Sponsored Collaborative Research
Compilation of a Database of Terms related to Buddhism in Nō Plays and Research into the Buddhist Background of Nō
Leader: TAKAHASHI Yūsuke Associate Professor, Institute of Oriental Classics (Shido Bunko), Keio University
Member: DAITOU Takaaki, NISHITANI Isao, FUJII Sōichirō, YOSHIZAWA Hajime
Research Objectives: Annotations to nō plays can still not identify the sources of some of the Buddhist gāthā, quotations from sutras, and Buddhist terms cited in plays. In many other cases, citations of the same expressions can be found elsewhere, but it is unclear what they mean or why they were used. Some terms reflect medieval Shinto-Buddhist syncretic practices. Compilation of the database will require collaboration between specialists in nō, Buddhist studies, and medieval Shinto. By investigating examples of Buddhist terms and their meaning within nō plays, we aim to gain a more profound understanding of plays and nō’s function as a religious performing art.
Research Methodology:
(1) Compilation of a database of Buddhist related terms found in nō plays We will compile a database listing the gāthā, sutra quotations, and Buddhist terms and the plays in which they appear, including both Buddhist expressions in the narrow sense and other expressions of a religious nature. Priority will be given to relatively longer Buddhist quotations. The database will contain additional information about sources, secondary literature, and annotations discussing examples.
(2) Study of individual nō plays and the religious background of nō through a examination of Buddhist terms The database will form a base for study of individual nō plays and the religious background of nō. We will investigate Buddhist terms that have resisted interpretation and examine the history of nō scholarship in the early modern period, particularly annotations by Buddhist monks. A wide study of relevant texts and examples will allow us to consides the meaning and function of Buddhist expressions from various perspectives. The results will be summarized
in the database and made public through discussion in study groups.
