This is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual (or brand-new) reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk (*) are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries. Within definitions, words set in boldface are defined elsewhere in the glossary. __NOTOC__
A agyō* (阿形) – A type of statue (of a Niō, komainu, etc.) with its mouth open to pronounce the sound "a", first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet and symbol of the beginning of all things. See also ungyō. Amida Nyorai (阿弥陀如来) – Japanese name of Amitabha, deity worshiped mainly by the Pure Land sect.Kōjien Japanese dictionary – A Hermitage. arhat – see arakan. arakan* (阿羅漢) – the highest level of Buddhist ascetic practice, or someone who has reached it. The term is often shortened to just rakan (羅漢).
B bay – see ken. bettō (別当) – Previously the title of the head of powerful temples, e.g. Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, etc. (still in use at the former). Also a monk who was present at Shinto shrines to perform Buddhist rites until the Meiji period, when the government forbade with the shinbutsu bunri policy the mixing of Shinto and Buddhism. bodai – from the Pāli and Sanskrit word for way or knowledge. satori, or Buddhist enlightenment. Ceremonies and other efforts to ensure someone's happiness in the next world, after death. bodaiji – lit. "bodhi temple". A temple which, generation after generation, takes care of a family's dead giving them burial and performing ceremonies in their favor. See for example the Tokugawa's Kan'ei-ji. Bon (盆) – See Bon Festival bosatsu (菩薩) A bodhisattva The historical Gautama Buddha, before enlightenment. In Mahayana Buddhism, someone who could enter paradise but chooses not to, to help others achieve enlightenment. Someone who is in pursuit of satori. during the shinbutsu-shūgō period, an honorific used for Japanese kami, as for example in "Hachiman Bosatsu".
Buddha – the term Buddha in the upper case can refer to: Shakyamuni Buddha, Indian spiritual and philosophical teacher and founder of Buddhism; Gautama Buddha. one who has become enlightened (i.e., awakened to the truth, or Dharma) Any of the other Buddhas named in Buddhist scriptures. A statue or image of any Buddha. buddha – the term 'buddha' in the lower case refers not to Gautama Buddha but to: a statue of Gautama Buddha any of the other buddhas (enlightened ones) named in Buddhist scriptures. Buddha's footprints – see bussokuseki bussokuseki* (仏足石) – lit. Buddha's foot (print) stone. A stone carved with footprints representing Buddha. Before the instruction of the human figure, Buddha was represented only indirectly through his footprints. Butsuden or Butsu-dō* (仏殿・仏堂) – lit. "Hall of Buddha". A Zen temple's main hall. Seems to have two stories, but has in fact only one and measures either 3x3 or 5x5 bays. Any building enshrining the statue of Buddha or of a bodhisattva and dedicated to prayer. butsudan* (仏壇) – a tabernacle used in homes to install Buddhist images and tablets recording the posthumous names of deceased family members. buppō (仏法) – see hō buttō (仏塔) – a stupa or one of its relatives. See also tō, pagoda, gorintō, hōkyōintō, sotoba, sekitō and tahōtō.
C chinju (鎮守/鎮主) – the tutelary kami or tutelary shrine of a certain area or Buddhist temple. chinjusha* (鎮守社/鎮主社) – a small shrine built at a Buddhist temple and dedicated to its tutelary kami. chōzuya (手水舎) – see temizuya. chūmon* (中門) – in a temple, the gate after the nandaimon connected to a kairō. See also mon.
D Daihi Kannon (大悲観音) -See Senju Kannon. Dainichi Nyorai (大日如来) – Japanese name of Vairocana, of which the Japanese kami Amaterasu is considered an emanation (see honji suijaku). danka (檀家) – a family or individual affiliated to a particular temple is called one of its danka. See also danka system danka system (檀家制度 danka-seido) – a system in which a family (the danka) contributes to the support of a particular Buddhist temple, which in return provides its services.Iwanami Nihonshi Jiten This kind of temple affiliation became mandatory during the Edo period, when was used by the shogunate for political ends (see also terauke). -dō (堂) – Lit. hall. Suffix for the name of the buildings part of a temple. The prefix can be the name of a deity associated with it (e.g. Yakushi-dō, or Yakushi hall) or express the building's function within the temple's compound (e.g. hon-dō, or main hall).Hall names are capitalized only when they refer to specific examples (e.g. XX-ji's Main Hall) or include proper names of deities (e.g. Yakushi-dō). See also Butsu-dō, hō-dō, hon-dō, jiki-dō, kaisan-dō, kō-dō, kon-dō, kyō-dō, mandara-dō, miei-dō, mi-dō, sō-dō, Yakushi-dō and zen-dō.
E Enma*, Emmaten or Emmaō (閻魔, 閻魔天 or 閻魔王) – Japanese transliteration of Yama, the ruler of the underworld in Buddhist mythology.JAANUS enlightenment – see satori.
F family temple – see bodaiji. funeral temple – see bodaiji. Fuju-fuse-gi (不受不施義) – the duty of a Nichiren sect member not to accept anything from, or give anything to a non-believer. Five Mountain System – See Gozan Seido.
G garan – see shichi-dō garan. gejin (外陣) – the portion of a hon-dō (main hall) open to the public, as opposed to the naijin, reserved to the deity. – The Shinto-Buddhist equivalent of an Aureole or Halo. Goma (護摩) – a ritual involving making offerings into a consecrated fire. Initiated mostly by the Shingon sect. Gozan Seido (五山制度) – A nationwide network of Zen temples, called Five Mountain system or Five Mountains in English, with at its top five temples in Kamakura (the Kamakura Gozan) and five in Kyoto (the Kyoto Gozan), which during the Muromachi period was a de facto part of the government's infrastructure, helping rule the country. gongen (権現) A Buddhist god that chooses to appear as a Japanese kami in order to take the Japanese to spiritual salvation.Encyclopedia of Shinto, Gongen accessed on October 5, 2008 Name sometimes used for shrines (e.g. "Tokusō Gongen") before the shinbutsu bunri. gorintō* (五輪塔) – a type of stupa common in Buddhist temples and cemeteries consisting of five shapes (a cube, a sphere, a pyramid, a crescent and a lotus flower) one on top of the other representing the five elements of Buddhist cosmology.
Gallery: A to G
H haibutsu kishaku A current of thought, continuous in Japan's history, advocating the expulsion of Buddhism from Japan.Encyclopedia of Shinto – Haibutsu Kishaku accessed on March 15, 2008 A wave of anti-Buddhist violence that hit Japan in 1868 after the forcible separation of Buddhism and Shinto (shinbutsu bunri). hall – see -dō han-honji suijaku (反本地垂迹) – a theory which in the 14th century reversed the honji suijaku theory, claiming kami were superior to Buddhist gods. hattō* (法堂) – lit. "Dharma hall". A building dedicated to lectures by the chief priest on Buddhism's scriptures (the hō). hō (法) – the teachings of Buddha (Dharma) and the sūtras. Also called buppō. hō-dō (法堂) – see hattō. hōjō* (方丈) – the living quarters of the head priest of a Zen temple. Hokekyō or Hokkekyō (法華経) – the Lotus Sutra, one of the Buddhist sacred scriptures. Hokke-dō* (法華堂) – lit. "Lotus Sūtra hall". In Tendai Buddhism, a hall whose layout allows walking around a statue for meditation. The purpose of walking is to concentrate on the Hokekyō and seek the ultimate truth. hōkyō-zukuri* (宝形造) – a type of roof consisting of four or more sloping, curved triangles meeting at the top. An example is Hōryū-ji's Yume-dono. hōkyōintō* (宝篋印塔) – a tower-shaped variant of a stupa, so called because it originally contained the Hōkyōin Dharani sutra. See also stupa. hōmyō (法名) – religious name received after votes (Buddhist name) or posthumous name given to a deceased person. honbō* (本坊) – residence of the jushoku, or head priest, of a temple. hon-dō* (本堂) – Lit. "main hall", it is the building that houses the most important statues and objects of cult. The term is thought to have evolved to avoid the term kon-dō used by six Nara sects (the Nanto Rokushū) for their main halls. Structurally similar, but less strictly defined. honji suijaku (本地垂迹) – a theory common in Japan before the Meiji period according to which Buddhist deities choose to appear as native kami to the Japanese in order to save them. hotoke (仏) Japanese term meaning for buddha (an enlightened one). A Buddhist sacred image or statue. A deceased person or his/her soul. hōtō (宝塔) – lit. treasure tower. A stone stupa constituted by a square base, a barrel-shaped body, a pyramid and a finial. Not to be confused with the similarly shaped tahōtō. hyakudoishi* (百度石) – lit. "hundred times stone". Sometimes present as a point of reference for the hyakudomairi near the entrance of a shrine or Buddhist temple. hyakudomairi (百度参り) – literally "a hundred visits". A worshiper with a special prayer will visit the temple a hundred times. After praying, he or she must go at least back to the entrance or around a hyakudoishi for the next visit to count as a separate visit.
Gallery: H
I – requiem; (Buddhist) prayers for the dead. ingō (院号) - The part of a temple's full name ending in "-in" (e.g. "Toeizan Kan'ei-ji Endon'in"). The other two are the sangō and the jigō. The part of a hōmyō or kaimyō (posthumous names) ending in "-in". inzō* (印相) – a mudrā, or Buddhist hand gesture, common in Buddhist religious statues. inverted honji suijaku – See han-honji suijaku. irimoya-zukuri – A hip roof (sloping down on all four sides) integrated on two opposing sides with a gable.
J jigō (寺号) – a temple's main name. Often the second after the sangō, and the only one in common use (e.g. "Tōeizan Kan'ei-ji Endon'in"). The last name is called the ingō. The use of the sangō came into fashion after the arrival of Zen Buddhism to Japan. Jizō* (地蔵) – Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva; god guardian of children, particularly children who died before their parents, often seen wearing red votive bibs (yodarekake) and hats. Parents sometimes leave at the temple a small Jizō statue in memory of their lost child. jiki-dō* (食堂) – a monastery's refectory. See also sai-dō. Jiriki (自力) - one's own strength Jūni Shinnō – see Jūni Shinshō. Jūni Shinshō* (十二神将) – Twelve retainers who accompany Yakushi Nyorai. Also known as Jūni Yakusha Taishō (十二薬叉大将) and Jūni Shinnō (十二神王). In English they are often called the Twelve Heavenly Generals.Standing Twelve Heavenly Generals Tokyo National Museum, accessed on March 10, 2010 Jūni Yakusha Taishō – see Jūni Shinshō. Jūroku Rakan (十六羅漢) – lit. "sixteen arhats", holy men who were at Gautama Buddha's deathbed and there were ordered by him to stay in this world to defend and maintain his teachings. They are worshiped mainly by Zen sects. jūji (住持) – see jūshoku. jūshoku (住職) – The chief priest of a temple or monastery.
K kaimyō (戒名) – see hōmyō. kairō* (回廊・廻廊) – a long and roofed portico-like passage connecting two buildings. kaisan-dō (開山堂) – founder's hall, usually at a Zen temple. Building enshrining a statue, portrait or memorial tablet of the founder of either the temple or the sect it belongs to. Jōdo sect temples often call it miei-dō. Kamakura Gozan – see Gozan Seido. kami (神) – term broadly meaning "deity", but having with several separate meanings. deities mentioned in Japanese mythologies and local deities protecting areas, villages and families.Smyers (1999:219) unnamed and non-anthropomorphic spirits found in natural phenomena. a general sense of sacred power. Kankiten (歓喜天) – the Buddhist version of Hindu god Ganesh, usually represented by two elephant-headed human beings embracing each other. Kannon (観音)- the goddess of mercy and compassion, found not only in temples, but also in Shinto shrines. karamon (唐門) – generic term for a gate with an arched roof. See also mon. karesansui* (枯山水) – lit. dry landscape. A Japanese rock garden, often present in Zen temples, and sometimes found in temples of other sects too.