Ryoukai mandara　両界曼荼羅

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Lit. "mandala of the two realms", namely, the *Taizoukai mandara 胎蔵界曼荼羅 described in the DAINICHIKYOU 大日経 (Sk: Vairocanabhisambodhi sutra/Mahavairocana sutra) and the *Kongoukai mandara 金剛界曼荼羅 described in the KONGOUCHOUKYOU 金剛頂経 (Diamond Peak Sutra ; Sk:Sarvatathagatatattvasamgraha). These two mandala evolved separately in India and entered China by different routes, but in China they subsequently came to be regarded as forming a pair. Hints of the idea that the DAINICHIKYOU and KONGOUCHOUKYOU represent complementary systems may already be found in the Chinese translations of Esoteric texts by Bukong 不空 (Jp: Fukuu, Sk:Amoghavajra; 705-74), but it is thought to have been Huiguo 恵果 (Jp: Keika; 746-805), the teacher of *Kuukai 空海 (774-835), who adapted these two mandala to form a pair of religious paintings. Kuukai further developed this concept in his writings, thereby establishing the “non-duality of the two divisions" ryoubu funi 両部不二, namely, the idea that the DAINICHIKYOU and KONGOUCHOUKYOU are complementary systems through the integration of which ultimate truth is revealed . Thenceforth the Ryoukai mandara have been looked upon as the basis of the iconography of Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教 in Japan, and they have exerted considerable influence not only on art, but also on thought and culture. In Japanese Esoteric Buddhism the Taizoukai mandara is referred to as the "mandala of principle" ri mandara 理曼荼羅 or "mandala of cause" in mandara 因曼荼羅, while the Kongoukai mandara is known as the "mandala of wisdom" chi mandara 智曼荼羅 or "mandala of result" ka mandara 果曼荼羅, and they are customarily hung facing each other in temple halls on the eastern and western walls respectively. The original name of the Taizoukai mandara is Daihitaizoushou mandara 大悲胎蔵生曼荼羅 (mandala born of the womb of great compassion), but once it began being used in conjunction with the Kongoukai mandara, came to be known as the Taizoukai mandara. The term Ryoukai mandara is thought to have been first used by Godai-in Annen 五大院安然 (841-889〜898) of the Tendai 天台 sect, and because of its associations with the Tendai sect, there are even today many scholars of the Shingon 真言 sect who instead use the term Ryoubu mandara 両部曼荼羅, or mandala of the two divisions. However, not only is the term Ryoukai mandara widely used by art historians, but it is also used in the designation of national treasures and important cultural properties. In the Shingon sect the form of the Taizoukai mandara used in the Ryoukai mandara is that known as the *Genzu mandara 現図曼荼羅, while the form of the Kongoukai mandara used is the *Kue mandara 九会曼荼羅; in the Tendai sect the *Kongoukai hachijuuisson mandara 金剛界八十一尊曼荼羅 is sometimes used instead of the Kue mandara. Representative examples of the Ryoukai mandara include the Den shingon-in mandara 伝真言院曼荼羅 at Touji 東寺 in Kyoto, the Takao mandara 高雄曼荼羅 at Jingoji 神護寺 in Kyoto, and the *Kojima mandara 子島曼荼羅 at Kojimadera 子島寺 in Nara, which have all been designated national treasures, but there are minor differences in the disposition of the deities.

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