Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

En is originally a Buddhist concept for indicating causal relations, but it is also a term that is used regularly in Japanese social life. It has also proved to be a very convenient term in academic analysis. In Buddhist terms, en is used as a common idiom to refer to an individual's destiny from a previous reincarnation. En , however, refers to an indirect causal relationship rather than a direct causal relationship. In Buddhist usage, the concept of kechi-en refers to relations with a particular Bodhisattva (Enlightenment-Being). In Esoteric Buddhism, the kechi-en kanjou is a rite based on kechi-en . Here, in a secret ritual, the disciple throws flowers onto the top of a Mandala, and establishes a relation or tie with the Bodhisattva hit by them. En days are specially designated days said to have a special connection with the Bodhisattvas. Kannon day is the 18th day of the month, Jizou is the 24th, and Fudou is the 28th. On these days, a visit to a temple is said to be a particularly pious act that brings substantial rewards. The concept of en became separated from stricter Buddhist usage, and came to be used as a term to refer to general social and personal relations. En-gumi , to make a connection, is a common term to indicate marriage, and en-dooi , a “distancing of relations,” refers to a state where a potential marriage is considered impossible. Good en refers ... log in or subscribe to read full text