lotus-shaped pedestal for Buddhist images
Only when written 蓮台
Specifically a pedestal shaped like a lotus flower, used to support statues or images of the Buddha in temples and altars.
river palanquin; river litter
Historical term for a palanquin used to cross rivers, carried by bearers. Rare in modern contexts.
In the center of the main hall, a statue of Amida Nyorai seated on a golden lotus pedestal is enshrined.
During the Edo period, river palanquins were used when crossing large rivers.
nine-tiered lotus leaf platform in Amitabha's Pure Land
Standard kanji spelling for the Buddhist pedestal sense; also used for the historical palanquin sense.
Alternate kanji spelling for the historical palanquin sense, using 輦 (hand-pulled carriage).
Variant kanji spelling for the historical palanquin sense, likely a phonetic substitution.
The Buddhist sense is 蓮台, literally “lotus platform,” a lotus-shaped pedestal for a sacred image. The river palanquin is historically also written 輦台, combining 輦, “litter,” with 台, “platform.”