A-un: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 07:10, 21 September 2010

An *a-um* pair of *komainu*, "a" on the right, "um" on the left

The term A-un (阿吽) is the transliteration in Japanese of the syllable "aum" (or "om"). Written in Devanagari as ॐ, it is sacred to the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

The original Sanskrit term is composed of two letters, the first and the last of the Sanskrit alphabet. Together, they symbolically represent the beginning and the end of all things.^[1] In Japanese Mikkyō Buddhism, the letters represent the beginning and the end of the universe.^[2]

The term is also used in Shinto and Buddhist architecture to describe the paired statues common in Japanese religious settings, most notably the Niō and the komainu.^[1] In most cases one of the two, the right one, has its mouth open to pronounce the sound "a", while the other has it closed to utter the sound "um". The symbolism is the same already seen. The generic name for statues with an open mouth is agyō (阿形, lit. "a" shape), that for those with a closed mouth ungyō (吽形, lit. "un" shape").^[1]

The term a-un is used figuratively in some Japanese expressions as "a-un breathing" (阿吽の呼吸, a-un no kokyū) or "a-un relationship" (阿吽の仲, a-un no kankei), indicating an inherent perfect harmony or non-verbal communication.

Identical twin taiko (traditional Japanese drums) player brothers Ryōhei and Kōhei Inoue, formerly of Ondekoza, play under the name of "A-un".^[3]^[4]

Some a-un pairs

An agyō komainu
An ungyō komainu
Hōryū-ji's agyō Niō
Hōryū-ji's ungyō Niō

References

^ ^a ^b ^c JAANUS, A un, accessed on September 10, 2010
^ Daijirin Japanese dictionary, 2008, Monokakido Co., Ltd.
^ "Aun's MySpace page". MySpace. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
^ "Aun Japan". Retrieved 11 September 2010.

[jaanus_a-un-1] JAANUS, A un, accessed on September 10, 2010

[2] Daijirin Japanese dictionary, 2008, Monokakido Co., Ltd.

[aun_myspace-3] "Aun's MySpace page". MySpace. Retrieved 11 September 2010.

[aun_Japan-4] "Aun Japan". Retrieved 11 September 2010.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:A-un-pair.jpg|thumb|275 px|An ''a-um'' pair of ''komainu'', "a" on the right, "um" on the left]]{{main|Aum}}
-The term {{nihongo|'''A-un'''|阿吽}} is the Japanese transliteration of the syllable "[[aum]]" (or "om"). Written in [[Devanagari]] as {{script|Deva|ॐ}}, it is sacred to [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], and [[Jainism]].
+The term {{nihongo|'''A-un'''|阿吽}} is the transliteration in Japanese of the syllable "[[aum]]" (or "om").  Written in [[Devanagari]] as {{script|Deva|ॐ}}, it is sacred to the Indian religions of [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], and [[Jainism]].
-The original term is composed of two letters, the first and the last of the [[Sanskrit alphabet]]. Together, they represent the beginning and the end of all things.<ref name="jaanus a-un">JAANUS, [http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/a/aun.htm A un], accessed on September 10, 2010</ref> In ''[[Mikkyō]]'', the letters represent the beginning and the end of the universe.<ref>[[Daijirin]] Japanese dictionary, 2008, Monokakido Co., Ltd. </ref>
+The original Sanskrit term is composed of two letters, the first and the last of the [[Sanskrit alphabet]]. Together, they symbolically represent the beginning and the end of all things.<ref name="jaanus a-un">JAANUS, [http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/a/aun.htm A un], accessed on September 10, 2010</ref> In Japanese ''[[Mikkyō]]'' Buddhism, the letters represent the beginning and the end of the universe.<ref>[[Daijirin]] Japanese dictionary, 2008, Monokakido Co., Ltd. </ref>
-The term is also used in [[Shinto]] and [[Buddhism in Japan|Buddhist]] architecture to describe the paired statues common in Japanese religious settings, most notably the [[Niō]] or the ''[[komainu]]''.<ref name="jaanus a-un"/> In most cases one of the two, usually the right one, has its mouth open to pronounce the sound "a", while the other has it closed to utter the sound "um". In this case too, the symbolism is the same already seen above. The generic name for statues with an open mouth is {{nihongo|''agyō''|阿形|lit. "a" shape}}, that for those with a closed mouth {{nihongo|''ungyō''|吽形|lit. "un" shape"}}.<ref name="jaanus a-un"/>
+The term is also used in [[Shinto]] and [[Buddhism in Japan|Buddhist]] architecture to describe the paired statues common in Japanese religious settings, most notably the [[Niō]] and the ''[[komainu]]''.<ref name="jaanus a-un"/> In most cases one of the two, the right one, has its mouth open to pronounce the sound "a", while the other has it closed to utter the sound "um". The symbolism is the same already seen. The generic name for statues with an open mouth is {{nihongo|''agyō''|阿形|lit. "a" shape}}, that for those with a closed mouth {{nihongo|''ungyō''|吽形|lit. "un" shape"}}.<ref name="jaanus a-un"/>
 The term ''a-un'' is used figuratively in some Japanese expressions as {{nihongo|"a-un breathing"|阿吽の呼吸|a-un no kokyū}} or {{nihongo|"a-un relationship"|阿吽の仲|a-un no kankei}}, indicating an inherent perfect harmony or non-verbal communication.