A Study on the Process of Formation of Yakushi-ji Shomyo -On the Current Ceremonies and Shomyo

• Project/Area Number: 04610022
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: 美学(含芸術諸学)
• Research Institution: Osaka Kyoiku University
• Principal Investigator: SAWADA Atsuko Osaka Kyoiku University, Department of Education, Professor, 教育学部, 教授 (00101262)
• Project Period (FY): 1992 – 1993
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 1993)
• Budget Amount: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000); Fiscal Year 1993: ¥300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 1992: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000)
• Keywords: Shomyo(Buddhist chant) / Hakase(Notation of Buddhist Chant) / Oral transmission / Prescriptive notation / Buddhist ceremony / Yakushi-ji / 書伝 / 資料批判

Research Abstract

This research examined the transition of Yakushi-ji's ceremonies and the relation to other Nara Buddhism or Esoteric Buddhism, analyzed the notation of "Hosso-shu Sanji Kaju"(recitation for prayr three times a day used in the Hosso sect), issued in 1904, and compared it with the shomyo notation of other tempels or sects, Horyu-ji, Todai-ji, and the both sects of Tendai and Shingon.
Old traditional ritual style has been more preserved in ceremonies for training monks themselves, Shuni-e and Jion-ne, but other ceremonies praying for people benefit or deceased has been relatively transformed or simplified. It is clarified that the notation of shomyo pieces, like "Bai" or "Sange", is in common with that of other sects, and shomyo for ceremonies held by each temple, like keka, makes a difference each other.
Yakushi-ji has very few documents concerned shomyo records, therefore researches into Yakushi-ji shomyo require the documents of other temples related with the Hosso sect.