The Basic Research and Changes seen in Nepalese Buddhist Ritual: Analyzing the Newly Surfaced Buddhist Manuscripts

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00071
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01020:Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Buddhist philosophy-related
• Research Institution: Shuchiin University
• Principal Investigator: SHKAYA Sudan 種智院大学, 人文学部, 教授(移行) (60447117)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 岩田 朋子 龍谷大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 准教授 (80469204)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 仏教写本 / ネパール仏教 / ナーマサンギーティ / 布薩・ヴラタ / ホジソン / 仏教儀礼グル・マンダラ・プージャ / 仏教教団 サンガ / ネワール

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the newly surfaced NAmasaMgIti manuscripts, there exist only 19 folios. And, according to the colophon scribed in 35th folio (recto), it reveals that it was copied during the reign of Malla dynasty King Ali Malla in Nepal Samvat 331 (1211 AD). We found another manuscript of NAmasaMgIti preserved in the Asha Achieves (Kathmandu) similar to it. Analyzing the scrip, quality of paper and the contents, it can be assumed this very manuscript was also transcribed around the 13th century, which is playing a vital role for editing the new version of it.
The “GurumaNDala Offering”, based on the AcAryakriyAsamuccaya, is a fundamental ritual practiced in the Nepalese Buddhism, and it performed in the daily devotions as well as in complex rituals like Vrata rites. We found differences in the contents of the "GurumaNDala Offering” practiced in the local temples of the Valley, which were also confirmed by the newly surfaced manuscripts we examined.

Free Research Field

人文学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

西暦1211に書写された新出『ナーマサンギーティ』写本は、その後の年代不明の写本の制作時期を解明する手がかりとなる。ネパールでの個人所蔵写本の調査を通じて、それらを文化財として保存し、内容分析により仏教学以外の分野にも新たな研究資料として提供することができた。
ネパールで実践されている儀礼の変遷はインド仏教の変遷そのものであり、僧侶と在家信者との関係やネパールの社会構造を知るのに役立つだろう。