The Five Great Powerful Bodhisattvas

Japanese: 五大力菩薩 - ごだいりきぼさつ

[1] Buddhist term. Five powerful bodhisattvas who protect the country that upholds the Triple Treasures and establishes the True Dharma. In the old translation of the Nihō-kyō Sutra, the five bodhisattvas are: Vajrapani , Dragon King Roar, Fearless Ten-Power Roar, Thunder Roar, and Infinite Power Roar. In the new translation of the Nihō-koku-kyō Sutra, the five bodhisattvas are: Vajrapani (East), Vajrapani (South), Vajrapani (West), Vajrapani (North), Vajrapani (Center), and Vajrapani (Center). Five great powers. ※Sandai Jitsuroku, December 9, 877 (Gankei 1) “After receiving the precepts, he returned to _{the main} _temple and was _{ordered to} be a practitioner of meditation and to recite _{the Niō} Hannya Sutra _as _a practitioner of _mantras , and to keep it in mind at all times and _{vow to protect it} .” [Niō Sutra, Part 2] [noun] (from the popular belief that the power of (i) will ensure that letters will arrive safely to the recipient) A word used by women in pleasure quarters to seal letters. The five great powers. ※Hyōban-ki, Shikido Daikyō (1678), 9 “The practice of women writing the words ‘five great powers ’ on the back of letters has long been found, but the reason for this is unknown.” [Etymology] He is depicted with an unusual wrathful expression and flames on his back as a bodhisattva. In the Middle Ages, the belief that the Five Great Powerful Bodhisattvas could ward off natural disasters, disasters, and epidemics spread among the general public, and images of the Bodhisattvas came to be pasted on gates as talismans. Furthermore, papers bearing the name of the Five Great Powerful Bodhisattvas were used as talismans to ward off theft, and prostitutes also began to write the name on the envelopes of letters.

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

[1] 仏語。三宝を護持し、正法を建立する国を守護する五人の大力ある菩薩。旧訳の仁王経では、金剛吼(く)・龍王吼・無畏十力吼・雷電吼・無量力吼の五菩薩。新訳の仁王護国経では（東）金剛手・（南）金剛宝・（西）金剛利・（北）金剛薬叉・（中）金剛波羅蜜多の五菩薩。五大力。※三代実録‐元慶元年（877）一二月九日「受戒之後、更帰_二本寺_一、於_二五大力菩薩前_一、令_下止観業者、転_二読仁王般若経_一真言業者、三時念持、不断誓護_上」〔仁王経‐下〕[2] 〘名〙 ((一)の力により書状が無事に先方に届くという俗信から) 遊里などで主に女性が書状の封じめに記した語。五大力。※評判記・色道大鏡（1678）九「女の文の裏書に五大力(ボサツ)とかく事、むかしより見付侍れど、いかなる故ともしらす」[語誌]菩薩像としては異例な火焔を背負った忿怒相で描かれる。中世には、五大力菩薩が天災地変や疫病などを除くという信仰が一般に広がり、その図像が守り札として門戸に貼られるようになった。さらに五大力菩薩と記した紙が盗難よけの守り札とされたり、遊女たちが手紙の封に記したりする習慣もおこった。

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