Miwa Shinto - Miwa Shinto

A sect of Shinto that was formed based on the legend of Omiwa Shrine at the foot of Mt. Miwa in Nara Prefecture. It is one of the Ryobu Shinto branches of the Shingon sect and is also called Miwa-ryu Shinto. It is said that in the early Kamakura period, Keien, who was known as Miwa Shonin, received a revelation from Miwa Myojin and conveyed it. It is said that Dainichi Nyorai is the original being, and that his manifestations are Amaterasu Omikami in the heavens, Kotaijin in Ise, and Miwa Daimyojin in Miwa, and that these three gods are one in three bodies. In this way, it is said that Miwa Daimyojin is the most superior god among the various shrines and gods, on par with Amaterasu Omikami. It also included many secret teachings of esoteric Buddhism, and their merits were explained in detail, spreading widely among the general public and making Miwa faith famous. It also shows a typical atmosphere of Shinto-Buddhist syncretism. The most concise source is "Miwa Daimyojin Engi" (included in "Zoku Gunsho Rui Ju Jingibu"), while other sources such as "Miwa Sosho" (5 volumes) and "Ogami Jinja Shiryo" (10 volumes) are the newest and most detailed.

[Haruo Ogasawara]

"Study of Miwa-ryu Shinto" edited by the Ogami Shrine Historical Materials Editorial Committee (1984, Meishu Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良県三輪山麓(さんろく)の大神(おおみわ)神社の縁起(えんぎ)を基として形成された神道の一派。真言(しんごん)宗系の両部(りょうぶ)神道の一つで三輪流神道ともいう。鎌倉初期に三輪上人(しょうにん)の称がある慶円が三輪明神から啓示を受けて伝えたという。大日如来(だいにちにょらい)を本地とし、その垂迹(すいじゃく)が天上では天照大神(あまてらすおおみかみ)、伊勢(いせ)では皇太神、三輪では三輪大明神であり、この三神は三身一体であるとする。このように、天照大神と比肩のうえに三輪大明神こそが諸社諸神中もっとも優れた神であることを説く。密教の秘伝奥義も多く加え、その功徳も詳細に説かれ、民間にも広く普及し、三輪信仰の盛名を馳(は)せた。神仏習合思想の一典型の趣(おもむき)も示している。資料としては『三輪大明神縁起』（『続群書類従神祇(じんぎ)部』所収）がもっとも端的、ほかに『三輪叢書(そうしょ)』（五巻）、『大神神社史料』（10巻）がもっとも新しく詳細である。

［小笠原春夫］

『大神神社史料編集委員会編『三輪流神道の研究』（1984・名著出版）』

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