Shingon artwork.

Post Reply
Huseng
Former staff member
Posts: 6336
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:19 pm

Shingon artwork.

Post by Huseng »

Shameless self-promotion , but I wrote a blog post with photos I took today reviewing the art at a certain Shingon temple in Tokyo.

http://huayanzang.blogspot.com/2011/02/ ... tsuin.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Please have a look.

:anjali:
User avatar
Mr. G
Posts: 4080
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:36 am
Location: Spaceship Earth

Re: Shingon artwork.

Post by Mr. G »

Very cool pics Huseng! Japan is at the top of my list of places to visit.

Who is this a pic of?:

Image

Looks like a statue of Shinran.
  • How foolish you are,
    grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention!
    - Vasubandhu
User avatar
Su DongPo
Posts: 183
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 12:20 pm
Location: Central Taiwan

Re: Shingon artwork.

Post by Su DongPo »

Who is this a pic of?:
I believe that would be Kūkai 空海 / Kōbō-Daishi 弘法大師 (774–835), the founder of Shingon Buddhism. He is referenced in the first few sentences.

Yes, nice photography.
User avatar
Mr. G
Posts: 4080
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 6:36 am
Location: Spaceship Earth

Re: Shingon artwork.

Post by Mr. G »

Su DongPo wrote:
Who is this a pic of?:
I believe that would be Kūkai 空海 / Kōbō-Daishi 弘法大師 (774–835), the founder of Shingon Buddhism.
Heh, I figured that....for some reason I swear I've seen statues of Honen and Shinran that look exactly the same. Thanks SDP.
  • How foolish you are,
    grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention!
    - Vasubandhu
Huseng
Former staff member
Posts: 6336
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2010 3:19 pm

Re: Shingon artwork.

Post by Huseng »

Truth be told the bronze statues of Japanese priests start looking the same. Kasa hat, staff and robes with begging bowl. Without saying so I can't usually tell the difference.
User 3495
Posts: 285
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 5:50 pm

Re: Shingon artwork.

Post by User 3495 »

Hōnen and Shinran wouldn't wear the begging bowl. There are iconographic differences between the statues of founders of Japanese Buddhism. Hōnen and Shinran may sometimes look similar, which comes from the biographical background. Both were involved in the Hijiri movement so they would wear the same clothes, but Hōnen is typically depicted seated, whereas Shinran is shown standing with staff, hat and prayer beads.

Btw. it isn't quite right, what you wrote about Aizen Myōō (or rather I've never heard about that interpretation, that he is being called King of Love, "because of his great love for the Buddha who also protects him. He also loves all sentient beings and works for their benefit."). On JAANUS Aizen Myōō's name is explained in the following way:
"The word 'raga' originally referred to the color red and, by extension, the passions. Aizen is an esoteric Buddhist deity whose nature expresses the idea that earthly desires are a pure aspiration to enlightenment, bodaishin 菩提心, and these desires need not inspire illusion or cause suffering."
But I really like you photos! Great work :)
User avatar
Su DongPo
Posts: 183
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 12:20 pm
Location: Central Taiwan

Re: Shingon artwork.

Post by Su DongPo »

Huseng wrote:Truth be told the bronze statues of Japanese priests start looking the same. Kasa hat, staff and robes with begging bowl. Without saying so I can't usually tell the difference.
I'll talk your word for it in general, but I have seen many photos of Kobo Daishi statues, and a few Meiji era examples of the same in Taiwan, and they are all starting to look exactly like O-Daishi.
Post Reply

Return to “Shingon”