八咫有大或美的意思。八咫鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)起源(yuan)于(yu)中(zhong)國的水鏡(jing)(jing)(jing),又稱“鑒(jian)”。就是在一個金屬盆中(zhong)放上水,用以照面。后(hou)來逐漸發(fa)展成銅(tong)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing),背面繪刻(ke)有松竹梅、龜鶴等吉祥(xiang)圖案。
當時(shi)日(ri)(ri)本(ben)人(ren)(ren)視鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)為(wei)神圣(sheng)物(wu)品,掛于胸前作(zuo)為(wei)避邪用具。之后(hou)鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)種(zhong)類增多,其(qi)中(zhong)的(de)八咫(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing)作(zuo)為(wei)天照(zhao)大神的(de)御靈,祭在日(ri)(ri)本(ben)神社之祖伊(yi)勢神宮內。鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)在日(ri)(ri)本(ben)民俗(su)中(zhong)占有(you)(you)相當高的(de)地位(wei)。日(ri)(ri)本(ben)人(ren)(ren)認為(wei)鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)能(neng)照(zhao)物(wu)照(zhao)人(ren)(ren),本(ben)身就說明它具有(you)(you)神秘性和(he)(he)魔力,所以有(you)(you)關鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)的(de)信仰和(he)(he)傳說很多。說它可引來吉祥(xiang),映照(zhao)出人(ren)(ren)心,可暴露惡魔的(de)本(ben)質,預見生(sheng)死吉兇(xiong)。由此,日(ri)(ri)本(ben)至今有(you)(you)人(ren)(ren)認為(wei)鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)破碎是不(bu)祥(xiang)之兆,不(bu)能(neng)跨越鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi),非(fei)吉慶場(chang)合要把鏡(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)遮(zhe)蓋(gai)起(qi)來等(deng)等(deng)。
日本傳說中有“三(san)神器”,分別是草(cao)薙劍、八尺瓊勾玉、八咫鏡。
八(ba)(ba)咫(zhi)(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)又叫(jiao)真經津之(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing),日本(ben)傳說(shuo)(shuo)三神器之(zhi)一(yi)(yi)(yi),現在(zai)(zai)供(gong)奉在(zai)(zai)伊勢(shi)神宮。由于天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)神的(de)(de)弟弟須佐之(zhi)男大(da)(da)鬧高(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)闖了(le)禍,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)神十分惶恐,躲在(zai)(zai)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)之(zhi)巖戶不(bu)出來(lai)(lai)了(le)。她(ta)可是(shi)高(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)老(lao)大(da)(da),沒(mei)她(ta),高(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和(he)葦(wei)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國都(dou)變得(de)一(yi)(yi)(yi)片漆(qi)黑,于是(shi)有人出主意,用天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)安河(he)上(shang)的(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)堅(jian)石和(he)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)金山的(de)(de)鐵造(zao)出八(ba)(ba)咫(zhi)(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing),掛(gua)在(zai)(zai)真賢樹上(shang),八(ba)(ba)百萬眾神一(yi)(yi)(yi)起在(zai)(zai)外面(mian)(mian)唱歌跳舞,弄得(de)高(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)雞(ji)犬不(bu)寧(ning)。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)很奇怪,就在(zai)(zai)里(li)面(mian)(mian)問:“我隱(yin)居(ju)在(zai)(zai)這(zhe)(zhe)里(li),高(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)黑暗(an)了(le),葦(wei)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國也(ye)都(dou)黑暗(an)了(le),為(wei)什么(me)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣命(ming)(ming)還(huan)在(zai)(zai)歌舞,而八(ba)(ba)百萬眾神也(ye)都(dou)在(zai)(zai)高(gao)聲(sheng)歡笑(xiao)呢?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣命(ming)(ming)回答說(shuo)(shuo):“有比你更尊貴(gui)的(de)(de)神來(lai)(lai)了(le),所以我們在(zai)(zai)歡樂歌舞。”說(shuo)(shuo)話之(zhi)間,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)兒屋(wu)命(ming)(ming)和(he)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布(bu)刀玉(yu)命(ming)(ming)舉(ju)起掛(gua)在(zai)(zai)真賢樹枝上(shang)的(de)(de)八(ba)(ba)咫(zhi)(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing),讓天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)御神照(zhao)(zhao)著鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)看。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)御神說(shuo)(shuo):“這(zhe)(zhe)家伙(huo)是(shi)誰,難道比我還(huan)尊貴(gui)嗎(ma)?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)光(guang)顧著看鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi),沒(mei)留神從(cong)門(men)里(li)出來(lai)(lai)了(le),這(zhe)(zhe)時隱(yin)藏在(zai)(zai)門(men)旁的(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)手力(li)男神,便抓住她(ta)的(de)(de)手,把(ba)她(ta)拉出來(lai)(lai)。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布(bu)刀玉(yu)命(ming)(ming)趕忙把(ba)注連(lian)繩(sheng)掛(gua)在(zai)(zai)她(ta)的(de)(de)后面(mian)(mian),說(shuo)(shuo)道:“不(bu)許再回到里(li)邊去了(le)!”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)御神一(yi)(yi)(yi)出來(lai)(lai),高(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和(he)葦(wei)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國立即(ji)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)光(guang)大(da)(da)亮。后來(lai)(lai),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)把(ba)這(zhe)(zhe)面(mian)(mian)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)也(ye)作為(wei)神器給了(le)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)孫,并(bing)且說(shuo)(shuo):“要永遠把(ba)這(zhe)(zhe)面(mian)(mian)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)當(dang)作我的(de)(de)化身(shen)來(lai)(lai)莊嚴的(de)(de)祭祀(si)”。