Hokke mandara　法華曼荼羅

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Lit. Lotus Mandala. Also Hokekyou mandara 法華経曼荼羅 (mandala depiction of the Lotus Sutra), Hokekyou houtou mandara 法華経宝塔曼荼羅 (mandala depiction of the jewelled stura of the Lotus Sutra). The term Hokke mandara is sometimes used also in reference to what is more properly called the *Hokekyou hensou 法華経変相. 1　A mandala *mandara 曼荼羅 based on the Lotus Sutra HOKEKYOU 法華経 and depicting the assembly of disciples, bodhisattvas, gods and other beings gathered to listen to the teachings of the Buddha as expounded in this important Mahayana Daijou 大乗 sutra. Based in particular on Chapter. 11, entitled "Apparition of the jewelled stura" KENHOUTOUHON 見宝塔本. Used as the object of worship *honzon 本尊 in Lotus Sutra rites HOKEKYOU-HOU 法華経法 in Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教. In composition too it reflects the influence of Esoteric Buddhism, being based on Chinese translations of esoteric texts relating to the Lotus Sutra, and it incorporates elements of both the Womb World mandala *Taizoukai mandara 胎蔵界曼荼羅 and Diamond World mandala *Kongoukai mandara 金剛界曼荼羅 . 2　More generally Hokke mandara is the term used to denote pictorial representations of the content of the Lotus Sutra. Such representations tend to be referred to as Hokekyou mandara 法華経曼荼羅 rather than simply Hokke mandara, and they were created in order to enable the laity to understand the teachings of the Lotus Sutra more readily. 3　In the *Nichiren 日蓮 sect the term Hokke mandara is sometimes used to designate the main object of worship of this sect, which takes the form of a mandala down the centre of which are written the seven characters NA-MU-MYOU-HOU-REN-GE-KYOU 南無妙法蓮華経 (Homage to the Scripture of the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma), the invocation used by adherents of this sect. On either side of these characters are written the names of various Buddhas, bodhisattvas, gods, and other deities. This is more properly known as the daimandara 大曼荼羅 (great mandala), kanjoujikkai mandara 勧請十界曼荼羅 (mandala for invoking the ten realms) or jikkai mandara 十界曼荼羅 (mandala of ten realms), and it is found inscribed on paper, wood or stone; representations on wood are known as ita mandara 板曼荼羅 (board mandala). Scriptural images of the Buddhas, and deities referred to in the daimandara were also frequently arranged to form a type of three-dimentional mandara.

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