『神道集』に現れた諏訪神 - 神々との関係づけを中心に -

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the aspects of the Suwa faith in the Middle Ages by analyzing how the Suwa-god is described in Shintoshu and what his role and position were, focusing on his relationship with other gods. In Shintoshu, Vol. 5, No. 24, the Utsunomiya-god is manifested as both a male and a female deity. The male deity is represented as Matou Kannon, and the female deity is represented as Amida Nyorai. We can observe that the deity is a sibling of the Suwa-god, accompanied by a thousand dogs, crows, and foxes as his dependents. In Shintoshu, Vol. 10, No. 50, the father appears as the Akayama Daimyojin and the mother as Nikko Gongen. And their Honji(本地, their true form in Buddhism) are represented by Amida Nyorai, Yakushi Nyorai, Fugen Bosatsu, Senju Kannon, and Jizo Bosatsu. The Shintoshu, Vol. 7, No. 36, states that while the Suwa-god was visiting Mount Nikko, where his mother resided, he became connected with the Nukihoko-god, a beautiful woman who had come to Mount Sasaoka, and they became a couple. In other words, the Shintoshu describes the Utsunomiya-god as the brother of the Suwa-god, the Akayama-god, and the Nikko-gongen as a couple. It also portrays the Utsunomiya-god and the Suwa-god as his children, and the Nukihoko-god as the Suwa-god's wife. In other words, it can be said that from the Nukihoko-god to Nikko-gongen, they are related by blood and family to the Suwa-god. In Shintoshu, Vol. 6, No. 34, the Atsuta-god and the Suwa-god appear as warriors to protect the main character. In Shintoshu, Vol. 10, No. 50, Kouga Saburo not only encounters Kasuga-Hime after visiting Kasuga but also reunites with her on Mount Mikasa. Moreover, Kouga Saburo is manifested in the Kami-sha of Suwa Shrine, while Kasuga-Hime is manifested in the Shimo-sha. This implies that the manifestations of Kouga Saburo and Kasuga-Hime as deities in the Suwa region are linked to the Suwa-god. The connection and cooperation between the Suwa and Kasuga gods can be observed. The Shintoshu contains eight stories related to Jyo-shu (上州). It is evident that the editor's main focus was on Jyo-shu, but the strong influence of the Suwa faith is clear in the inclusion of the Suwa Engi at the end of the story. The above clues underscore the importance of the Suwa faith in Shintoshu, indicating that the Suwa-god exists not only within a familial relationship but also in a collaborative relationship with other gods.