also: さんでん
noun
the three deities (Marici, Mahakala, Sarasvati)
Buddhist term referring to a specific set of three deities: Marici, Mahakala, and Sarasvati. Used in esoteric Buddhist contexts.
密教では、三天を祀ることがある。
In esoteric Buddhism, the three deities are sometimes enshrined.
noun
the three celestials (Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma)
Buddhist term referring to the Hindu trinity of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma, sometimes incorporated into Buddhist cosmology.
仏教の経典に、三天としてシヴァ、ヴィシュヌ、ブラフマーが登場する。
In Buddhist scriptures, Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma appear as the three celestials.
From 三 (three) + 天 (heaven, deity). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the term is used in Buddhist contexts to refer to specific sets of three deities.