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TheNihon Ryōiki (日本霊異記) is an earlyHeian periodsetsuwa collection. Written byKyōkai between 787 and 824, it isJapan's oldest collection of Buddhistsetsuwa. It is three volumes in length.
Commonly abbreviated asNihon Ryōiki, which means "Record of Miraculous Events in Japan," the full title isNihonkoku Genpō Zen'aku Ryōiki (日本国現報善悪霊異記). It may also be read asNihon Reiiki. The book has beentranslated into English under the titleMiraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition, but this does not represent a literal translation of the Japanese title.[1]
The work is composed of three parts contained within three volumes. Each volume begins with a preface, and the final volume contains anepilogue. There are a total of 116 tales all dealing with Buddhist elements. There are also a total of nine poems.
There are five existing manuscripts, two of which are designated National Treasures:
All manuscripts are incomplete. The full text must be reconstructed from the multiple sources, and this was only possible after the Raigō-in manuscript was discovered in 1973.
The text contains a number of words inman'yōgana, an archaic orthography that may be used to expressJōdai Tokushu Kanazukai. While it is anEarly Middle Japanese text, it is early enough to still preserve the distinction between ko1, ko2[2] and pe1, pe2 prior to their mergers.
| Mythic texts |   | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese creation myth | ||
| Takamagahara mythology | ||
| Izumo mythology | ||
| Hyūga mythology | ||
| Human age | ||
| Mythological locations | ||
| Mythological weapons | ||
| Major Buddhist figures | ||
| Seven Lucky Gods | ||
| Legendary creatures | ||
| Other | ||
Authority control databases: National |
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