The religious practice of sūtra copying.
shari (J.; Sk. sharīra, śarīra): A relic, especially of the Buddha.
shido kegyō (J. ): “Preparatory Fourfold Enlightenment Practice.” An
intense one-hundred-day practice that is part of Kōyasan’s seminary training.
shikimi (J. ): The illicium religiosum, or star anise. A native evergreen shrub
dedicated to the Buddha and employed in the kechien-kanjō ceremony. Also
pronounced shikibi.
shinbessho (J. ): An isolated residence or hermitage. At Kōyasan it is the
popular name for Entsūritsu-ji, a remote, deep woods training center for
priests.
Shingon-shū (J. ): Literally, “True Word Sect.” The school of Esoteric
Buddhism systematized by Hui-kuo and Kōbō Daishi and introduced to
Japan by Kōbō Daishi in the early ninth century. Kōyasan Shingon-shū is
the branch of Shingon with headquarters at Kongōbu-ji.
shisō (J. ): A teacher priest who gives religious instruction and guidance to
a student disciple (J. , deshi).
shōji (J. ): Sliding screens of one thickness of undecorated, white, semiopaque
paper stretched over a wooden lattice. Designed to admit a soft
light through windows and doorways while providing privacy.
Shōjin-ryōri (J. ): Literally, “a diet in pursuit of enlightenment.” The
temple diet; vegetarian, with some further restrictions. The term also
implies the proper method of preparing and arranging food.
Shō-mieku (J. ) “Exact Day Ceremony of the Sacred Portrait.” Ceremonial
commemoration of the anniversary of Kōbō Daishi’s entering into
his final meditation. Observed both on the solar anniversary (March 21),
when the primary venue is the Tōrōdō, and on the lunar anniversary (21st
day of 3rd lunar month), when the primary venue is the Miedō.
shōmyō (J. ): The chanting of Buddhist hymns and verses. A major religious
practice and area of study.
Shugei-shuchi-in (J. ): Innovative school founded by Kōbō Daishi
in 828 near Tō-ji in the capital. Also the name of the present-day college at
Tō-ji.
Shugyō Daishi (J. ): A popular devotional image of Kōbō Daishi
showing him with a walking staff, a sedge hat, and wearing pilgrim dress.
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shukubō (J. ): Quarters at a temple reserved for guests and pilgrims.
shumi-dan (J. ): A dais for a Buddhist image, named after the central
cosmic mountain, Mount Sumeru (J. , Shumi-sen), that supports
both the earth and paradise.
sōhei (J. ): Low ranking monk soldiers attached to many Japanese temples
from the latter half of the tenth century to the end the sixteenth.
sokushin jōbutsu (J. ): “Becoming a Buddha with one’s present body.”
Perhaps the most fundamental doctrine of Shingon Buddhism.
sōrin (J. ): The spire at the top of a stūpa or “pagoda.”
stūpa (Sk.; J. , tō): Originally, in India, a dome-shaped structure placed over
the remains of the historical Buddha and other saints, but which subsequently
evolved into forms variously emphasizing a dome-shaped core, the
base terraces, or a multistoried tower, etc. The primary examples of the
stūpa at Kōyasan are the great central Daitō and the several smaller but similarly
designed tahōtō. All have a square base story above which is a residual
dome, a large upper roof, and a multi-ringed spire. All enshrine Buddhas
and are venerated as symbols of Ultimate Reality. Miniature stūpas containing
relics or a selection of scripture, and representing Dainichi Buddha, are
placed at the center of Shingon altar tables. Gravestones in the form of gorintō
also are a type of stūpa, as are the wooden memorial sotoba placed at
graves. See also daitō.
sugi (J. ): The Japanese cedar. Cryptomeria japonica. Japan’s largest conifer and
Kōyasan’s most prominent and dramatic tree. Small sugi branches are used
to make hanamidera bowers and are placed in rows (sugi lines) to establish
ceremonial paths and set off sanctified areas. The bark sometimes is used
for incense.
Taizō-kai (J. ; Sk. Garbha-dhātu): The “Womb Realm” representing the
Great Sun Buddha’s unfolding Compassion that nurtures all phenomena,
providing every sentient being with the inherent capacity to attain enlightenment.
Depicted in the Taizō-kai (Womb Realm) Mandala.
temizuya (J. ): A basin of running water at the entry to a shrine or other
sacred area for the ritual cleansing of one’s hands and mouth.
tengai (J. ): A canopy, usually golden, that hangs above the altar and major
sacred images in a temple. A symbol of the glories of paradise.
tengu (J. ): A mysterious creature of Japanese folklore with a long beak, wings,
and the body of a man. Or, if of higher rank, a long nose, red face, and holding
a fan made of feathers. Usually resides in the upper branches of sugi groves
in the mountains, perhaps guarding a nearby treasured object. Tengu traditionally
are mockers of priests and Buddhism, but not at Kōyasan.
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tōba (J. ; Sk. stūpa): A memorial tablet in the form of a thin slat of wood
cut in the profile of a gorintō on which has been placed the Buddhist name
(kaimyō) of the deceased person.
Tōdai-ji (J. ): “Great East Temple.” An imperial temple founded near the
Nara capital in 741 that became the headquarters of all provincial temples
during the Nara Period. Was the location of the nation’s first official Buddhist
kaidan (ordination platform) and the possessor of the colossal bronze
statue of the Great Sun Buddha known as the Daibutsu. Kōbō Daishi
served as Tōdai-ji’s administrative director for three years.
Tō-ji (J. ): “East Temple.” Headquarters of the Tō-ji branch of Shingonshū.
Founded in the imperial capital (Heian-kyō/Kyōto) in 796 and later
developed by Kōbō Daishi into a major esoteric Buddhist center.
tokonoma (J. ): A decorative alcove in a Japanese room that typically
includes a slightly raised floor, a hanging scroll, and an arrangement of
flowers. Treated as a sacred space.
tōrōdō (J. ): “Lantern hall.” At Kōyasan the large veneration hall that
faces Kōbō Daishi’s mausoleum and is filled with memorial lanterns.
tsuya (J. ): An all-night vigil or meditation. Tsuya-dō, halls set aside for such
vigils, are found at some temples along pilgrimage routes.
ūrnā, ūrn ā (Sk.; J. , byakugō-sō): A clockwise curling tuft of hair on the
forehead between the eyes of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The tuft emits the
light of spiritual insight.
vajra (Sk.; J. , kongō): Indra’s thunderbolt modified and used by esoteric
Buddhism as a symbol of indestructible truth, the essence of everything
that exists. Often translated as “diamond” or “adamantine.” As a ritual
instrument the vajra takes the form of a bolt with one (J. , dokkosho),
three (J. , sanko-sho), or five (J. , goko-sho) prongs at
either end. A version with five prongs at one end and a bell at the other is
called a goko rei (J. ). Kōbō Daishi holds a goko in his right hand in
Prince Shinnyo’s iconic painting. The goko is the primary emblem of
Kōyasan’s Golden Hall.
yakudoshi (J. ): The unlucky years in a person’s life (age forty-two for a
man, thirty-three for a woman), for which one is advised to seek exorcism
at a shrine or temple. A folk belief rather than a Buddhist belief.
Yakushi-nyorai (J. ; Sk. Bhaishajya-guru, Bhaisajya-guru Tathāgata):
Medicine-Master Buddha or Buddha of Healing. The Buddha of the Land
of Emerald in the east who vowed to cure disease. In esoteric Buddhism is
identified with Ashuku-nyorai of the Diamond Realm Mandala. See
Ashuku-nyorai.
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Zentsū-ji (J. ): Located at the site of Kōbō Daishi’s childhood home, also
the largest and most important temple on the Shikoku eighty-eight-temple
pilgrimage. Allegedly founded by Kōbō Daishi in 806 and named after his
father; thus the first Shingon temple.
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