Peter Knecht
The natural features of the Ise sanctuaries emerge as the physical representation of a non-physical world, for at certain points the spiritual can be intensely experienced in the environment. The mandala guides the prospective pilgrims through the physical world while reminding them that the pilgrimage is actually an image of the pilgrims’ own life, and also ofers a glimpse at their life’s goal: the Pure Land.
Similar to a designed map of some tourist spot, the Ise sankei mandara is not an exact representation of reality, yet it does not disregard the disposition and natural circumstances of the real world either. It differs, however, from an ordinary map because it arranges features in such a way that they highlight meanings that are not readily perceived in the real world.
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Original publication in the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 33/2: 223–248. © 2006 Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture. Republished here with thanks.
