Tamahata - Gyokuban

...There is a similar flag called a do (dhvaja in Sanskrit), which is sometimes called a "dōban" (flag), but the distinction between the two is not always clear. Banners are said to have various merits, and depending on the material, shape, and purpose for which they are set up, there are various types, such as tama-no-hata (flags decorated with jewels), hira-hata (flags made of flat silk), itobata (flags made of bundles of thread), goshiki-ban (flags of five colors: blue, yellow, red, white, and black), kanjō-ban (flags that have the merit of kanjō), miyōka-ban (flags that pass the deceased's life, also called senmō-ban, flags set up for the memorial of the deceased), zokumiyōshin-ban (flags set up to pray for the extension of life), and sōfu-ban (flags used in funeral processions). [Iwamatsu Asao] It seems that flags were a symbol of early Buddhist sects, but scriptures show that they were used as a sign to subdue demons.

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Tamahata" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…同じような旗に幢（どう）(サンスクリットでドバジャdhvaja)があり，〈幢幡〉と熟語にしていわれることもあるが，両者の区別は必ずしも明確ではない。幡には種々の功徳があるとされ，またその素材や形状，立てる目的などによって，玉幡（ぎよくばん∥たまのはた）(宝玉で装飾した幡)，平幡（ひらはた）(平絹の幡)，糸幡（いとばた）(糸を束ねた幡)，五色幡(青･黄･赤･白･黒の5色の幡)，灌頂幡（かんぢようばん）(幡が灌頂の功徳を備えることからいう)，命過幡（みようかばん）(薦亡幡（せんもうばん）ともいい，死者の追善のために立てる幡)，続命神幡（ぞくみようしんばん）(延命を祈って立てる幡)，送葬幡(葬列に用いる幡)などがある。【岩松 浅夫】　幡は初期仏教教団の目じるしであったようだが，降魔のしるしとして用いられたことが経典に見える。…

※「玉幡」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報