Kaji - rudder

In general, it refers to the protection of all living beings by the Tathagata's mysterious power. It is a translation of the Sanskrit adhihāna, and originally meant "to stand under" or "to be a support." It is also called gonen (mindfulness) or kago (protection). In particular, in esoteric Buddhism, according to Kukai's "The Meaning of Instantaneous Enlightenment (Sokushinjobutsugi)," it refers to the Buddha's great compassion being added to all living beings, and the Buddha responding to the faith of all living beings and communicating with them in a responsive manner, which is called incantation and kanno (blessing). "Adding" is the Buddha's great compassion responding to the religious qualities of all living beings, and "holding" is the believing sentient beings receiving and accepting the power of the Buddha's blessing. This is because the true nature of the Buddha and all living beings is considered to be equal and one and the same, and it is believed that the state of Buddhahood is directly experienced by all living beings. And, by the three powers of the practitioner's merit, the Tathagata's blessing, and the power of the Dharma realm, our actions, words, and mind become one with those of the Buddha. This is called the Three Mysteries of Enlightenment. In other words, if a practitioner makes the Buddha's mudra on his hands (shinmitsu), chants the Buddha's mantra (kumitsu), and raises his mind to the same state as the Buddha (imitsu), he can become a Buddha in this body (sokushin jōbutsu).

Kaji also refers to the practice of purifying offerings, perfume, and prayer beads, and is called offerings, perfume, and prayer beads, respectively. It is generally used to mean prayer, and is commonly referred to as kaji and kito. This is because prayer bestows the power of the Buddha on believers and allows them to hold on to that power, and so the terms have come to be used synonymously. Kaji for the sick (to heal illness), wells (to purify well water), and obi (to pray for safe childbirth) are used as practices for praying for the Buddha's protection to ward off disasters. However, the original meaning of kaji is the introduction to instant enlightenment.

[Ikusumi Onozuka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

一般には、如来(にょらい)の不可思議力(ふかしぎりき)によって衆生(しゅじょう)を加護することをいう。サンスクリット語アディシュターナadhihānaの訳で、原意は「下に立つ」「支えとなる」。護念(ごねん)、加護(かご)ともいう。とくに密教では、空海の『即身成仏義(そくしんじょうぶつぎ)』により、仏の大悲(だいひ)が衆生に加わり、衆生の信心に仏が応じて感応道交(かんのうどうこう)しあうことをいい、加持感応という。仏の大悲が衆生の宗教的素質に応ずるのが「加」であり、信心する衆生が仏の加被力を受持するのが「持」である。これは本来、仏と衆生の本性とが平等不二であるとされるからであり、仏の境地が衆生に直接体験されると考える。そして、行者の功徳力と如来の加持力と法界力の三力によって、われわれの行為とことばと心とが仏のそれらと合一することを三密(さんみつ)加持という。すなわち、行者が手に仏の印契(いんげい)を結び（身密(しんみつ)）、仏の真言(しんごん)を唱え（口密(くみつ)）、心が仏の境地と同じように高められれば（意密(いみつ)）、この身のままで仏になれる（即身成仏）と説く。

　加持は、供物(くもつ)、香水(こうずい)、念珠(ねんじゅ)などを清める作法をもいい、それぞれ供物加持、香水加持、念珠加持などと称する。一般には祈祷(きとう)の意に用いられ、加持祈祷と並称される。それは、祈祷が仏力を信者に加付し、信者にその仏力を受持させるものであるから、同義に用いられるようになったもので、病人加持（病気治癒）、井戸加持（井戸水の清め）、帯(おび)加持（安産の祈祷）など災いを除くために仏の加護を祈る作法として用いられる。しかし、加持の意の本義は即身成仏への導入のことである。

［小野塚幾澄］

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