Gongen - Gongen

Japanese: 権現 - ごんげん

〘Noun〙 ("Gon" means temporary) A Buddhist term. 1. The appearance of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in a temporary form in order to save all living beings. Also, the thing that appears in this form. A deity incarnate. [Essays, Teijo Miscellany (c. 1784)] [Saishōō Sutra - 1] 2. The appearance of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in this world in the form of a Japanese god in order to save all living beings. Also, the god that appears in this form. It comes from the theory of honji suijaku, and is similar to Kumano Sansho Gongen, Sanno Gongen, and Kasuga Gongen. *Honcho Monsui (c. 1060) 13, Great Prajnaparamita Sutra Prayer for the Atsuta Shrine in Owari Province (Oe Masahira ) "A small amount is divided _into _two parts, and _{the divine} power is _fulfilled . _It is simply the manifestation of _Atsuta Gongen." 3. An honorific title for a god used after Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Similar to Tosho Gongen. [Glossary] (1) In Northern Buddhism (Mahayana), it is said that the dharmakaya (truth) appears in the form of a Buddha, a bodhisattva, or some other form, or that it is the function of a manifestation body. A gongen corresponds to this manifestation body, and is a Buddha body that appears in response to the salvation of all living beings. An example of this is the 33 bodies of Kannon Bodhisattva.
(2) In Japan, with the introduction of Buddhist beliefs, while attempts were made to establish the unity of Shinto and Buddhism based on indigenous belief in the gods, in the end it became a syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, in which Buddhas and Bodhisattvas were given priority, as in ②, and honji suijaku.
(3) In the "Dazaifu letter dated October 4, 937 , addressed to Hakozaki Hachiman Shrine," it is written that Hakozaki Hachiman and Usa Hachiman are "both Gongen Bodhisattva and have the same divine form," which is an old example of calling Hachiman the proper noun "Gongen Bodhisattva." Gongen became common after that. From there, in the early modern period, examples of the use of the name as a divine title for a deified person, as in ③, began to appear.

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

Japanese:

〘名〙 (「権」は仮の意) 仏語。① 仏菩薩が衆生を救うために仮の姿をとって現われること。また、その現われたもの。権化。〔随筆・貞丈雑記（1784頃）〕〔最勝王経‐一〕② 仏菩薩が衆生を救うために、日本の神に姿をかえて、この世に現われること。また、その現われた神。本地垂迹(すいじゃく)の説から出たもので、熊野三所権現、山王権現、春日権現などの類。※本朝文粋（1060頃）一三・於尾張国熱田社供養大般若経願文〈大江匡衡〉「割_二薄俸_一而餝_二神威_一。只恃_二熱田権現之垂迹_一」③ 仏菩薩にならって用いた神の尊号。東照権現の類。[語誌](1)北伝（大乗）仏教では法身（真理）が仏菩薩その他の形で現われるとも、応身の働きであるともする。権現は、この応身に相当し、衆生の救済に応じて現われる仏身で、観音菩薩の三十三身はその例。
(2)日本では仏教信仰の輸入から、土着の神信仰を基底に神仏同体をはかりながらも結局は②のような仏菩薩が優位となる神仏習合、本地垂迹となってゆく。
(3)「承平七年（九三七）十月四日筥崎八幡宮宛太宰府牒」に、筥崎八幡は宇佐八幡と「権現菩薩垂迹猶同」とあり、八幡神を「権現菩薩」と固有名詞で呼ぶ古い例で、権現は以後一般化する。そこから近世に入って③のように神格化した人の神号としての用例が生じる。

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