En

Abstract

En is originally a Buddhist concept for indicating causal relations, but it is also a term that is used regularly in Japanese social life. It has also proved to be a very convenient term in academic analysis. In Buddhist terms, the term “en” is used as a common idiom to refer to an individual's destiny from a previous reincarnation. En , however, refers to an indirect causal relationship, rather than a direct causal relationship. In Buddhist usage, the concept of kechi‐en refers to relations with a particular Bodhisattva. In Esoteric Buddhism, the “kechi‐en kanjou” is a rite based on kechi‐en . Here, in a secret ritual, the disciple throws flowers onto the top of a Mandala and establishes a relation or tie with the Bodhisattva hit by them.