Tennin (天人, lit. "Heaven(ly) Person"), which may include Tenshi (天使, lit. "Heaven(ly) Messenger"), Ten no-Tsukai (天の使い, lit. "Messenger(s) of Heaven"), Hiten (飛天, lit. "Flying Heaven") and the specifically female version, the Tennyo (天女, lit. "Heaven(ly) Woman/Women"), are a divine kind of spiritual beings found in Japanese Buddhism, the equivalent of angels. They were seemingly imported from Chinese Buddhism, which was itself influenced by the concepts of heavenly beings found in Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism.[citation needed]
A depiction of a Tennin.
They originated in Hinduism as "Apsara" (Sanskrit: अप्सरा, romanized: apsaras or apsarā); a member of a class of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist culture. They are originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, who later plays the role of a "nymph" or "fairy". They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literature and painting of many Indian and Southeast Asian cultures. In Japan, Apsara are known as Tenshi "(天使) Tenshi Tennin" (天人); "Tennyo" (天女) for "female Tennin" and "Tennan" (天男) for "male Tennin".
Tennin are mentioned in Buddhist sutras,[citation needed] and these descriptions form the basis for depictions of the beings in Japanese art, sculpture, and theater. They are usually pictured as unnaturally beautiful women dressed in ornate, colourful kimono (traditionally in five colours), exquisite jewelry, and stole-like, feathered, flowing scarves--called both Chányī/Tenne (纏衣, lit. a "Wrapping Raiment" or "Heavenly Raiment") and Yǔyī/Hagoromo (羽衣, lit. 'Feather[ed] Raiment')--that wrap loosely around their bodies (a parallel to the Christian Halo), as-well-as Gokō (後光, let. 'back[ground] light' or 'aureole'; an actual halo)--the Húntiānlíng/Adaitenayao (浑天绫/渾天綾, lit. "Armillary Sash"), worn by Nezha, from Chinese mythology, is also a kind of Chányī / Yǔyī. They usually carry lotus blossoms as a symbol of enlightenment or play musical instruments such as the biwa, or flute.[1][2]
Religionedit
Tennin are believed to live in the Buddhist heaven as the companions to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Some legends[citation needed] also make certain tennin solitary creatures living on mountain peaks. Pilgrims sometimes climb these mountains in order to meet the holy spirits.
Powersedit
Tennin can fly, a fact generally indicated in art by their coloured or feathered kimono, called both Tenne (纏衣, lit. a "Wrapping Raiment" or "Heavenly Raiment") and Hagoromo (羽衣, lit. 'Feather[ed] Raiment').[citation needed] In some legends, tennin are unable to fly without these kimono (and thus cannot return to heaven).[3] More rarely, they are shown with feathered wings.[1] In a Noh play Hagoromo, which bears a number of similarities to the Westernswan maiden legends,[4]tennyo come to the earth and take off their hagoromo. A fisherman spies them and hides their clothes in order to force one to marry him. After some years he tells his wife what he did, and she finds her clothes and returns to heaven.[3] The legend says it occurred on the beach of Miho no Matsubara, now a part of the city of Shizuoka.
^ abTennin at GODS of Japan, A-to-Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhism (Buddhist & Shinto Deities)
^Hearn, Lafcadio, Glimpses of an Unfamiliar Japan at Project Gutenberg online book catalog
^ abWaley, Arthur (1921), The Noh Plays of Japan, Chapter V, p. 177, "A Note on Hagoromo"
^The Legend of Connor O'Quin and the Swan Maiden at Folklore of the Burren
External linksedit
The dictionary definition of tennin at Wiktionary
The dictionary definition of tennyo at Wiktionary
The dictionary definition of tenshi at Wiktionary
January 01, 1970
tennin, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, november, 2011, lea. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Tennin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR November 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message Tennin 天人 lit Heaven ly Person which may include Tenshi 天使 lit Heaven ly Messenger Ten no Tsukai 天の使い lit Messenger s of Heaven Hiten 飛天 lit Flying Heaven and the specifically female version the Tennyo 天女 lit Heaven ly Woman Women are a divine kind of spiritual beings found in Japanese Buddhism the equivalent of angels They were seemingly imported from Chinese Buddhism which was itself influenced by the concepts of heavenly beings found in Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism citation needed A depiction of a Tennin They originated in Hinduism as Apsara Sanskrit अप सर romanized apsaras or apsara a member of a class of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist culture They are originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters who later plays the role of a nymph or fairy They figure prominently in the sculpture dance literature and painting of many Indian and Southeast Asian cultures In Japan Apsara are known as Tenshi 天使 Tenshi Tennin 天人 Tennyo 天女 for female Tennin and Tennan 天男 for male Tennin Contents 1 History 2 Religion 3 Powers 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory editTennin are mentioned in Buddhist sutras citation needed and these descriptions form the basis for depictions of the beings in Japanese art sculpture and theater They are usually pictured as unnaturally beautiful women dressed in ornate colourful kimono traditionally in five colours exquisite jewelry and stole like feathered flowing scarves called both Chanyi Tenne 纏衣 lit a Wrapping Raiment or Heavenly Raiment and Yǔyi Hagoromo 羽衣 lit Feather ed Raiment that wrap loosely around their bodies a parallel to the Christian Halo as well as Gokō 後光 let back ground light or aureole an actual halo the Huntianling Adaitenayao 浑天绫 渾天綾 lit Armillary Sash worn by Nezha from Chinese mythology is also a kind of Chanyi Yǔyi They usually carry lotus blossoms as a symbol of enlightenment or play musical instruments such as the biwa or flute 1 2 Religion editTennin are believed to live in the Buddhist heaven as the companions to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas Some legends citation needed also make certain tennin solitary creatures living on mountain peaks Pilgrims sometimes climb these mountains in order to meet the holy spirits Powers editTennin can fly a fact generally indicated in art by their coloured or feathered kimono called both Tenne 纏衣 lit a Wrapping Raiment or Heavenly Raiment and Hagoromo 羽衣 lit Feather ed Raiment citation needed In some legends tennin are unable to fly without these kimono and thus cannot return to heaven 3 More rarely they are shown with feathered wings 1 In a Noh play Hagoromo which bears a number of similarities to the Western swan maiden legends 4 tennyo come to the earth and take off their hagoromo A fisherman spies them and hides their clothes in order to force one to marry him After some years he tells his wife what he did and she finds her clothes and returns to heaven 3 The legend says it occurred on the beach of Miho no Matsubara now a part of the city of Shizuoka See also editApsara Ceres Celestial Legend Divine being InuYasha Movie 2 Castle Beyond the Looking Glass List of angels in theology Nymph Selkie seal maidens Swan maiden Valkyries Feather cloakReferences edit a b Tennin at GODS of Japan A to Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhism Buddhist amp Shinto Deities Hearn Lafcadio Glimpses of an Unfamiliar Japan at Project Gutenberg online book catalog a b Waley Arthur 1921 The Noh Plays of Japan Chapter V p 177 A Note on Hagoromo The Legend of Connor O Quin and the Swan Maiden at Folklore of the BurrenExternal links edit nbsp The dictionary definition of tennin at Wiktionary nbsp The dictionary definition of tennyo at Wiktionary nbsp The dictionary definition of tenshi at Wiktionary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tennin amp oldid 1216558900, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
