経典(きょうてん)

きょうてん
noun
scripture; sacred text; sutra
formalreligionculture
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(きょうてん)を読(よ)む。
To read the scriptures.
僧侶(そうりょ)が経典(きょうてん)を唱(とな)えている。
The monk is chanting from the scriptures.
この寺(てら)には古(ふる)い経典(きょうてん)が数多(かずおお)く保管(ほかん)されている。
This temple houses a great many ancient scriptures.
仏教(ぶっきょう)の経典(きょうてん)はサンスクリット語(ご)から漢訳(かんやく)されたものが多(おお)い。
Many Buddhist scriptures were translated into Chinese from Sanskrit.

Composed of 経(きょう) (sutra, scripture) and 典(てん) (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(きょうてん) include the vast body of sutras (経(きょう)), monastic rules (律(りつ)), and commentaries (論(ろん)), collectively known as the 三蔵(さんぞう) (Tripitaka). Many of these texts reached Japan via Chinese translation.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • お経(きょう): sutra, Buddhist chanting — more colloquial and everyday; often refers to the act of chanting rather than the text itself
  • 聖典(せいてん): sacred scripture, holy text — a broader term applicable to any religion; 経典(きょうてん) leans toward Buddhist texts specifically
  • 聖書(せいしょ): the Bible — specifically the Christian scriptures

Related Words

Compare: お経(きょう) (sutra, Buddhist chanting)
Compare: 聖典(せいてん) (sacred scripture, holy text)
Compare: 聖書(せいしょ) (the Bible)
Compare: 教義(きょうぎ) (doctrine, dogma, tenet)
Compare: 経文(きょうもん) (sutra text)
general
Added 2026.4.18 5:11 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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