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tenbourin-in@“]–@—Φˆσ
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Lit. Mudra for turning the Dharma-wheel. A mudra or hand gesture *in ˆσ symbolizing the Buddha's turning of the Dharma-wheel, i.e., his preaching of the Dharma, or Buddhist law. It assumes a variety of forms: both hands, with the thumbs and forefingers joined, are held at chest-level with the left palm turned inwards and the right palm turned outwards (e.g., central deity of the *Amida ˆ’–ν‘Ι pentad in relief, *oshidashibutsu ‰Ÿo•§, at Houryuuji –@—²Ž›); alternatively, the right hand, with the thumb and forefinger joined, is turned outwards while the left hand, with the thumb and middle finger joined, is turned inwards (e.g., mural of Amida in the *Kondou ‹ΰ“° of Houryuuji). In the Buddhist iconography of India it is known as the Dharma-wheel mudra (Sk:dharmacakra-mudra) or mudra for setting the Dharma-wheel in motion (Sk: dharmacakrapravartana-mudra), and the Sino-Japanese term tenbourin-in (also tenpourin-in) is probably a translation of the latter.
The prototype of this mudra, although not identical to it, appears already in Gandharan sculpture , and many fine examples dating from the Gupta dynasty may be seen at Sarnath. Sarnath was the site of the Buddha's first sermon, and the fact that images of *Shaka Žί‰ή found here displayed this mudra was probably one of the reasons that this mudra took root as the symbol of the Buddha's preaching of the Dharma.
In Japan there are many examples of Tathagata *nyorai ”@—ˆ images with this mudra dating from the Heian period and earlier, e.g., the aforementioned Houryuuji mural of Amida and the central deity of the *Taima mandara “––ƒ™ΦδΆ—…. There are also instances in which the fingers of the right hand are not bent (e.g., images of Shaka at Gangouji Šθ‹»Ž›, Gifu prefecture), and since there are similar examples from Tang China (e.g., Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), it is possible that they are the source of this finger position. At the same time, from the end of the Nara period (8c) onward, production began of many Tathagata images displaying a symmetrical tenbourin-in with the palms of both hands turned outwards and the thumbs joined with either the forefingers (e.g., image of Amida in the Eden ŠG“a of Houryuuji), the middle fingers (e.g., image of Amida, Hakkakuin ”ͺŠp‰@, Kyoto), or the third fingers (e.g., image of Amida in the Koudou u“° of Kouryuuji L—²Ž›, Kyoto). The traditional asymmetrical tenbourin-in, on the other hand, came to be referred to as the mudra of the auspiciousness of wisdom or chikichijou-in ’q‹gΛˆσ (e.g., Gouhou ά•σ ;1306-63, DAINICHIKYOUSHO ENNOUSHOU ‘ε“ϊŒo‘`‰‰‰œηβ).
The tenbourin-in is especially common in images of Amida predating the dissemination of the *mida-no-jouin –ν‘Ι’θˆσ in the mid- and late Heian period. According to the temple traditions of Saidaiji Ό‘εŽ›, Nara, the image displaying the tenbourin-in among the Four Buddhas *shibutsu Žl•§ in its stupa and dating from the late Nara period (late 8c) represents Houshou •σΆ (Sk: Ratnasambhava), but today scholars consider it to represent Amida. The systematization of the different forms of the tenbourin-in found in images of Amida gave birth to the following three types from among the mudras of the nine grades of Amida *Amida kubon-in ˆ’–ν‘Ι‹γ•iˆσ): mudra of the upper grade, middle birth joubon chuushou-in γ•i’†Άˆσ; mudra of the middle grade, middle birth chuubon chuushou-in ’†•i’†Άˆσ; and mudra of the lower grade, middle birth gebon chuushou-in ‰Ί•i’†Άˆσ. It is, however, anachronous to apply these terms to images antedating the Edo period. This mudra is also occasionally used in certain versions of the *Taizoukai mandara ‘Ω‘ ŠE™ΦδΆ—…. Some scholars refer to this mudra as the *seppou-in ΰ–@ˆσ, but since another mudra formed with only the right hand is also known by this name, it causes confusion if the same term is used as a synonym for the tenbourin-in.
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