Benzaiten

In Buddhism, she is the goddess of wisdom, eloquence, and arts. She is abbreviated as Benzaiten. She is also called Myoonten, Biyoonten, and Daibenzaikotokuten. She is a translation of the Sanskrit Sarasvati. She was originally a Hindu deity. Sarasvati is a feminine noun meaning "one who has water," and was the name given to rivers in various places when the Aryans moved eastward. It is said that the ancient name of the Kandahar region of Afghanistan, Arachosia, also originated from this, and there were rivers of this name in the Indus and Ganges plains. In Brahmanic literature, she is considered the goddess of speech (Vāc), and in the Upanishads, she is considered the goddess of music. Based on these concepts from Hinduism, Benzaiten appeared in Buddhism in the Golden Light Sutra, which states that Benzaiten bestows wisdom, longevity, and wealth on those who preach and listen to this sutra. She is depicted wearing eight or two arms, with a stern appearance and sometimes holding a biwa (Japanese lute). In Japan, she is worshipped as a goddess of wealth, and is written as Benzaiten, and is also one of the Seven Lucky Gods. She is often enshrined near water, and is often associated with snakes, which are associated with water. The famous Benzaiten in Japan are the so-called Three Benzaiten, located on Chikubu Island in Shiga Prefecture, Enoshima Island in Kanagawa Prefecture, and Itsukushima (Miyajima) Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, and Zeniarai Benten in Kamakura is also famous. Another deity associated with Benzaiten is Ugajin, and this may be because the name Uga sounds similar to the Sanskrit word uraga (snake).

[Akira Sadakata]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

仏教における智慧(ちえ)、弁舌、技芸の女神。略して弁天。また妙音天、美音天、大弁才功徳天ともいう。サンスクリット語サラスバティーSarasvatīの訳。もとはヒンドゥー教の神。サラスバティーは「水を有するもの」を意味する女性名詞で、アーリア人が東漸するとき、各地の川をよんだ名であり、アフガニスタンのカンダハル地方の古名アラコシアもそれに由来するとされ、インダス平原やガンジス平原にもこの名の川があった。ブラーフマナ文献ではことば（バーチュVāc）の神とされ、ウパニシャッドでは音楽神とされた。ヒンドゥー教のこれらの概念を受けて仏教に弁才天を登場させたのが『金光明最勝王経(こんこうみょうさいしょうおうきょう)』で、弁才天はこの経を説く人や聞く人に知恵や長寿や財産を授けると述べている。その図像的表現は八臂(はっぴ)または二臂で、身色端厳で、琵琶(びわ)を持つことがある。日本では財産の神としての側面が信仰され、弁財天と書かれるようになり、また七福神の一つとされた。水辺に祀(まつ)られることが多く、また水と関係あるヘビと結び付けられることも多い。わが国の弁才天で有名なのは、滋賀県の竹生(ちくぶ)島、神奈川県の江の島、広島県の厳島(いつくしま)（宮島）のいわゆる三弁天で、このほか鎌倉の銭洗(ぜにあらい)弁天も名高い。弁才天と結び付けられる神に宇賀神(うがじん)があるが、宇賀の名がサンスクリット語ウラガuraga（ヘビ）に似るからかもしれない。

［定方　晟］

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