The origin and composition of the "Nakatomi no Harae" in the Shuni-e ceremony held in Nigatsu-do, Todaiji: an example of the "Nakatomi no Harae" at a Nara Temple, Bulletin of the National Museum of Japanese History, 142, 193, 209, Mar. 2008, This paper uses the texts of the “Nakatomi no Harae” that are part of the Shuni-e ceremony held at Nigatsu-do at Tōdaiji as a means of investigating the origin and composition of this purification ritual.
Priests who take part in the Tōdaiji Shuni-e ceremony are called Rengyoshu, and are required to remove all defilement and to purify their minds and bodies so that the ceremony can proceed without hindrance. This is done by means of a ceremony called “Bekka” which is held before the main ceremony, which currently takes place from March 1 through the early hours of March 15. On the last day of the Bekka ceremony, the last day of February, priests called Shushi perform the “Onakatomi no Harae” ceremony. The “Nakatomi no Harae” is also held at various stages in the Bekka ceremony and in the main ceremony. These purification rituals are performed in order to remove the polluted and bad condition.
When the Bekka ceremony is under way, “Nakatomi no Harae” is performed at services held morning and night, after washing the face, bathing, and toileting, and before entering the Nigatsu-do everyday when the main ceremony is taking place. The Rengyoshu face their respective protective Buddhas, clap their hands, after which they perform various rites, such as the silent recitation of texts and purification of their bodies with white paper strips called “gohei”. In the “gohei”, the text which is the subject of this study is written on furled paper.
In this study, the author found that the “Nakatomi no Harae” consists of four parts:
1) Hōraku for Tōdaiji Hachimangu (Tamukeyama Hachimangu);
2) Rites the same as the “Kashiwade Harae no Daiji” and the “Ise Kashiwade Harae” practised in Shingon Shinto and Shugendo; 3) Purification rituals in the form of self-purification rituals practised in Onmyodō purification rituals; 4) Purification rituals used in prayers for health and longevity that have been influenced by Yoshida Shinto.
With the exception of part 2, it was not possible to determine the origins of these parts. However, it is fair to say that the texts of the “Nakatomi no Harae” were formed in their own unique way by amassing rites related to purification rituals with a number of different origins. That is to say, the structure of the “Nakatomi no Harae” is such that after the Hōraku is said for Tōdaiji Hachimangu, three purification rituals, parts 2, 3, and 4, are performed with different origins, such as Shingon Shinto, Onmyodo, and Yoshida Shinto.
The creation of the unique forms in the Tōdaiji Shuni-e ceremony through the inclusion of elements from different rituals over time is evident in various parts of the Buddhist service. Even though when viewed from the perspective of the complete Tōdaiji Shuni-e ceremony the “Nakatomi no Harae” is a minor ritual, this study has found that the “Nakatomi no Harae” contains similar characteristics.