帰依

• Reading: きえ
• Romaji: kie
• Kanji breakdown: 帰 (ki/kae) — return, go back; 依 (i/yo) — rely on, depend
• Pronunciation: /ki.e/

Meaning

Devotion; spiritual conversion; taking refuge in the Three Jewels of Buddhism — the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.

A Buddhist term for the act of committing oneself to the Three Treasures (三宝): the Buddha, the teachings (法), and the monastic community (僧). Taking refuge (帰依する) is the first formal step in becoming a Buddhist practitioner. In broader usage, it can describe deep personal devotion to any faith or cause. The term carries connotations of surrender of self and placing full trust in a higher path.

Examples

1. 彼女は長年の苦しみの末、仏教に帰依することで心の安らぎを見つけた。 After years of suffering, she found peace of mind by taking refuge in Buddhism.
2. 帰依の儀式を経て、彼は正式な仏教信者となった。 Having undergone the ceremony of taking refuge, he became a formal Buddhist practitioner.
3. 近代以降も、文学者や芸術家の中には仏に帰依して出家する者がいた。 Even in the modern era, some writers and artists have taken religious vows and entered monastic life.

Usage Guide

Context: religion, Buddhism, spirituality

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Classical Chinese 歸依, meaning to return and rely upon. A Buddhist technical term from Sanskrit śaraṇa (refuge), introduced to Japan in the Nara period when Buddhism was adopted as a state religion.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient–Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal