3 - Computing in the Humanities and Social Sciences

game” incessantly played on a cosmic level by the Buddha Mahåvairocana in what is
known as “the preaching by the Dharmakåya” (Jp. hosshin seppø, see Lecture 2). 13
2. Shittan: The Graphologic Signifier
2.1. Shittan, the Esoteric Script
In origin, mantric expressions only had a vocal function; they were chanted, recited,
mumbled, or their pronunciation was simulated in one’s mind, but in any case it was
their sound that had a primary importance. When Buddhist texts containing mantras,
dhåra√∆, or other spells, where translated into Chinese, these formulae were left
untranslated; their pronunciation was preserved as much as possible through
transcription employing Chinese characters used phonetically. Mantric expression were
thus, for the Chinese, the Koreans, and the Japanese, the sounds of a foreign language
that was used primarily in order to communicate with the Buddhist deities.
With the development of esoteric Buddhism, the Indian script in which Buddhist
texts were written began to acquire importance in China and especially in Japan. Shittan
(Ch. xitan) is the phonetic transcription of the Sanskrit siddhaµ, nominative singular
neuter of the passive past participle of the verbal root sidh, “to complete.” According to
as common etymological explanation, siddhaµ means “that which has been completed,”
“that which is complete,” but also, by extension, “something perfect.” Within esoteric
Buddhism “that which is complete, perfect” refers to that which is expressible
linguistically through the siddhaµ writing system, as opposed to “that which is not
complete,” which as a consequence is deemed “incomplete,” “imperfect.” Another
etymology, more prosaic (but perhaps closer to the truth…), is reported by van Gulik.
According to it, siddhaµ was originally a popular term used to refer to the alphabet. It
derived from the custom of ancient calligraphy teachers to encourage their pupils by
inscribing on their writing tablets the augural expressions siddhaµ, “may you be
successful!” or siddhir-astu, “good luck!” (van Gulik 1980: 54-55).
13 Harvey Alper was perhaps the first to apply to mantric phenomena the idea he took from
Wittgenstein of language game: Alper 1989.
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