noun
votive light; offering lamp
A lamp, candle, or other light offered at a shrine or temple. Often used in the context of Buddhist or Shinto rituals. Compare with 御明かし (みあかし).
See also: 御明かし (みあかし)
神社の本殿には宝灯がともされていた。
A votive light was lit in the main hall of the shrine.
お盆には先祖の霊を導くために宝灯を供える。
During Obon, we offer votive lights to guide the spirits of our ancestors.
御明かし is a more general term for a sacred light offered to a deity, while 宝灯 specifically refers to a lamp or candle used as a religious offering, often with a connotation of being a treasured or precious light.
Composed of 宝 (treasure) and 灯 (light/lamp). The term likely originated in religious contexts to describe a light offered as a precious gift to a deity or Buddha.