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is a
is a Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
holiday exclusively celebrated by Japanese sects for seven days; three days before and after both the Spring equinox (shunbun
The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. ''Chūnfēn'', ''Shunbun'', ''Chunbun'', or ''Xuân phân'' is the 4th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 0° and ends when it reaches the l ...
) and Autumnal equinox (shūbun
The traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar divides a year into 24 solar terms. ''Qiūfēn'', ''Shūbun'', ''Chubun'', or ''Thu phân'' is the 16th solar term. It begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 180° and ends when it re ...
). It is observed by nearly every Buddhist school in Japan. The tradition extends from mild weather that occurs during the time of equinoxes, though the origin of the holiday dates from Emperor Shōmu
was the 45th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, during the Nara period.
Traditional narrative
Be ...
in the 8th century. People who normally worked in the fields had more leisure time to evaluate their own practices, and to make a renewed effort to follow Buddhism. The seasons beginning to change is a symbol that Buddhists should change their lives in order to reach enlightenment. Today, special services are usually observed in Japanese Buddhist temples, and Japanese temples abroad, based on the particular Buddhist tradition or sect.
Origin
''Higan'' is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese translation of the Sanskrit term for "the Other Shore". The cycle of death and rebirth (''saṃsāra
''Saṃsāra'' (Devanagari: संसार) is a Pali/Sanskrit word that means "world". It is also the concept of rebirth and "cyclicality of all life, matter, existence", a fundamental belief of most Indian religions. Popularly, it is the c ...
'') is "this shore", and in Buddhism, crossing to the other shore is used to refer to the attainment of nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lampRichard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo.' ...
.
Ancestral veneration
Similar toObon
or just is fusion of the ancient Japanese belief in ancestral spirits and a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. This Buddhist–Confucian custom has evolved into a family reunion holiday during which people retu ...
, Japanese citizens will often return to their hometowns during the holiday season to pay respects to their ancestors. Ohigan is a public holiday, thus many businesses are closed.
See also
* Lycoris radiata (Red spider lily) - In Japanese, ''higan-bana'' (higan-flower)References
Buddhist festivals in Japan Buddhist holidays March observances September observances {{Buddhism-stub