Mando-e

A Buddhist ceremony in which 10,000 lanterns or a similar number are burned to offer prayers to Buddha and deities. It is also simply called Manto. There was also a counter term to the Mantoe, Sentoe. In Japan, in 651 (Hakuchi 2), more than 2,700 lanterns were burned at Ajifu Shrine, and monks and nuns were asked to recite sutras, but the first Mantoe was held in December 744 (Tenpyo 16), when a 10,000 lantern offering was held at Konsho-ji Temple, the predecessor of Todai-ji Temple. Princess Sakahito, daughter of Emperor Kōnin, held a Mantoe at Todai-ji Temple during her lifetime, and in the Heian period, it became an annual event at Todai-ji Temple, where it was held every December in the Great Buddha Hall. At Yakushi-ji Temple, the Manto-e ceremony was first held by Etatsu, who died in 878 (Gangei 2), and has been held every year in March, while at Gangoji Temple in Asuka it is held every year in October. At Mount Koya, it was first held by Kukai in 832 (Tencho 9), and has since become a popular event at various temples in Kyoto. For example, the Manto-e ceremony at Gokuraku-ji Temple was held in October 908 (Engi 8), at Hoko-in Temple in October 1006 (Kanko 3) by Fujiwara no Michinaga, at Hojo-ji Temple in March 1023 (Jinji 3), and at Shitenno-ji Temple, Chuson-ji Temple, and Kitano Tenmangu Shrine. The Sutra of King Ajatashatru places emphasis on the offering of a single lamp by the poor rather than the offering of ten thousand lamps by the wealthy, but from around the late Muromachi period, the Manto-e festival came to be held by soliciting the offering of a single lamp from common people.

[Horiike Harumo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

1万坏(はい)あるいはそれに準ずる多くの灯明を燃(も)して仏神を供養する法会。単に万灯ともいう。万灯会に対して千灯会といわれるものもあった。日本では651年（白雉2）味経(あじふ)宮で2700余の灯を燃し、僧尼をして読経せしめたが、744年（天平16）12月に東大寺の前身金鐘(こんしょう)寺で1万坏の燃灯供養を行ったのが万灯会の初例である。光仁(こうにん)天皇の皇女酒人内親王は、生前東大寺で万灯会を行い、平安時代になると東大寺では年中行事として毎年12月に大仏殿で行われた。薬師寺では878年（元慶2）に没した慧達(えたつ)により万灯会が創始されてから毎年3月に、飛鳥(あすか)元興寺(がんごうじ)では毎年10月に行われた。また高野山(こうやさん)では832年（天長9）に空海により始められ、京都の諸寺でも盛んに行われるに至った。たとえば908年（延喜8）10月の極楽(ごくらく)寺の万灯会、1006年（寛弘3）10月の藤原道長による法興(ほうこう)院の万灯会、1023年（治安3）3月の法成(ほうじょう)寺の万灯会などや、四天王寺、中尊寺、北野天満宮などでも行われた。『阿闍世王受決経(あじゃせおうじゅけつきょう)』には長者の万灯よりも貧者の一灯の献灯を強調しているが、室町時代後期ころからは広く庶民に一灯の献灯を勧進(かんじん)して万灯会が行われるに至った。

［堀池春峰］

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