Gohonzon

Honzon (Japanese本尊) referred to, especially in Japanese Buddhism, the principal object of worship. As a mark of reverence the Japanese Honorativpräfix go (御) is in front of it so that it is referred to as the Gohonzon.

Honzon in Japanese Religion

Gohonzon is in Japanese religion is a general term for supernatural beings, or anything similar in a localized form, such as statues, symbols be ritually worshiped. It can be Kami, Buddhas, Tengu, Myojin or other supernatural beings, but also fonts, objects, inter alia, The objects in which manifest the beings, are often hidden and only occasionally, only certain people, or even not shown. Be retained objects, mostly of this kind in a so-called Butsudan.

Mostly, Gohonzon refers to the entity that is mainly worshiped in a temple or shrine. There are breaks between the perception of the public and the Orthodox perception. An example is the Soto Shuu: Your Gohonzon are officially Shakyamuni Buddha, Dogen and Keizan Jokin. Depending on the temple other beings are of the visiting Japanese but considered Gohonzon, eg Kannon, Inari ( a Kami ), various Tengu, etc. The respective Gohonzon are considered particularly powerful in the awarding of gene- riyaku, this worldly boons.

Nichiren's Gohonzon

The Moji - mandala Gohonzon Mandala Gohonzon or (曼荼罗 御 本尊) as the Nichiren -shu is in many schools of Nichiren Buddhism is a central object of worship. In Nichiren Shoshu and the Soka Gakkai he is the only object of worship.

In Nichiren Buddhism, which dates back to the monk and scholar Nichiren (1222-1282), represents the Gohonzon mandala as one of the three worship spaces (also called " The three great secret Dharmas " called ) his teaching represents the other two are the daimoku or. Odaimoku " Namu Myoho Renge Kyo " ( a mantra ) and the place ( Kaidan ), where the Gohonzon is enshrined and where Namu Myoho Renge Kyo is recited. Some Nichiren schools ( for example, the Nichiren Shoshu - ) see to a central temple as Kaidan, some also the country Japan as a whole.

The Nichiren Gohonzon is a calligraphic mandala, it is written in the center of Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, surrounded by Buddhas, deities, demons and spirits which are as representations of one's life and thus constitute in their entirety Buddhahood itself. In addition, the arrangement of the individual elements on the Gohonzon symbolizes the so-called " Ceremony in the Air ." In this metaphorical ceremony Shakaymuni Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra, its accuracy is confirmed by the presented beings. The believer should therefore see themselves as participants in this ceremony. In the various Nichiren schools but there are differences of opinion, what role should be granted to the faithful as a participant in this metaphorical ceremony.

To this day, some of Nichiren Gohonzon homemade exist. Depending on the Nichiren school believers are passed copies of it, or are made by priests templates that underpin copies for the believers.

Thus, the Gohonzon for the believers of Nichiren Buddhism, the religious object or focus of worship represents the most Nichiren schools, however, have in common that not the object is worshiped in itself, but what is supposed to represent.