Hokekyou hensou　法華経変相

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Drawings or paintings, zu 図 depicting the doctrine and stories of the Lotus Sutra HOKEKYOU 法華経, one of the most important Mahayana Buddhist scriptures in all East Asia. *Hensou 変相 literally means to change form and hence generically refers to concrete depictions of otherwise abstract concepts such as heaven joudo 浄土 and hell jigoku 地獄, or to events in scriptural passages. In the Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教, hensou are termed *mandara 曼荼羅 (Sk. mandala). Hokekyou hensou either serve to illustrate the Lotus Sutra generally, or deal with specific parts. The illustration of Chapter 11, "Beholding the Jeweled Stupa" KENHOU TOUHON 見宝塔品 shows the Buddhas *Shaka 釈迦 (representing the historic Buddha) and Tahou 多宝 (relating to the future) seated side by side in a jeweled pagoda *tou 塔. The hensou of Chapter 25, "The Universal Gate of the Bodhisattva, Regarder of the Cries of the World" KANZEON BOSATSU FUMONBON 観世音菩薩普門品, illustrates *Kannon 観音 or Shaka protecting against the seven perils shichinan 七難 or twelve perils juuninan 十二難 to which sentient beings are susceptible illustration from Chapter 1, "Introduction" JOHON 序品 and Chapter 16, "The Life Span of the Tathagata" NYORAI JURYOUHON 如来寿量品 are also found.

REFERENCES:

EXTERNAL LINKS:

NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.　No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。