(558) Goko in Ishite-ji temple [調べる]
Can you guess what this is?
Do you feel something special for this object?
Yes... No...?
2021,03.20 at Ishite-ji temple
Do you feel something special for this object?
Yes... No...?
2021,03.20 at Ishite-ji temple
I'm afraid this is not a real thing but an enlarged replica1). This is a five-pronged2) vajra3) or Goko (五鈷) in Japanese. This object symbolizes an ancient India's weapon. It is supposed to keep off evil spirits as well as to relieve us of earthly desires and sufferings.
Vajra is a Sanskrit4) word meaning both thunderbolt and diamond. The vajra is used as a symbolic and ritual tool in Vajrayana5) Buddhism, or mikkyou(密教) in Japanese, that is, esoteric Buddhism or Tibetan6) Buddhism.
St. Kobo brought back the vajra from old China, Tang7) about 1200 years ago. He learned the esoteric8) Buddhism there, and started the Shingon sect (真言宗) in Japan. Looking at the portrait of St. Kobo holding Goko, you can get the real size of Goko.
1) replica [réplɪkə]
2) vajura [ˈvʌ́dʒrə]
3) five-pronged [fάɪv-prɔŋd]
4) Sanskrit [sǽnskrɪt]
5) vajrayana [vʌ̀dʒrʌjɑ́ːnə] 密教、literally "diamond vhiecle", 金剛乗
6) Tibetan [tɪbétn]
7) Tang [tˈæŋ] 唐朝
8) esoteric [èsətérɪk] 秘密の、深遠な、難解な
*
1) replica [réplɪkə]
2) vajura [ˈvʌ́dʒrə]
3) five-pronged [fάɪv-prɔŋd]
4) Sanskrit [sǽnskrɪt]
5) vajrayana [vʌ̀dʒrʌjɑ́ːnə] 密教、literally "diamond vhiecle", 金剛乗
6) Tibetan [tɪbétn]
7) Tang [tˈæŋ] 唐朝
8) esoteric [èsətérɪk] 秘密の、深遠な、難解な
*