Bells have a long heritage of deep integration in Buddhist monastic life. The movements of monks on various occasions are directed by the tinkling, ringing, or gonging of a bell. No verbal cues are needed. Rung not merely to herald the morning and evening or to announce the time for prayer, but also to allow the listener to think on enlightenment, the penetrating and pervasive toll of a bell in a Buddhist temple rolls over the surrounding hills and can be heard at a great distance – an aural manifestation of the spreading dharma or universal truth.
Different bells in Buddhist temples have different roles, and preeminent among these are the bonshō and hanshō. Bonshō, sometimes called tsurigane or ōgane, are the largest of bells and are found on the immaculately manicured grounds of Buddhist temples throughout Japan. Cast in bronze, bonshō hang solemnly and isolated in purpose-built roofed but wall-less structures known as shōrō. They are hung mouth-down and remain motionless. A wooden beam is swung to sound the bell. Because of their great size, their resonance can last for many minutes.
Image: A bonshō hangs within a shōrō, surrounded by a lush and verdant landscape, at the Myōhō-ji temple complex in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan.
In contrast, the hanshō, or half-size bell, is installed under eaves, from beams, or at temple entrances. It is used as a signaling instrument at Japanese Buddhist temples. Whereas bonshō can weigh many tons and take a team of people to ring, hanshō are smaller and are sounded more frequently by a single monk wielding a wooden mallet. The bells are rung to indicate the time and call monks to prayer. In centuries past, hanshō were also hung in the watch towers of Japanese villages to sound the fire alarm.
Image: A monk sounds the hanshō, or half-bell, at a Buddhist temple in Japan.
Both the bonshō and hanshō are clapper-less; that is, they are sounded via an external striking mechanism, whether a swinging wooden beam or a handheld mallet. It is said the sloping shoulders and flat base of these bells emulate the seated posture of Buddha. As such, the bells are accorded utmost reverence. The casting process is also a sacred event, with sprigs of hallowed mulberry, gold offerings, and papers containing Buddhist prayers tossed into the molten bronze.
These bells maintain a spiritual and sacred place in Japanese society, with a deep and long-sustaining tone simulating the spiritual essence of the sacred word ‘Om,’ which symbolizes the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of an enlightened individual. Whether a bonshō or hanshō, the sound rings forth and calls listeners to a greater purpose.
Cover image: The 16th-century Daito bonshō hangs within a purpose-built shōrō on Mount Koya in Japan.
