Doujikyou mandara　童子経曼荼羅

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

A variety of *besson mandara 別尊曼荼羅 (a form of mandara centered on a particular deity) used when performing the doujikyou-bou 童子経法, an esoteric rite for eliminating children's phobias and illness . It is based on the GOSHODOUJI DARANIKYOU 護諸童子陀羅尼経, also abbreviated to DOUJIKYOU 童子経, and a related ritual manual called the DOUJIKYOU NENJUHOU 童子経念誦法, whence its name, but because these texts do not describe it in any detail, a number of different versions of this *mandara 曼荼羅 have evolved. A celestial being called *Kendatsuba 乾闥婆 (Sk:gandharva), regarded as the tutelary deity of children, is depicted in the center surrounded by 15 demons in the form of birds, animals, etc., that are listed in the DOUJIKYOU and believed to inflict harm on children. The kendatsuba is clad in armour, and he is often depicted either holding a halberd piercing the freshly severed heads of the 15 demons or trussing up the demons with a rope, thus symbolizing his subjugation of them . Examples of this mandara include those kept at Kanchi-in 観智院 (Kyoto) an Chishaku-in 智積院 (Kyoto). Iconographical manuals also describe a version of this mandara centered on *Fudou Myouou 不動明王, but actual examples are rare .

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