1.
scripture; sacred text; sutra; canonical text
A religious text that is considered authoritative and sacred, especially Buddhist sutras. Can also refer to the sacred writings of other religions.
経典を読む。
To read the scriptures.
僧侶が経典を唱えている。
The monk is chanting from the scriptures.
この寺には古い経典が数多く保管されている。
This temple houses a great many ancient scriptures.
仏教の経典はサンスクリット語から漢訳されたものが多い。
Many Buddhist scriptures were translated into Chinese from Sanskrit.
Composed of 経 (sutra, scripture) and 典 (code, canon, authoritative text). While it can refer to the sacred texts of any religion, it is most commonly used in Buddhist contexts in Japanese.
In Buddhism, the 経典 include the vast body of sutras (経), monastic rules (律), and commentaries (論), collectively known as the 三蔵 (Tripitaka). Many of these texts reached Japan via Chinese translation.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 経典を読む: to read the scriptures
- 経典を唱える: to chant the scriptures
- 仏教経典: Buddhist scripture
- 経典の研究: study of scriptures
SIMILAR WORDS:
- お経: sutra, Buddhist chanting — more colloquial and everyday; often refers to the act of chanting rather than the text itself
- 聖典: sacred scripture, holy text — a broader term applicable to any religion; 経典 leans toward Buddhist texts specifically
- 聖書: the Bible — specifically the Christian scriptures