| The Shuni-e ceremony shown in this unique performance is actually a ritual of atonement, stemming from the Buddhist conviction that the purification of body and soul can eliminate the poisons of greed, hatred and ignorance which human beings themselves create. The entire religious exercise takes nearly a month, during which the monks live in complete isolation. As they atone for the sins of others, they play a mediating role between the people and the Bodhisattva, the Enlightened One. Thus, their own spirituality must be highly cultivated before they can perform this meditative task. The ceremony originated in the Tôdai-ji-Tempel in Japan, which was founded in the 8th century after the Emperor Shomu introduced Buddhism to help his people cope with the crisis caused by drought, famine and earthquakes. The ceremonies of atonement, which are performed in the temple to this day, go back to this time as well. Original ritual objects from the temple will be transported to Berlin especially for the two performances in the House of World Cultures, making the House’s stage holy ground.
|
