Ritual

Means law or regulation. A translation of the Sanskrit words kalpa, vidhi, and tantra. Also called secret rituals. In ancient India, rituals were the rules for worshiping various gods and the rules for carrying out rituals, but as esoteric Buddhism's rituals developed, rituals were written out that described the ritual procedures, such as making statues of various deities, offerings, and reciting spells. Generally, rituals are called rituals in contrast to sutras, which describe doctrines, but in esoteric Buddhism the distinction between the two is not clear. Depending on the esoteric rituals, the inner realization and original vows of the deities differ, so there are many types of rituals and there are differences between them. There are two types of rituals currently in existence: those written in India and those written in China. In addition, numerous oral teachings (kuden) were compiled by masters to be passed on to their disciples for the purpose of understanding the scriptures and rituals of esoteric Buddhism and for the convenience of practicing the rituals. These were called shidai, ho, etc. These are called shogyo (sacred teachings).

[Ikusumi Onozuka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

法則、規則の意。サンスクリット語のカルパkalpa、ビディvidhi、タントラtantraの訳。秘密儀軌ともいう。古代インドの諸神礼拝(らいはい)の規定、儀式の執行規定を称したが、さらには密教の儀礼の発達につれて諸尊の造像、供養(くよう)、呪文(じゅもん)の読誦(どくじゅ)などの修法(しゅほう)次第を記したものを儀軌という。一般に、教理の記述である経典（スートラsūtra）に対して儀軌と称するが、密教では両者の区別は明確ではない。密教の修法次第によって、諸尊の内証本誓(ないしょうほんぜい)（心のうちの悟りや本来の誓願）が異なるため、儀軌の種類が多く、相違点もある。現存の儀軌にはインド撰述(せんじゅつ)のものと中国撰述のものとがある。また、別に密教の経典と儀軌の理解や修法上の便宜のため弟子に伝授する師の口伝(くでん)が、次第、法などと名づけられて数多く編集された。それらは聖教(しょうぎょう)とよばれる。

［小野塚幾澄］

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