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Tennin

Photo credits: google.it

Le radici del Buddhismo in Giappone sono molto profonde e seguono di pari passo la storia del paese, evolvendosi con esso. Il Buddhismo giapponese infatti è costituito in buona parte dalla continuazione o dall’evoluzione delle antiche scuole del Buddhismo cinese. Alcune di queste scuole oggi estinte nel paese d’origine, introdotte nell’arcipelago nipponico in epoche diverse hanno qui continuato a vivere e a mutare.

Inoltre, l’introduzione della scrittura e della cultura cinesi, che sono all’origine della Storia del Giappone propriamente detta (VI secolo) fu veicolata anche da rapporti di carattere religioso. I monaci buddhisti rimarranno per lungo tempo i tramiti e gli interpreti più importanti della cultura continentale in Giappone.

Le Creature Celestiali

Quando si parla di Buddhismo, siamo portati a pensare immediatamente a Buddha. In realtà ci sono figure molto importanti affiancate a Buddha che risiedono assieme a lui nel paradiso buddhista. Tra queste figure troviamo i Tennin, frutto anch’essi di un lungo processo di assimilazione e trasformazione.

I Tennin , il cui nome è composto dai kanji 天 che significa cielo e 人 persona, sono letteralmente “creature celestiali”, esseri spirituali. Essi comprendono gli HITEN 飛天, le creature volanti, gli UCHUU KUYOU BOSATSU 雲中供養菩薩, Bodhisattva seduti su delle nuvole, le TENNYO 天女, le fanciulle celestiali, i TENNOTSUKAI 天の使い, i messaggeri celesti e i KARYŌBINGA 迦陵頻伽, i quali sono assistenti celestiali che appaiono in varie forme, ma solitamente sono creature con il corpo di uccello e la di un Bodhisattva.

Photo credits: google.it

Costoro non sono oggetti di culto, anche se la gente accorda loro una certa venerazione mettendo fiori, acqua e riso ai loro piedi. La loro funzione è quella di proteggere la legge buddista servendo il DEVA ovvero il gruppo TENBU, divinità che includono esseri divini e creature soprannaturali come il Drago, l’uomo-uccello Karura e le Ninfe Celestiali.

La maggior parte ha origine nelle precedenti tradizioni vediche dell’India. Il termine sanscrito per questi esseri celesti è Apsara, ed esso si riferisce alle bellezze divine e ai ballerini che popolavano la corte di Lord Indra nella mitologia indù. In Giappone, il termine Apsara è reso come TENNIN.

Nell’arte, appaiono più frequentemente come ballerini e musicisti che adornano statue, dipinti e templi in Cina, Giappone e Sud-Est asiatico. I loro attributi non sono chiaramente specificati nei testi buddisti e quindi il loro aspetto è piuttosto vario. In Giappone, vengono spesso mostrati in piedi o seduti sulle nuvole o mentre volano in aria in pose aggraziate. Spesso sono intenti a suonare strumenti musicali o a spargere fiori per lodare gli dei, e di solito indossano indumenti celesti leggeri e fluttuanti, impreziositi da sciarpe di garza, i Tenne.[:en]

Tennin

Photo credits: google.it

The roots of Buddhism in Japan are very deep and follow the history of the country itself, thus evolving together with it. In fact, Japanese Buddhism largely consists of the continuation or evolution of ancient schools of Chinese Buddhism. Some of these schools, now no longer existing in their country of origin, once introduced into the Japanese archipelago continued to live and change.
Furthermore, through these religious relations, Chinese writing and culture were also introduced in the country representing the base of the proper History of Japan (6th century). Buddhist monks will retain the position of the most important intermediary and interpreters of the continental culture in Japan for a long time.

Celestial Beings

When we refer to Buddhism, we are immediately led to think of Buddha. In reality, there are other very important figures that accompany the Buddha and who live in the Buddhist paradise with him. Among these figures we find the Tennin, that are the result of a long process of assimilation and transformation.

Tennin , whose name is made up of the kanji 天 which means sky and 人 person, are literally “celestial creatures”, spiritual beings. They include the HITEN 飛天, Flying Beings, the UCHUU KUYOU BOSATSU 雲中供養菩薩, Bosatsu on Clouds, the TENNYO

天女,Celestial Maidens, the TENNOTSUKAI 天の使い, heavenly messengers, and the KARYŌBINGA 迦陵頻伽, who are Celestial Assistants that appear in many forms but that usually possess the body of a bird and the head of  a Bodhisattva.

Photo credits: google.it

They are not specially worshiped, although people do accord them some veneration by placing flowers, water, and rice at their feet. Their function is to protect Buddhist law by serving the DEVA, or else, the TENBU group, that includes other divinely spiritual beings, and creatures like the Dragon, the bird-man Karura, plus Celestial Nymphs and Heavenly Musicians among them.

Most originated in the ancient Vedic traditions of India. The Sanskrit word used to refer to this celestial beings is Apsara, often represented as divine beauties and dancers who populated Lord Indra’s court in Indian mythology. In Japan the Apsaras take the name of TENNIN.

In the arts, they frequently appear as dancers and musicians adorning statues, paintings and temples in China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Their attributes are not clearly specified in Buddhist texts and therefore their appearance is quite varied. In Japan, they are often shown standing or sitting on clouds or flying in the air in graceful poses. They are often shown playing musical instruments or scattering flowers to give praise to the gods, and usually wear light and floating celestial garments, embellished with scarves of gauze, the Tenne.[:ja]

Tennin

Photo credits: google.it

The roots of Buddhism in Japan are very deep and follow the history of the country itself, thus evolving together with it. In fact, Japanese Buddhism largely consists of the continuation or evolution of ancient schools of Chinese Buddhism. Some of these schools, now no longer existing in their country of origin, once introduced into the Japanese archipelago continued to live and change.
Furthermore, through these religious relations, Chinese writing and culture were also introduced in the country representing the base of the proper History of Japan (6th century). Buddhist monks will retain the position of the most important intermediary and interpreters of the continental culture in Japan for a long time.

Celestial Beings

When we refer to Buddhism, we are immediately led to think of Buddha. In reality, there are other very important figures that accompany the Buddha and who live in the Buddhist paradise with him. Among these figures we find the Tennin, that are the result of a long process of assimilation and transformation.

Tennin , whose name is made up of the kanji 天 which means sky and 人 person, are literally “celestial creatures”, spiritual beings. They include the HITEN 飛天, Flying Beings, the UCHUU KUYOU BOSATSU 雲中供養菩薩, Bosatsu on Clouds, the TENNYO

天女,Celestial Maidens, the TENNOTSUKAI 天の使い, heavenly messengers, and the KARYŌBINGA 迦陵頻伽, who are Celestial Assistants that appear in many forms but that usually possess the body of a bird and the head of  a Bodhisattva.

Photo credits: google.it

They are not specially worshiped, although people do accord them some veneration by placing flowers, water, and rice at their feet. Their function is to protect Buddhist law by serving the DEVA, or else, the TENBU group, that includes other divinely spiritual beings, and creatures like the Dragon, the bird-man Karura, plus Celestial Nymphs and Heavenly Musicians among them.

Most originated in the ancient Vedic traditions of India. The Sanskrit word used to refer to this celestial beings is Apsara, often represented as divine beauties and dancers who populated Lord Indra’s court in Indian mythology. In Japan the Apsaras take the name of TENNIN.

In the arts, they frequently appear as dancers and musicians adorning statues, paintings and temples in China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Their attributes are not clearly specified in Buddhist texts and therefore their appearance is quite varied. In Japan, they are often shown standing or sitting on clouds or flying in the air in graceful poses. They are often shown playing musical instruments or scattering flowers to give praise to the gods, and usually wear light and floating celestial garments, embellished with scarves of gauze, the Tenne.[:]