Abhisheka (Sanskrit: अभिषेक, romanized: Abhiṣeka) is a religious rite or method of prayer in which a devotee pours a liquid offering on an image or murti of a deity.
An abhiṣeka is conducted by priests by bathing the image of the deity being worshipped, amidst the chanting of mantras.
[2][3] In Vajrayana Buddhism, an abhiṣeka can be a method for performing pointing-out instructions, a way to offer blessings of a lineage to participants, or it can be an empowerment to begin a particular meditation practice.
The kanji used literally mean "pouring from the peak", which poetically describes the process of passing on the master's teachings to the student.
[citation needed] The Shingon rite utilizes one of the two Mandala of the Two Realms, depending on the occasion.