八咫有(you)大或美的意思。八咫鏡(jing)起源于中(zhong)國的水鏡(jing),又稱“鑒”。就是在一個金屬(shu)盆(pen)中(zhong)放(fang)上水,用(yong)以照面。后來逐漸發展成銅鏡(jing),背面繪刻(ke)有(you)松竹梅、龜鶴等吉(ji)祥圖案。
當時(shi)日(ri)本(ben)人(ren)視鏡(jing)子(zi)為(wei)神圣(sheng)物品,掛于(yu)胸前作為(wei)避邪(xie)用具(ju)。之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)后鏡(jing)子(zi)種類(lei)增多,其中(zhong)的(de)八咫鏡(jing)作為(wei)天照大(da)神的(de)御靈,祭(ji)在日(ri)本(ben)神社之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)祖伊(yi)勢神宮內。鏡(jing)子(zi)在日(ri)本(ben)民(min)俗中(zhong)占有(you)(you)(you)相當高的(de)地位。日(ri)本(ben)人(ren)認(ren)為(wei)鏡(jing)子(zi)能照物照人(ren),本(ben)身(shen)就說(shuo)明它具(ju)有(you)(you)(you)神秘性(xing)和魔(mo)力,所以有(you)(you)(you)關鏡(jing)子(zi)的(de)信仰(yang)和傳說(shuo)很多。說(shuo)它可引來吉(ji)祥,映照出(chu)人(ren)心(xin),可暴露(lu)惡魔(mo)的(de)本(ben)質(zhi),預(yu)見(jian)生死吉(ji)兇。由此,日(ri)本(ben)至今有(you)(you)(you)人(ren)認(ren)為(wei)鏡(jing)子(zi)破(po)碎是不祥之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)兆,不能跨(kua)越鏡(jing)子(zi),非(fei)吉(ji)慶場合要把鏡(jing)子(zi)遮(zhe)蓋(gai)起來等等。
日(ri)本傳(chuan)說(shuo)中有(you)“三神器”,分別是草薙劍(jian)、八尺瓊勾玉、八咫鏡。
八咫(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing)又(you)叫真(zhen)經津之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing),日本傳(chuan)說(shuo)三神(shen)(shen)器之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)一(yi),現在(zai)供奉在(zai)伊勢神(shen)(shen)宮。由于(yu)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)大(da)神(shen)(shen)的(de)(de)(de)弟弟須佐之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)男大(da)鬧高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)闖了(le)禍,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)大(da)神(shen)(shen)十分(fen)惶恐,躲(duo)在(zai)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)巖(yan)戶不出(chu)來(lai)了(le)。她(ta)(ta)可是(shi)高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)老大(da),沒她(ta)(ta),高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)和(he)葦原(yuan)(yuan)中(zhong)國都變(bian)得一(yi)片漆(qi)黑,于(yu)是(shi)有(you)人出(chu)主意,用天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)安河(he)上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)堅石和(he)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)金山的(de)(de)(de)鐵造出(chu)八咫(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing),掛在(zai)真(zhen)賢樹上(shang),八百萬眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)一(yi)起在(zai)外面(mian)(mian)唱(chang)歌(ge)跳舞(wu)(wu),弄得高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)雞犬不寧。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)很奇(qi)怪,就在(zai)里(li)(li)面(mian)(mian)問:“我隱居在(zai)這里(li)(li),高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)黑暗了(le),葦原(yuan)(yuan)中(zhong)國也都黑暗了(le),為什(shen)么天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣命(ming)(ming)(ming)還在(zai)歌(ge)舞(wu)(wu),而八百萬眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)也都在(zai)高(gao)(gao)聲歡笑呢?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣命(ming)(ming)(ming)回答說(shuo):“有(you)比你更尊貴(gui)的(de)(de)(de)神(shen)(shen)來(lai)了(le),所以(yi)我們在(zai)歡樂歌(ge)舞(wu)(wu)。”說(shuo)話(hua)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)間,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)兒(er)屋命(ming)(ming)(ming)和(he)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布刀玉命(ming)(ming)(ming)舉起掛在(zai)真(zhen)賢樹枝上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)八咫(zhi)鏡(jing)(jing),讓天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)大(da)御神(shen)(shen)照(zhao)著鏡(jing)(jing)子看。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)大(da)御神(shen)(shen)說(shuo):“這家(jia)伙是(shi)誰,難(nan)道比我還尊貴(gui)嗎?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)光顧著看鏡(jing)(jing)子,沒留神(shen)(shen)從門里(li)(li)出(chu)來(lai)了(le),這時隱藏在(zai)門旁的(de)(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)手力男神(shen)(shen),便抓(zhua)住(zhu)她(ta)(ta)的(de)(de)(de)手,把(ba)她(ta)(ta)拉(la)出(chu)來(lai)。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布刀玉命(ming)(ming)(ming)趕忙把(ba)注連(lian)繩掛在(zai)她(ta)(ta)的(de)(de)(de)后面(mian)(mian),說(shuo)道:“不許(xu)再回到里(li)(li)邊去(qu)了(le)!”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)大(da)御神(shen)(shen)一(yi)出(chu)來(lai),高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)和(he)葦原(yuan)(yuan)中(zhong)國立即(ji)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)光大(da)亮。后來(lai),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)把(ba)這面(mian)(mian)鏡(jing)(jing)子也作為神(shen)(shen)器給了(le)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)孫,并且說(shuo):“要(yao)永遠把(ba)這面(mian)(mian)鏡(jing)(jing)子當作我的(de)(de)(de)化身來(lai)莊嚴的(de)(de)(de)祭祀(si)”。