Abhisheka

Abhisheka (also Abhisheka, abhiseka, Chinese灌顶/灌顶, Pinyin guàndǐng ) is a Sanskrit term comparable to puja, yagya and arati and means: a devotional act; an applied prayer, rites of passage and / or religious rites or rituals. Within this range of meanings abhiseka is all Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism in common.

Abhisheka Ritual

Abhisheka, also called Abhishekam is performed by priests by a libation is poured onto the image of the deity worship are sung during mantras. Usually, victims such as milk, yogurt, ghee, honey, Panchaamrutam, sesame oil, rose water, Sandalholzpaste poured among other offerings depending on the respective Abhishekamtyp, which is accomplished. This ritual is routinely held in most Hindu and Jaintempeln. " Rudraabhisheka " ( रुद्राभिषेक ) ( Abhisheka of Rudra ) is performed on Shivalingams.

Hinduism

Abhisheka is the name that was given to a former Vedic rite, in which government officials were anointed, in particular to identify leaders in takeover or a significant event. It is also the bathing ceremony and anointing that is performed on certain holidays for the temple gods.

Indo- Tibetan Buddhism

In the Indo- Tibetan Buddhist tradition Abhisheka can be a method to perform an esoteric transmission to provide a way blessings of a lineage to the participants or it may be an authorization to begin with a special meditation exercise.

Shingon Buddhism

The Abhisheka Ritual (Japanese灌顶, KANJO ) in Shingon Buddhism is the initiation ritual that is used to confirm students of esoteric Buddhism that they have now graduated to a higher exercise level. The characters used means literally " from the top pour ", which poetically describes the process of the transition of the Master's teachings to the students. The ritual was popular in China during the Tang Dynasty and Kūkai, the founder of Shingon, studied extensively before he imagined that time this ritual of the Japanese Buddhist community there. A special initiation ritual exists for the general public, which is called kechien KANJO (结 縁 灌顶), and symbolizes their initiation into esoteric Buddhism. This ritual is generally performed only on Kōya -san in Wakayama Prefecture in Japan, but can also be performed outside of Japan by qualified masters under appropriate auspices, although this rarely happens.

The Shingon ritual used one of the two Mandalas of the Two Worlds ( Five Buddhas / Five light kings ), depending on the occasion. In the esoteric ritual of teacher of esoteric Buddhism, the role of the teacher (usually the Mahavairocana Buddha) takes after the student has received the samaya precepts, while master and student specific mantras repeated in the form of a dialogue, which takes one esoteric Buddhist sutras. The student whose eyes are connected, throws a flower to the established Mandal and where this incident (ie, in which deity ) helps determine what the student should focus his devotion to his esoteric path. Then the blindfold is removed and the student placed a vajra in his hand.

Famous Abhishekas

• Mahaabhishekam performed on Mahakaleshwar -Temple in Ujjain.
• Mahamastakabhisheka at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka.

Cultural examples

• In the Mahavairocana Mahavairocana Sutra Buddha reveals the womb mandala the Vajrasattva and teaches the rituals that relate to the womb mandala, known as an example and are for abhisheka.
• Rama was asked 14 years to live in the jungle, shortly before his abhisheka.
• Rama led by Abhisheka after appointment of a Jyotirlinga in Rameswaram with the presiding deity Ramalingeshwar.