Sponsored Collaborative Research 2018
Compilation of a Database of Terms related to Buddhism in Noh Plays and Research into the Buddhist Background of Noh
Leader: TAKAHASHI Yūsuke
Members: DAITŌ Takaaki, NISHITANI Isao, FUJII Sōichirō, YOSHIZAWA Hajime
In 2017, work focused on gathering examples of Buddhist gāthā, sutra quotations, and Buddhist terms cited in noh plays. In 2018, the emphasis shifted to annotation and research. Members were assigned responsibility for different types of scriptures, and brought drafts of their annotations to the monthly meetings, where drafts were edited after discussion. Because it is essential to identify all expressions originating in the Buddhist scriptures, priority is given to notes about scriptures, but Buddhist terms that seem not to occur in the usual scriptual sources are also being examined.
The project enlisted the cooperation of FUJII Sōichirō (Research Center for Computing and Multimedia Studies, Hosei University) to find a database that can be used effectively to include both Buddhist terms and related information from commentaries or Muromachi performance notes.
On October 21, 2018, a research meeting was held in Hosei University with a report by Takahashi discussing the use Buddhist terms in noh plays. Research done as part of this project were the basis of three published papers, two by NISHITANI Isao and one by Takahashi. A productive meeting was held on January 20, 2019, at the Kyoto temple Sennyūji in which members of this research project were joined by Buddhist specialists from Ryukoku University. Another meeting planned toward the end of the academic year. On March 13, DAITŌ Takaaki gave a report focussing on the custom of the enactment of shushi prayers, an important issue for understanding of the religious environment of sarugaku.