Buddhist Rituals in the Song Dynasty Etiquette of Ghost Feeding by Zunshi

Abstract

According to former studies, the etiquette of ghost feeding described in the Jinyuan ji 金園集 written by Zunshi is considered to be based on two esoteric sūtras from the Tang, the Jiu mianran egui tuoluoni shenzhou jing 救面然餓鬼陀羅尼神呪経 （T. 1314） and the Jiu bayankou egui tuoluoni jing 救拔焰口餓鬼陀羅尼経 （T. 1313） and to inherit the thoughts and beliefs of Tiantai. However, the present study reveals that the etiquette applied by Zunshi was in many ways consistent with the ghost feeding methods in the Shi zhuegui yinshi jishui fa 施諸餓鬼飲食及水法 （T. 1315）, reputed to have been translated by Bukong 不空, although this has been rarely mentioned. Therefore, it is believed that Zunshi was influenced by the etiquette of the ritual of feeding hungry ghosts in the Shi zhuegui yinshi jishui fa. In addition, although it is not catalogued in the Chinese Buddhist canon, the most popular version of the Shi zhuegui yinshi jishui fa during the Tang dynasty was introduced to Japan by Kūkai. This version, which bears Bukong’s name and is regarded as his translation, has been passed down since the Kamakura period as the fundamental source of ghost feeding rituals in Japan. On the other hand, Zunshi practiced and developed Esoteric rituals referred to in another translation of the Shi zhuegui yinshi jishui fa by an unknown translator through reconstruction of the etiquette, and it influenced the ghost feeding ritual and the later Chinese Liberation Rite of Water and Land.