The Formation of Cakravartin's Figure From Its Origin to the Composition of the "Cakra-Chasing Episode"

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  • Teshima Hideki
    京都文教大学総合社会学部教授・京都大学人文科学研究所非常勤講師

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Other Title
  • 転輪王説話の生成 --その始源から「輪宝追跡譚」の成立まで--
  • テンリンオウ セツワ ノ セイセイ : ソノ シ ゲン カラ 「 リンポウ ツイセキタン 」 ノ セイリツ マデ

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Abstract

The Cakravartin king (Sanskrit : rājan- cakravartin-, Pāli : rājan- cakkavatti[n]-) is often mentioned in the Buddhist texts as an 'ideal monarch.' He subjugates all people using not military force, but only religious instruction through Buddhist teaching (dharma-). Many scholars have been interested in this characteristic image of the Cakravartin king and have presented their opinions about its origin. However, because of the complexity of its character, it is still unclear how the image of this type of king developed. The present paper aims to clarify the formation process of the Cakravartin's image, especially by examining the Buddhist Pāli canons which mention the Cakravartin king, and also by investigating the Vedic ritual texts concerning this aim. The findings in our research will be summarised as follows : [1] The original sense of the adjective cakkavatti[n]- was probably 'mounting/entering and riding a vehicle, ' and the noun rājan- (king), along with cakkavatti[n]-, denoted 'a king mounting/entering and riding a vehicle for a military/political activity' This term also tended to express the great king governing the entire earth. [2] Next, the character of the Cakravartin king was united with that of the Buddha, and gained the image of an ideal monarch 'who governs the entire earth with the Buddha's dharma.' Further, several fixed phrases expressing this image were composed. [3] One of the fixed phrases enumerates the "seven treasures" peculiar to the Cakravartin king. Among them, the "cakra as treasure" (cakkaratana-) is positioned as the first of the seven, and another one details the "cakra-chasing episode, " which describes that the king chased a cakra rolling around the earth, and subjugated all other kings. This episode is comprised of authentic images of the Cakravartin king which were shown in the preceding Buddhist canons, but its overarching story of "chasing the cakra" was probably adapted from the ceremonial "chasing the horse, " which takes place in the Vedic horse sacrifice (aśvamedha-) to be celebrated by sovereign kings. The horse chasing ceremony was known quite widely in ancient India. The compiler of this episode seems to have wanted to make the Cakravartin' sovereignty, as well as the Buddhist teaching that he explained, more acceptable to many people, including non-Buddhists.

Journal

  • 人文學報

    人文學報 112 27-86, 2018-06-30

    THE INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN HUMANITIES, KYOTO UNIVERSITY

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