Orpheus Church

Japanese: オルフェウス教 - おるふぇうすきょう
Orpheus Church

An ancient Greek mystery religion. It flourished from the 7th century BC to the 5th century BC, and was widely practiced, especially in Greek colonies in southern Italy and on the island of Sicily. Plato, Pindar, and Aristophanes also mentioned it, but Orphism is characterized by its doctrine of transmigration, in which the body is a prison, while the soul (psyche) is considered to be an eternal and immortal essence. Such duality in humans is explained by the myth of Dionysus and Zagreus. In other words, the soul originates from the divine element of Dionysus and Zagreus, while the body inherits the evil element of the Titans. The purpose of Orphism is to save souls imprisoned in the body due to past sins. In many ways, these doctrines, the practice of abstaining from eating meat, and purification rituals - these characteristics are very similar to the Pythagorean religious movement - but both are said to have been heavily influenced by northern religions.

[Keiji Ueshima]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

古代ギリシアの密儀宗教。紀元前7世紀ごろから前5世紀ごろに栄え、とくに南イタリアのギリシア植民都市、シチリア島にかけて広く信仰された。プラトン、ピンダロス、アリストファネスなどもそれに言及しているが、オルフェウス教の特色は、輪廻(りんね)転生の教説にあり、肉体は牢獄(ろうごく)であり、それに対して魂(プシケ)は永遠不滅の本質であるとみなしている点であろう。そうした人間の二元性はディオニソス・ザグレウスの神話によって説明されるとしている。つまり、魂はディオニソス・ザグレウスの神的要素に由来し、肉体はティタンの悪の要素を受け継いでいるというわけである。オルフェウス教の目的は、過去の罪によって肉体に幽閉されている魂を救済することにある。そうした教義や肉食を避ける慣習、浄(きよ)めの儀式など、さまざまな点でピタゴラス派の宗教運動ときわめて似た特徴を備えているが、ともに北方系の宗教の影響が色濃いとされている。

[植島啓司]

出典 小学館 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について 情報 | 凡例

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