Ahōkyōintō (宝篋印塔) is a type ofpagoda, so called because it originally contained the Hōkyōin (宝篋印)dharani (陀羅尼)sūtra[1] (orKaraṇḍamudrā Dhāraṇī Sūtra (宝篋印陀羅尼経)).[1][verification needed] A Chinese variant of the Indianstupa, it was originally conceived as a cenotaph ofQian Liu, the King ofWuyue.[1]
Usually made in stone and occasionally metal or wood,hōkyōintō started to be made in their present form during theKamakura period[1] (1185–1333). Like agorintō, they are divided in five main sections called (from the bottom up)kaeribanaza (反花座), or "inverted flower seat",kiso (基礎), or base,tōshin (塔身), or body, kasa (笠), or umbrella, andsōrin (相輪), or pagoda finial.[1] Thetōshin is the most important part of thehōkyōintō and is carved with aSanskrit letter.[2] Thesōrin has the same shape as the tip of a five-storied pagoda.[2] Thekasa can also be called yane (屋根), or roof.[2] It is decorated with four characteristic wings calledmimikazari (耳飾)[1] orsumikazari (隅飾).[2] Different structures exist, and thehōkyōintō property of the Yatsushiro Municipal Museum in Kyushu for example is divided in just four parts, with nokaeribanaza.[2]
The sūtra contain all the pious deeds of aTathagata Buddha, and the faithful believe that praying in front of ahōkyōintō their sins will be canceled, during their lives they will be protected from disasters and after death they will go to heaven.[2]
Thehōkyōintō tradition in Japan is old and is believed to have begun during theAsuka period (550–710 CE).[2] They used to be made of wood and started to be made in stone only during the Kamakura period.[2] It is also during this period that they started to be used also as tombstones and cenotaphs.[2]
Elements ofJapanese architecture | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Styles |
| |||||||||
| Types of building |
| |||||||||
| Roof styles | ||||||||||
| Structural and spatial | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Rooms | ||||||||||
| Furnishings | ||||||||||
| Partitions | ||||||||||
| Outdoor objects | ||||||||||
| Measurements | ||||||||||
| Organizations | ||||||||||
| Related topics |
| |||||||||
