The Fluid Pantheon: Gods of Medieval Japan, Volume 1 (Gods of Medieval Japan, 1)

Written by one of the leading scholars of Japanese religion, __The Fluid Pantheon__ is the first installment of a multivolume project that promises to be a milestone in our understanding of the mythico-ritual system of esoteric Buddhism―specifically the nature and roles of deities in the religious world of medieval Japan and beyond. Bernard Faure introduces readers to medieval Japanese religiosity and shows the centrality of the gods in religious discourse and ritual; in doing so he moves away from the usual textual, historical, and sociological approaches that constitute the “method” of current religious studies. The approach considers the gods (including buddhas and demons) as meaningful and powerful interlocutors and not merely as cyphers for social groups or projections of the human mind. Throughout he engages insights drawn from structuralism, post-structuralism, and Actor-network theory to retrieve the “implicit pantheon” (as opposed to the “explicit orthodox pantheon”) of esoteric Japanese Buddhism (Mikkyō). Through a number of case studies, Faure describes and analyzes the impressive mythological and ritual efflorescence that marked the medieval period, not only in the religious domain, but also in the political, artistic, and literary spheres. He displays vast knowledge of his subject and presents his research―much of it in largely unstudied material―with theoretical sophistication. His arguments and analyses assume the centrality of the iconographic record, and so he has brought together in this volume a rich and rare collection of more than 180 color and black-and-white images. This emphasis on iconography and the ways in which it complements, supplements, or deconstructs textual orthodoxy is critical to a fuller comprehension of a set of medieval Japanese beliefs and practices. It also offers a corrective to the traditional division of the field into religious studies, which typically ignores the images, and art history, which oftentimes overlooks their ritual and religious meaning. __The Fluid Pantheon__ and its companion volumes should persuade readers that the gods constituted a central part of medieval Japanese religion and that the latter cannot be reduced to a simplistic confrontation, parallelism, or complementarity between some monolithic teachings known as “Buddhism” and “Shinto.” Once these reductionist labels and categories are discarded, a new and fascinating religious landscape begins to unfold. Acknowledgments 9 Prologue 13 The Rise of Esoteric Buddhism 13 Another Middle Ages 16 Rescuing the Gods from Oblivion 18 Sources 22 Project History 25 The Essentialist Fallacy 26 Methodological Caveats 28 Synopsis 31 1. Twists and Turns 35 A Calderian Pantheon 35 Explicit and Implicit Pantheons 37 Naming the Gods 38 The Medieval Logic of Equivalence 40 The Structuralist Model 43 Bipartition and the “Already Structural” 44 Structuralisms 46 Strictures and Structures 47 Sitting under the Banyan Tree 56 Back to Phenomenology? 57 Codetta 59 2. Under the Gaze of the Stars 63 Fear among the Stars 64 Symbols of the Center 65 Ichiji Kinrin 65 Silent Night, Salient Star 70 Aspects of Myoken 71 Royal Symbolism 72 Daoist Origins 72 Myoken in Esoteric Buddhism 76 Myoken and the Seven Stars 76 Development of the Myoken Cult 83 Early Stages 83 The Emergence of Local Traditions 85 The Edo Period 93 Iconography 94 Later Representations 96 The God in the Details 97 The Pace of Yu 98 The Deer Head 99 The Brush and the Register 101 Snakes and Dragons 102 Myoken’s Mount 103 The Two Acolytes 104 A Singular Constellation 106 Myoken’s Honji 106 Other Links 108 Kichijoten 108 Kannon 109 Baleful Stars 109 Water Deities 113 Mercury 113 Suiten and the Nagas 113 Rulers of Destiny 113 Enmaten 113 Taishakuten 116 Tendai Protectors 119 Shinra Myojin 119 Sanno Gongen 119 Other Links 120 Kojin 120 Marishiten 121 Embryological Symbolism 123 Codetta 124 3. The Elusive Center 127 The Wisdom Kings 128 Indian Prototypes 130 Vajrapani 132 Upward Bound 135 Ritual and Iconography 137 Fudo’s Transformations 141 Functions 145 The Apotropaic Function 145 Possession 146 Individual Protection 146 Prolongation of Life 148 Fudo’s Cult in Japan 149 Soo and Fudo 150 Pacification Rituals 151 The Diffusion of the Cult 153 Doctrinal Interpretations 154 Symbolism of the Center 155 Symbol of the Mind 158 Latent Symbolism 160 Fudo as Chthonian Power 161 Fudo’sAcolytes 163 Dualism 171 Sexuality 174 Embryology 174 Codetta 176 4. Lust but Not Least 179 The Political Context 179 The Official Aizen 181 Subjugation and Seduction 183 Love Rituals 185 Iconography 188 Aizen Mandalas 188 The God in the Detail 188 Aizen’s Network 199 King Yama 199 Myoken 200 Butsugen and Kinrin 201 Amaterasu and Juichimen Kannon 203 Nyoirin Kannon 206 Aizen and the Three Devas 207 The Embryological God 208 Codetta 210 5. Fearful Symmetry 211 The Two-headed Aizen 211 Aizen and Fudo 212 The Coupling 213 Embryological Readings 214 Aizen and Gozanze 216 Aizen, Fudo, and the Jewel 218 The Joint Ritual of the Three Worthies 222 Iconography of the Great Matter 223 Fudo and Aizen at Ise 231 The Ophidian Aizen 238 Codetta 242 6. The Hidden Jewel 247 The Cult of the Wish-fulfilling Jewel 248 The Buddha’s Relics and the Jewel 248 Ichiji Kinrin and Butsugen 250 Relics as Seed-Syllables 252 Relic Worship 252 The Symbolism of the Jewel 254 Twin Jewels 255 Artificial Jewels 257 Imperial Claims 259 The Jewel Cult of Mount Muro 260 Kenne’s Role 261 The Jewel 263 Mount Muro 264 The Dragon 266 Beyond Mount Muro 268 The Threefold Jewel 270 The Adamantine Kfikai 270 Another Genealogy? 277 Codetta 279 7. Living Jewels 283 Jewel Deities 283 Monju and Kokuzo 283 Uho Doji and Amaterasu 288 Hachiman 293 Ugajin 297 Nyoirin Kannon 297 A Powerful Incantation 298 The Six Kannon 299 Functions 301 Iconography 301 Development 305 The Seven-star Nyoirin 308 Nyoirin and Divination 311 Nyoirin’s Network 312 Benzaiten 312 Nyoirin, Inari, and Ise 313 Nyoirin and Dragon Deities 314 Nyoirin and the Nun Nyoi 316 A Portable Deity 319 Nyoirin’s Samaya form 322 The Triadic Structure Redux 326 Codetta 326 Coda 329 Duo a trois 331 Triads and Ternary Structures 331 A Pantheon in Flux 334 More Caveats 334 Abbreviations 341 Notes 343 Bibliography 423 Index 485 Written By One Of The Leading Scholars Of Japanese Religion, This Multivolume Project Promises To Be A Milestone In Our Understanding Of The Mythico-ritual System Of Esoteric Buddhism Specifically The Nature And Roles Of Deities In The Religious World Of Medieval Japan. Bernard Faure Introduces Readers To Medieval Japanese Religiosity And Shows The Centrality Of The Gods In Religious Discourse And Ritual, Presenting The Gods (including Buddhas And Demons) As Meaningful And Powerful Interlocutors And Not Merely As Cyphers For Social Groups Or Projections Of The Human Mind. Throughout Faure Engages Insights Drawn From Structuralism, Post-structuralism, And Actor-network Theory To Retrieve The Implicit Pantheon (as Opposed To The Explicit Orthodox Pantheon) Of Esoteric Japanese Buddhism (mikkyō). Through A Number Of Case Studies, Faure Describes And Analyzes The Impressive Mythological And Ritual Efflorescence That Marked The Medieval Period, Not Only In The Religious Domain, But Also In The Political, Artistic, And Literary Spheres. He Displays Vast Knowledge Of His Subject And Presents His Research Much Of It In Largely Unstudied Material With Theoretical Sophistication. His Arguments And Analyses Assume The Centrality Of The Iconographic Record, And He Has Brought Together A Rich And Rare Collection Of Images. This Emphasis On Iconography And The Ways In Which It Complements, Supplements, Or Deconstructs Textual Orthodoxy Is Critical To A Fuller Comprehension Of A Set Of Medieval Japanese Beliefs And Practices. It Also Offers A Corrective To The Traditional Division Of The Field Into Religious Studies, Which Typically Ignores The Images, And Art History, Which Oftentimes Overlooks Their Ritual And Religious Meaning.--publisher. Volume 1 The Fluid Pantheon. Volume 2 Protectors And Predators. Bernard Faure. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Written by one of the leading scholars of Japanese religion, this multivolume project promises to be a milestone in our understanding of the mythico-ritual system of esoteric Buddhism specifically the nature and roles of deities in the religious world of medieval Japan. Bernard Faure introduces readers to medieval Japanese religiosity and shows the centrality of the gods in religious discourse and ritual, presenting the gods (including buddhas and demons) as meaningful and powerful interlocutors and not merely as cyphers for social groups or projections of the human mind. Throughout Faure engages insights drawn from structuralism, post-structuralism, and Actor-network theory to retrieve the "implicit pantheon" (as opposed to the "explicit orthodox pantheon") of esoteric Japanese Buddhism (Mikkyo ). Through a number of case studies, Faure describes and analyzes the impressive mythological and ritual efflorescence that marked the medieval period, not only in the religious domain, but also in the political, artistic, and literary spheres. He displays vast knowledge of his subject and presents his research much of it in largely unstudied material with theoretical sophistication. His arguments and analyses assume the centrality of the iconographic record, and he has brought together a rich and rare collection of images. This emphasis on iconography and the ways in which it complements, supplements, or deconstructs textual orthodoxy is critical to a fuller comprehension of a set of medieval Japanese beliefs and practices. It also offers a corrective to the traditional division of the field into religious studies, which typically ignores the images, and art history, which oftentimes overlooks their ritual and religious meaning.--Publisher. The Fluid Pantheon is the first volume in this multivolume work which discusses the nature and roles of deities in the religious world of medieval Japan and beyond. Bernard Faure introduces readers to medieval Japanese religiosity and shows the centrality of the gods in religious discourse and ritual; in doing so he moves away from the usual textual, historical, and sociological approaches that constitute the "method" of current religious studies. The approach considers the gods (including Buddhas and demons) as meaningful and powerful interlocutors and not merely as cyphers for social groups or projections of the human mind. Throughout he engages insights drawn from structuralism, post-structuralism, and Actor-network theory to retrieve the "implicit pantheon" (as opposed to the "explicit orthodox pantheon") of esoteric Japanese Buddhism