Manu-smti (English spelling)

Japanese: マヌ法典 - まぬほうてん(英語表記)Manu-smti
Manu-smti (English spelling)

An encyclopedic religious scripture from ancient India. The original was created around 200 BC to 200 AD. Manu means "the ancestor of mankind" and is a mythological figure revered as the highest authority on all "law" (dharma) and associated with the creation of this book.

In India, "law" can mean religion, morality, customs, etc., but this code begins with the creation of the universe and all things, and then goes on to detailed discussions of the various rites of passage and daily events that people should perform throughout their lives, ancestor worship, learning, regulations regarding the cycle of life, the king's duties, civil law, criminal law, and administration, strict rules for the caste system, methods of atonement, and finally discussions on reincarnation, karma, and liberation. Among the legal provisions are inheritance law, marriage law, and court procedures, but the entire code is based on a position that defends the Brahmin class, and as a compilation of customary law strongly influenced by Hinduism, it has a strong character as a religious scripture. It is divided into 12 chapters and written in Sanskrit verse with 2,684 articles.

[Tetsuo Yamaori]

"The Code of Manu, translated by Shigeko Tanabe (Iwanami Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

古代インドの百科全書的な宗教聖典。紀元前200~後200年ごろに原型ができあがった。マヌとは「人類の始祖」を意味し、いっさいの「法」(ダルマ)に関する最高権威として崇(あが)められ、本書の成立と結び付けられている神話的人物である。

 インドで「法」は宗教、道徳、習慣などをも意味するが、本法典では宇宙の開闢(かいびゃく)、万物の創造から説き始め、人が一生を通じて行うべき各種の通過儀礼や日々の行事、祖先祭祀(さいし)、学問、生命周期に関する規定、国王の義務、民法、刑法および行政に関する規定、カースト制の厳守規則や贖罪(しょくざい)の方法、最後に輪廻(りんね)と業(カルマ)および解脱(げだつ)に関する議論が詳細に論じられている。法律論的条項のうちには、相続法、婚姻法、裁判手続などもみられるが、バラモン階級を擁護する立場が全編を貫いており、またヒンドゥー教に強く彩られた慣習法の集大成として、むしろ宗教聖典としての性格が濃い。12章に分かれ、2684条のサンスクリット語韻文で書かれている。

[山折哲雄]

『田辺繁子訳『マヌの法典』(岩波文庫)』

出典 小学館 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について 情報 | 凡例

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