A Comprehensive Study of the Muromachi Monogatari from a Buddhist Perspective

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K02384
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese literature
• Research Institution: Doho University
• Principal Investigator: Minoura Naomi 同朋大学, 文学部, 准教授 (70449362)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 室町物語 / お伽草子 / 説話 / 因縁

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Muromachi monogatari (also called Otogi zoshi, Nara ehon, or medieval novels) are short stories created mainly in the Muromachi period. Because they were written based on the knowledge, culture, and education of the time, they have high documentary value, but research on them is still insufficient. In order to understand the cultural and ideological background of the tales, it is necessary to analyze them from a Buddhist perspective.
In this study, Muromachi monogatari is approached from a Buddhist perspective, focusing particularly on the view of samsara, sin and karma, spiritual tales, and quotations from Buddhist scriptures.

Free Research Field

日本文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

中世文芸研究における仏教的観点の重要性は広く認識されており、室町物語群に対しても同様である。本研究で扱った中世寺院資料は、室町物語からはやや距離があるが、「本地物」と呼ばれる因縁譚や転生譚を中心に据える室町物語を適切に読み解く一助になると考える。また、室町物語に見られるような、現世の不遇を前世の因縁によるとする考え方は人に罪業観を持たせる可能性があるが現代にも存在し、その論理の歴史的検証は現代的課題とも言える。