also: じんじゅ
noun
mystic spell; dharani
Buddhist term for a sacred incantation or mantra, especially a dharani. Rare in everyday language; mostly encountered in religious or historical contexts.
僧侶が神呪を唱えた。
The monk chanted a mystic spell.
この経典には多くの神呪が記されている。
Many dharanis are recorded in this sutra.
Alternate reading; less common than しんじゅ.
From Middle Chinese 神呪 (MC zyin tsyuwH), literally 'divine spell'. The reading じんじゅ reflects a variant Chinese pronunciation. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.