hokuto mandara　北斗曼荼羅

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

A variety of mandala dedicated to specific deities *besson mandara 別尊曼荼羅, used when performing the hokutohou 北斗法 or Big Dipper rite for averting natural disasters and other calamities. It is sometimes also referred to as *hoshi mandara 星曼荼羅, but whereas the term hoshi mandara may designate any mandala *mandara 曼荼羅 that represents the deification of heavenly bodies, the term hokuto mandara primarily refers to the version prevalent in Japan which is centered on *Ichijikinrin Butchou 一字金輪仏頂, in this case called Shaka kinrin 釈迦金輪 since he assumes the form of *Shaka 釈迦. He is shown surrounded by the seven stars of the Big Dipper and the nine planets in the central enclosure, by the twelve signs of the zodiac in the second enclosure, and by 28 lunar mansions in the third enclosure. A circular mandara is used by the Tendai 天台 sect. A square mandara is used by the Shingon 真言 sect, and there are minor differences in the disposition of the deities. A renown example of a circular version is that kept at Houryuuji 法隆寺 in Nara, and the square version preserved at Kumedadera 久米田寺 in Osaka. In addition, the Myouken mandara 妙見曼荼羅 centered on *Myouken 妙見, the shuunananzan mandara 終南山曼荼羅 which reflects Taioist influence, and the hokuto mandara of Chinese provenance centered on Shijoukou *Butchou 熾盛光仏頂 (touhon hokuto mandara 唐本北斗曼荼羅) may also be regarded as varieties of hokuto mandara in the broad sense of the term .

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