Esoteric Buddhist ritual implements

Japanese: 密教法具 - みっきょうほうぐ

A general term for the implements used in esoteric Buddhist rituals such as kanjo and goma in both the Tendai and Shingon sects. They are to be distinguished from the keman (garland), banners, and mitsugusoku (three implements) that are used in the interior of the temple. In esoteric Buddhist temples, a large altar is set up in front of the principal image or the Ryōkai mandala, on which various ritual implements are placed. The main ones are the four ketsu (four sacks), wheel of treasures, vajra (vajras), vajra plate, vajra bell, katsuma (carved vajras), flower vases (kebyō), six vessels, drinking utensils (onjikiki), fire sheds, goma furnaces, ladle (rice scoop), water sprinklers, lighthouses, ritual altars, and offering plates, and many of these have been adapted from Indian weapons and everyday implements. Some of the esoteric Buddhist ritual implements were imported with the introduction of mixed esoteric Buddhism during the Nara period, but in the early Heian period, Chinese esoteric Buddhist ritual implements were introduced by the Eight Masters of China, including Saicho and Kukai. As esoteric Buddhism flourished, each branch of the school carried out unique rituals, not only in terms of the form of the ritual implements but also in terms of the way they were arranged.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

天台，真言の両宗における灌頂，護摩など密教の修法に用いる道具の総称。華鬘 (けまん) ，幡，三具足 (みつぐそく) などの堂内荘厳 (しょうごん) 具とは区別される。密教寺院では本尊や，両界曼荼羅の前にそれぞれ修法壇である大壇が設けられ，各種の法具を置く。そのおもなものは四厥 (けつ) ，輪宝，金剛杵 (しょ) ，金剛盤，金剛鈴，羯磨 (かつま) ，華瓶 (けびょう) ，六器，飲食器 (おんじきき) ，火舎，護摩炉，由杓，灑水器，灯台，修法壇，礼盤などで，インドの武器や日用具から変化したものが多い。密教法具の一部は奈良時代に雑密の伝来とともに輸入されたが，平安時代初期に最澄，空海をはじめとする入唐八家によって，中国の密教法具が伝えられた。密教の隆盛とともに各流派の分派により法具の形式ばかりでなく，配置の方法などに特有の修法が行われた。

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