Genzu mandara　現図曼荼羅

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Genzu mandala. A version of the *Taizoukai mandara 胎蔵界曼荼羅 that is widely used today in Japan. The original version, brought to Japan from China by *Kuukai 空海 (774-835), was kept at Touji 東寺 (Kyoto), but because it began to show signs of wear in Kuukai's later years, a copy was made in 821 (Kounin 弘仁 12), this first copy is known as the Kounin version. The version presently used at Touji is the fourth copy, made in the Genroku 元禄 era (late 17c), and is known as the Genroku version. In addition, three mandala *mandara 曼荼羅, fragments were discovered in 1954 in the attic of the treasure house Houzou 宝蔵 at Touji, and of these the so-called kouhon 甲本 (version A) is thought to be a fragment of the second copy of the Genzu mandara, made in 1191, while the so-called Einin 永仁 version is thought to be a fragment of the third copy, made in 1296 (Einin 4). The Genzu mandara is considered to have been brought to completion by Kuukai's teacher, Huiguo (Jp: Keika 恵果, 746-805), and it represents the final form of the Taizoukai mandara, which evolved from the mandala of the DAINICHIKYOU 大日経 (Sk:Vairocanabhisambodhi-sutra via the *Taizou zuzou 胎蔵図像 and *Taizou kyuuzuyou 胎蔵旧図様. Its composition varies somewhat, but it consists of approximately 400 deities systematically arranged in 12 sections called Chuudai hachiyouin 中台八葉院, Henchi-in 遍知院, Jimyouin 持明院, Rengebu-in 蓮華部院, Kongoushu-in 金剛手院, Shaka-in 釈迦院, Kokuuzouin 虚空蔵院, Monju-in 文殊院, Soshitsuji-in / Soshitchi-in 蘇悉地院, Jizouin 地蔵院, Jogaishouin 除蓋障院 and Gekongoubu-in 外金剛部院. Compared with the approximately 120 deities mentioned in the DAINICHI-KYOU this represents a more than threefold increase in the number of deities. The term genzu 現図 (current depiction) was first used by Godai-in Annen 五大院安然 (841-889/898?) of the Tendai 天台 sect. Later, in his SHOSETSU FUDOUKI 諸説不同記 a detailed comparison of the iconography of the deities depicted in the Taizoukai mandara, the imperial prince and Buddhist priest Shinjaku 真寂 (886-927) used the term to designate the orthodox Taizoukai mandara as transmitted by Kuukai in contradistinction to that brought to Japan by Shuuei 宗叡 (809-884) and that preserved in the Tendai sect, and it subsequently passed into general usage. The term genzu should therefore be used to refer to the current depiction of the Taizoukai mandara. There are, however, some art historians who use the term Genzu Kongoukai mandara 現図金剛界曼荼羅 to refer to the current depiction of the *Kongoukai mandara 金剛界曼荼羅, viz. *Kue mandara 九会曼荼羅, but this usage is inappropriate. To date examples of the Taizoukai mandara that have been discovered are slightly different than the Shouei versions and Tendai version alluded to by Shinjaku, but the differences between these versions and the Genzu mandara are not as marked as those between the Genzu mandara and the Taizou zuzou and Taizou kyuuzuyou and they may therefore be regarded as variants of the Genzu mandara in a broad sense?.

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