7/31/2007

Uesugi Kenshin

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Daruma Pilgrims Gallery

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Uesugi Kenshin Kagetora 上杉謙信(景虎)
(1530 - 1578)



- quote -
The Dragon of Echigo
(Nagao Kagetora)

As the head of the Nagao family, Kagetora turned to the difficult business of cementing his control over Echigo, a time-consuming process given that Echigo was noted for the fiercely-independent nature of it’s people.

... the capital and all the land around it was controlled by Oda Nobunaga, the rising ‘super-daimyô’ who had been the one to install Ashikaga Yoshiaki into the shogunate in 1568. Afterwards, Nobunaga had courted Kenshin’s favor with a series of gifts and letters that resulted in a pact against Takeda Shingen. Among the gifts Nobunaga sent to Kenshin were a pair of screens depicting life in Kyoto, known as the Rakuchû rakugai zu 洛中洛外図, which would later assist historians in gathering a sense of life in the capital at the time.

... Uesugi Kenshin was one of the most reknowned warlords of the 16th Century, a colorful figure who combined a love of campaigning with a thirst for learning and a genuine sense of honor. A devout religious man, Kenshin would never marry nor produce off-spring. Buddhist vows did not, however, prevent him from acquiring a taste for drink, which he consumed in copious amounts during his lifetime and may well have contributed to his early demise.

A man of learning, Kenshin enjoyed poetry and wrote the following piece in anticipation of his own death in 1578…

Even a life-long prosperity is but one cup of sake;
A life of forty-nine years is passed in a dream;
I know not what life is, nor death.
Year in year out-all but a dream.
Both Heaven and Hell are left behind;
I stand in the moonlit dawn,
Free from clouds of attachment.


Read his bigoraphy HERE !
 © www.samurai-archives.com



Screens, present from Nobunaga

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- quote -
Uesugi Kenshin Samurai House Codes
上杉謙信家訓 (kakun)

- - - - - 「宝在心」
・ 心に物なき時は、心廣く體泰(からだ やすらか)なり
・ 心に我儘(わがまま)なき時は、愛敬(あいきょう)失はず
・ 心に慾(よく)なき時は、義理を行ふ
・ 心に私(わたくし)なき時は、疑ふことなし
・ 心に驕(おご)りなき時は、人を敬(うやま)ふ
・ 心に誤(あやまり)なき時は、人を畏(おそ)れず
・ 心に邪見(じゃけん)なき時は、人を育つる
・ 心に貧なき時は、人に諂(へつら)ふことなし
・ 心に怒(いかり)なき時は、言葉和(おだや)かなり
・ 心に堪忍(かんにん)ある時は、事を調(ととの)ふ
・ 心に曇なき時は、心静(しずか)なり
・ 心に勇ある時は、悔(くや)むことなし
・ 心賤(いや)しからざる時は、願(ねがい)好まず
・ 心に孝行ある時は、忠節厚し
・ 心に自慢なき時は、人の善を知り
・ 心に迷(まよい)なき時は、人を咎(とが)めず
© shohoku_diary




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Yonako Takizan Fudooji 米子瀧山不動寺
Yonako Takizan Fudo-Ji

長野県須坂市米子町1057 / Yonakomachi, Suzaka-shi, Nagano



The temple was founded by
. Gyōki Bosatsu 行基菩薩 Gyoki Bosatsu . - (668 - 749)
Gyoki built a small hall for a statue of 大日如来 Dainichi Nyorai, which he carved himself.



In 1559, Uesugi Kenshin received a statue of Fudo Myo-O from the regent in Kyoto to use it in unifying the Kanto region.


This statue, made from keyaki 欅 zelkova wood, had been made by 弘法大師(空海) Kobo Daishi Kukai on request of 嵯峨天皇 Saga Tenno, with the pious attitude:
ittoo sanrai 一刀三礼 carving one part and praying three times


In 1561, after the Battle of Kawanakajima, Kenshin placed this statue in the Oku no In of the Temple, named
米子瀧山威徳院不動寺



- - - - - Homepage of the temple
- reference source : yonakofudoson.net -




There are the Yonako Great Falls 米子大瀑布 
不動瀧 Fudo Waterfall (85 m) and
権現瀧 Gongen Waterfall (75 m).
These two large waterfalls are among the 100 best of Japan.


Statue of Fudo Myo-O near the waterfall.
- Look at more amazing photos of the falls :
- source : nigejune.com/hiking-to-yonako-falls -


. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja – Vidyaraja – Fudo Myoo .


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. Naoe Kanetsugu 直江兼続
Follower of the son of Kenshin.

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- #uesugikenshin #kenshinuesugi -
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7/29/2007

Fudo Kankenki

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Fudo Myo-O Gallery

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Fudo and Aizen Kankenki 不動感見記
不動・愛染感見記 (ふどうあいぜんかんけんき)

Nichiren Sect and Fudo Myo-O

CLICK for original LINK !

The deity on the right is Fudo Myo'o (Sanskrit: Arcalanatha).
Nichiren is recording his visitation by Aizen and Fudo
Dated the 25th day of the 6th month of the 6th year of Kencho (1254).
Newly authenticated and added to the Gohonzonshu in the 1999 edition.


Fudo Myouou
(Skt: Acalanatha) Fudo is a Buddhist deity who serves practitioners by defeating the obstacles and devils which hinder Buddhist practice. He is regarded as the head of five great deities, the other four being Gosanze, Gundari, Daiitoku and Kongoyasha, as well as of eight great deities (the above five plus Ususama, Munsosho, and Mezu). It is said he enters into a flame-emitting meditation (Jap: kasho zammai) in which he exudes flames and destroys all karmic hindrances.
Because he never yields to obstacles, he is called Fudo (Immovable).

He is popularly depicted as an angry figure surrounded by flames, holding a rope and a sword. His name is inscribed in Siddha, a medieval Sanskrit orthography, on the right side of the Gohonzon as one faces it, signifying that the sufferings of birth and death are nirvana (Jap: Shoji Soku Nehan).
Source: A Dictionary of Buddhist Terms and Concepts. NSIC: Tokyo. 1983. 1990.

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The Sutra Spoken by
the Buddha on Arya-Acalanatha

Bussetsu Shou Fudou Kyou
An apocryphal text used in Tendai Shugendo

At that time in the Great Assembly, there was one Vidyaraja. This Great Vidyaraja possesses great majestic strength. He has the virtue of great compassion, thus he appears in a bluish-black body. He has the virtue of great meditative stillness, thus he sits on a vajra-rock. He has great wisdom, thus he manifests great flames. He grips the sword of great wisdom to destroy greed, anger, and ignorance. He holds the rope of samadhi to bind those who are difficult to tame.

He is the markless Dharmakaya, identical with [all-encompassing] space itself, thus he has no dwelling. His only dwelling is in the minds and thoughts of living beings. The minds and inclinations of all beings are different. In accordance with the minds of living beings, benefit is given and what is sought for is attained. At that time, all in that great assembly heard this teaching and were filled with joy. Faithfully receiving it, they reverently put it into practice.
Source: Tendai@yahoogroups: 12/8/2000

© //nichirenscoffeehouse.net/

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The "Pedigree" of the Aizen -  Fudo Kankenki
In 1334, after the passing of Nitta Nichimoku , Nitta Nichido, who was Nichimoku's nephew, became the Chief Priest of Taisekiji. However, Saisho Nichigo, with the support of the Nanjo Clan, received the deed to Nichimoku's Residential Temple, the Renzo-bo, thought to be at Koizumi Village. Nichido also received several treasures. It now appears these must have included:

***The Dai-Honzon of 1274; Mandala #016 ... see also: The Actual Dai-[Go]-Honzon?
***An image of Nichiren.
***Copies {prints} of the Aizen & Fudo Kankenki.
***Mandala Gohonzon # 004

Nichigo founded a seminary at Koizumi and then left for Awa, where he founded Hota Myohon-ji Temple. According to various accounts, he would later return to Koizumi and enshrine the image of Nichiren. His eventual successor, Nanjo Nichiden {1340(?)-1416}, a grandson of Tokimitsu, founded Koizumi Kuon-ji there, in 1409.
Mandala Gohonzon # 004 is currently housed at Koizumi Kuon-ji.

The Dai-Honzon of 1274 and the copies of the Aizen & Fudo Kankenki apparently remain at Hota Myohon-ji to this day. Untll recently, the Aizen & Fudo Kankenki were assumed to be forgeries, since there were no known originals. Moreover, they seemed to conflict with perceptions of Nichiren's views on Mikkyo.

Then, about 20 years ago, an obscure temple at Yokohama; Kuon Jyozai-in Honmonji produced the originals. The Aizen & Fudo Kankenki were "newly authenticated and added to the Gohonzonshu in the 1999 edition." It is interesting that the same temple also owns an old wooden transcription of the 1274 Daihonzon. According to Honmon Shoshu, Nichiu took these items from Taisekiji, circa 1483, and hid them at Ide's Cave. Nichiu was a Chief Priest of Taisekiji and proponent of the "Nichiren as True Buddha" concept.


Fudo Myo-o and Aizen Myo-o

Aizen and Fudo are 2 of 8 esoteric Vidya-Raja {Knowlege kings/Myo-O} associated with the Prajna {Wisdom} and Vajra {Tantric, Mikkyo} teachings of Buddhism. In one sense, their frightening appearence serves to scare unprepared neophytes away from the deepest secrets of the Dharma.

"Fudo Myo-o and Aizen Myo-o are sometimes identified with the Ni-o, the Two Kings, who are a dual form of Mahavairochana Tathagata (Dainichi Nyorai), who is a personification of the Dharmakaya or universal body of the Buddha. As such, Fudo Myo-o represents the element of spirit or mind, the Diamond World Mandala, and subjective wisdom; while Aizen Myo-o represents the five elements of earth, air, fire, water, and space, as well as the Womb World Mandala, and objective truth. Together the pair represent all of the things which are united in the universal life of the Buddha - body and mind, wisdom and truth, and the two mandalas. The Two Kings are often found guarding the main gates to temple and monasteries as fierce giant warriors."
-- Ryuei

Says the Flammarion Iconograhic Guide [of the Nio]:
"These two guardian kings are Vajradharas (lit. holders of vajras, thunderbolt holders, called Shukongo-jin in Japan). Or they may be a type of Raksa (man-eating demons of Indian folklore). In Esoteric Buddhism, they represent two aspects of Vairocana (Dainichi Nyorai). In this respect, they are sometimes confused with the wrathful forms of Fudo Myoo and Aizen Myoo. Although similar to these latter forms, they are in fact distinct from them."
Onmark Nio

In Japanese Buddhism, Aizen and Fudo are mainly associated with the Shingon Shu as well the Mikkyo elements of other Schools. The Myo-o served as messengers of Dainichi Buddha, who the Shingon School regarded as the Dharmakaya Buddha, as well as the Eternal Buddha of the Juryo Chapter of the Lotus Sutra.

In Nichiren's time, Ryobu Shinto, a Shinto-Buddhist Fusion form of Mikkyo, was influential within the Jimon Tendai, Shingon-Ritsu, and Sen'nyuji-Shingon Schools; all of which had a strong presence in Kamakura City, and 'pull' with the ruling Hojo Clan. The Kankenki definitely show that Nichiren was at least influenced by these Kamakura Era trends in Mikkyo thought.

Apparently, in some sense, Nichiren viewed the Shinto Sun Goddess, Tensho Daijin or Amaterasu Omikami, as a manifestation of Dainichi Buddha. However, especially in his later years, it appears that Nichiren sought to distance himself from the more extreme interpretations promoted by some adherents of the Shingon Shinto-Buddhist fusion known as Ryobu Shinto. At any rate, the Nichiren form of Ryobu Shinto is known as Hokke Shinto.

Kankenki Esotericism in Nichiren's thought -
by Robin Beck

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- Nichiren, Saint Nichiren 日蓮 -
February 16, 1222 – October 13, 1282
Nichiren and Dragon Legends

Fudo Myo-O Sutra
Bussetsu Sho Fudo Kyo


White Fudo Myo-O and Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism

Hokekyo Mandala 日蓮の法華曼荼羅
and Nichiren

. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja - Vidyaraja - Fudo Myoo .



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7/20/2007

Yakushi for Toothache

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. Japanese Legends - 伝説 民話 昔話 – ABC-List .
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ha no kamisama 歯の神様 Deities to heal toothache
There are quite a few and many legends about them.

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Yakushi to heal your Toothache, Haitadome Yakushi
歯痛止薬師(はいたどめやくし) ha itaidome Yakushi

歯痛封じ (はいたふうじ)ha ita fuuji


Heian Period (806 - 1184) / Wood H. 68.7 cm.

壬生寺(みぶでら) 
中京区壬生梛ノ宮町31 

天平宝字五年開山過海大師、勅を奉じ、来朝の砌印度伝来の金銅薬師如来の尊像を唐土より伝来、当寺開創の時別殿を造り奉安供養せる霊仏の処、後深草院天皇の御宇正嘉元年二月大火に類焼に帰す。時に平政平公霊夢を感し堂宇再建し新たに薬師如来の座像を造り躰内に開祖伝来の金銅薬師如来を納め奉安し五部の大蔵経二百四十八巻を書写し正元元年二月二十八日供養あり、爾来信仰の業種々霊験を蒙り供養尤も盛なりしことに旧記に見ゆ。天明八年洛中大火に堂宇経巻不残焼失の処天保十四年、前川五郎左衛門霊夢を感して今の堂宇再建し奉安供養し来る、古今霊験他に勝る霊像なり。

◇ご詠歌◇
六道のちまたをてらす壬生寺に  
なをひかりそふるりのみほとけ

© www.sourinji.com/

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TEMPLE MIBU-DERA 壬生寺

Yakushi of Mibudera
According to tradition Mibu-dera Temple was established by the order of Emperor SHOMU (r. 724-749) for the Chinese monk known in Japan as GANJIN (JIANZHEN in Chinese; 688-763). Monk GANJIN introduced the Ritsu Sect of Buddhism from China into Japan. He is most famous for persisting in his attempts to reach Japan, despite many disastrous failures by ship, finally making it when he was already in his 80's and blind. The most famous temple of the Ritsu Sect is Toshodaiji in Nara, founded by GANJIN.
- source : MIBU-DERA TEMPLE

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12 Yakushi Temples in Kyoto
京都十二薬師霊場巡拝案内記


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Jizo to help your toothache, haitadome Jizoo
歯痛止のお地蔵さん


万松寺 "歯形地蔵",
所在地:京都市上京区御前通一条下ル東堅町


Around 1690 there lived the daughter of a silk merchant in Kyoto, called "Miss Plum Blossom". She fell in love with Kichinosuke, but he was of a much lower social position than her. He hid from his lover in the temple Banshoo-Ji behind the stone statue of Jizo Bosatsu. When Plum Blossom saw the shadow of her lover, she took a bite in his shoulder ... But alas, it was only the stone shoulder of Jizo. This bite mark is still left on the statue for us to see.

寺伝によると、元禄年間、西陣の生糸問屋の娘お梅は、手代の吉助に懸想したが、身分がちがうお梅をさけ、万松寺の石地蔵の蔭に隠れた手代の肩にかみついた。しかしそれは石の地蔵尊であったが、女の執念は石仏の肩に歯形をのこすに至ったという。
© www1.kcn.ne.jp/~ku-tsu/hagamisan/

... ... ...

歯形地蔵(京都市北区)
This is another such Jizo in the North of Kyoto.

There lived a gentle couple, the husband being a devouted carpenter. But his wife always wondered if he did not have a lover elsewhere.
Then one evening on a rainy night, she took an umbrella to his workplace, but WHOW, she waw him walking along with another young woman under one umbrella. He run away and hid in the shadow of this Jizo statue, but his wife was so angry that she took a good bite at the stone statue anyway. The bite of her teeth is still to be seen.

「千本鞍馬口」バス停から北に歩くとすぐ、小さなお堂に行き当たる。中には高さ五十センチ前後の地蔵像が三体。真ん中に鎮座するのが、歯の痛みを和らげてくれるという「歯形地蔵」だ。

昔、このあたりに大工の夫婦が住んでいた。夫は仕事一筋で、近所の評判も上々の「いい男」だったが、妻は気が気ではない。「ほかの女に取られたらどうしよう」「もう浮気しているかも」。疑心暗鬼が高じ、夫の帰りが遅いと迎えに出るほど思い詰めていた。

そんなある日、にわか雨の夕方、妻が傘を持って夫の仕事場に向かうと、夫が若い女と相合傘でいるところに出くわした。逆上する妻に夫は驚き、とっさに近くにあった石地蔵の陰に隠れたが、頭に血が上った妻は地蔵の肩にガブリ。すぐに正気に戻ったものの、食い込んだ歯は地蔵から離れない。
苦しんでいたところ、通りかかった老僧の法力で歯は離れたが、妻はそのまま息絶えてしまった。その歯形が残ったので、「歯形地蔵」の名が付いたと言われている。



© www.kyoto-np.co.jp

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nurikobe Jizo "ぬりこべ地蔵"
京都市伏見区深草大門町 Fukakusa Kyoto



歯痛にご利益があります。病気を塗り込める、とりわけ歯痛に効き目があるということで、いつの頃からか人々の信仰を集めるようになりました。この「ぬりこべ地蔵さん」は歯痛が治りますようにと祈願したハガキを出すだけでも願いを聞いてくださるそうです。
6月4日には「歯痛封じ法要」が行われます。
稲荷大社の大鳥居をくぐって、社殿の右横にある東丸神社の横に続く細い路地を南に行き、石峰寺に行く道の途中。お墓の立ち並ぶ一角にはぬりこべ地蔵尊あります。
http://www.k3.dion.ne.jp/~mkoba911/goriyaku/nurikobe.html


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Hagami Jizo 歯神地蔵尊
Jizo as God for Toothache

下津池(しもついけ) Osaka, Shimo Tsu-Ike



このお地蔵さん、いつも蝋燭の炎と線香が絶えず、きれいに掃除もされているのですが、誰かがお参りしているところは見たことがありません。今日も燭台には炎がともり、線香も点いていましたが、周囲に人影はありませんでした。あたりを見回しても碑銘などの縁起を示すものは何も見つかりません。ただ掃除用具置き場に置いてあった塵取りにマジックで「歯神地蔵」と書かれているのを見つけることができました。

このお地蔵さんは「歯痛地蔵尊」または「灰掛け地蔵尊」として伝わっているものだそうで、今では灰をほほに擦り付けて祈ると歯痛が治ると信じられているものだとわかりました。また、このお地蔵さんのある一帯は、今は新興住宅地ですが、以前は下津池(しもつ池)という大きな池だったということもわかりました。

歯神地蔵というのは全国に約300ほどある歯のお地蔵さんで、撫でると歯の痛みが和らぐというものだそうです。
© www.motoharusumi.com

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Temple Hoodoo-Ji 宝幢寺(ほうどうじ)

浄土宗知恩院末寺 安養山と号す。本尊阿弥陀仏。慶長15年(1610)9月桂山上人が開山した。「山崎通分間延図」にはなぜか八幡神社付近に描かれ、現在に宝幢寺のあたりに以幸庵が描かれている。それによれば文化年間(1804)~18)以後に現在地に移ったことになる。
宝幢寺屋敷内に地蔵堂がある。

昭和27年創建、身代り地蔵(福禄地蔵ともよぶ)をまつる。
延命歯痛止地蔵尊
もとニチレ・バークシャー工場(現島本高校)の地にまつられていたが、工場建設のため昭和37年4月ここに移し安置した。
桜井駅跡の近く
© kirin/f

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. Agonashi Jizo あごなし地蔵尊 to cure toothache .

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Shrine Hakusan Jinja 白山神社  
中京区麩屋町押小路 Kyoto

When the emperor or the emperess had a toothache, one of her servants had to bring some salt as an offering to this shrine.

歯痛止め。
昔、天皇や皇后の歯痛止めに宮中の女官たちここへ塩をもらいにきたとか.
© www.kamimoude.org/

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Shrine Hagami no Yashiro 歯神之社 / 歯神の社
(はがみのやしろ)

歯痛平癒 haita heiyu

In this shrine in Kyoto there is a strange stone called "Kanzanseki", which has the power to heal toothache. Maybe there is some uranium in the stone.
Kanzan was a priest in the Heian period.



このお社には「寛算石(かんざんせき)」と言われる霊石があり、歯痛が治るのも霊石の力とされていました。この霊石、ラジウムを含む隕石だとう説もあります。不用意に霊石に触れると災いがあるとも言われていたとか、、。

時は平安時代。時の権力者藤原時平(ときひら)は、当時右大臣であった菅原道真(みちざね)を九州大宰府に左遷しました。
道真は、没後、時平を恨み怨霊となり、雷に姿を変え都を祟ったところ、道真を慕っていた筑紫安楽寺の僧「寛算」もそのあとを追い、自らも雷となり鳴り轟きました。
時平らの滅亡後、雷となった寛算は、落ちて石になり、いつしかその石は寛算石と呼ばれるようになりました。

やがて、この石は、歯痛を治める夜叉神の権化と考えられ、「歯神」の名で、現在まで親しまれています。そして、社前には神箸が供えられています。この奉納されている箸にも、食事のときに使ったり頬に当てたりすると、歯痛が治る、夢枕に白髪の老人が立つなど、様々な言い伝えが残されています。

歯神ノ社 京都市 南区役所HP[2006/06/18現在]より
© kyototanken 彷徨京都 / 八識


Hakami, Hagami ”歯神”
More Japanese LINKs !




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shitsuu komainu 歯痛狛犬 Komainu to heal toothache



Umezono Migawari Tenmangu 梅園身代り天満宮
長崎県 Nagasaki


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. Japanese Legends - 伝説 民話 昔話 – ABC-List .

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愛知県 Aichi 南知多町 Minamichita

At the foot of a low mountain called Segiyama せぎ山 there is a small Shrine and a 五輪塔five-ringed grave pagoda. This place was dedicated to
ha no kamisama 歯の神様 Deity of Teeth.
Once this place was devastated by a very storng typhoon.
The Deity of Teeth appeared in a dream to the villagers and told them he was suffering from the loss.
So the villagers begun to built the place anew.

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福島県 Fukushima 南会津郡 - 檜枝岐村

歯が痛むときには、お手洗いのかつらの上のほうにある石塔へ、はぎのはしと炒り豆を供える。この石塔は歯の神様である。


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新潟県 Niigata

巻町
白山様は歯の神様。Hakusan is the Deity of Teeth.
4月17日と8月20日の祭礼日には、近郷から参拝者が集まる。御神体は白蛇。
.
水の神、農耕の神として祀られていた九頭竜神社は、歯の神様でもあった。
.
巻町
歯の神様 The Deity of Teeth. A Jizo statue.
also heals 風邪や疳、耳痛、歯痛など、さまざまな病気を治してくれる。
子供が自転車もろともに坂の下に落ちそうになったが、お地蔵様のご利益で、自転車だけが下に落ち、本人は助かった。
.
竹の子売りのお婆さんが坂の下に落ちそうになったとき、(おそらくお地蔵さまが)籠を引っ張って助けてくれた。
.
こやしを積んだリヤカーが坂の下に落ちそうになったとき、(おそらくお地蔵さまのご利益で)手を引きとめたらとまった。
.
「歯の地蔵様」は、「あやめの観音様」を慕って、四国は讃岐の国から巡礼になってやって来た。だから、歯が痛いときには、さぬき豆を煎ってお供えする。



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大阪府 Osaka

hagami san 歯神さん / ハガミサン
楠正行の家臣、和田賢秀が、湯浅何某に首を刎ねられた際に、首が湯浅の鎧の上から噛み付いたという。そのため、和田の墓が「歯神さん」と俗称されている。

松原市
母親が愛児を抱いて乳を飲ませていると、含んでいた乳房を噛み切ってしまった。その後、怪異な出来事が次々と起きたという。その場所をはがみさんといって誰も近づかなかったという。

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島根県 Tottori

agonashi Jizo 腮無地蔵

隠岐に配流されていた小野篁が、同地で親しくなった阿古奈という女性と親しくなる。篁が赦免された際、歯痛の持病がある阿古奈のために、一体の地蔵を彫った。これが腮無地蔵の謂れで、歯痛の神として信心を集めている。

. Agonashi Jizo あごなし地蔵尊 to cure toothache .


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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -
歯の神様 / ハノカミサマ 10 to explore /// 歯神 , はがみさん ok

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 NEPAL  

Click for more information !

Nepalese God of Toothaches
and more of my haiku

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- #toothache #zahnweh #hagami #hanokami -
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7/17/2007

Dragon Calligraphy

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Dragon Art Gallery

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Dragon as Calligraphy

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TRACES OF NO-MIND: JAPANESE ZEN CALLIGRAPHY
Exhibition 2001

This exhibition focuses on the highly charged and often powerfully gestural works of many of the great names of the Zen calligraphic tradition. It provides a rare opportunity to see a genre of work that, despite its centrality to the Japanese artistic canon, has had little exposure in Britain.

  









Dragon
Tesshu Yamaoka (1836-1888), 1880
height 135 cm


© www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic
Victoria and Albert Museum, London



山岡 鉄舟(やまおか てっしゅう Yamaoka Tesshuu )


Yamaoka Tesshu was an outstanding swordsman of the nineteenth century who attained spiritual enlightenment at the age of 45. As well as a master swordsman, he was a renowned calligrapher- another testament to his mastery of Zen. He was born in Edo (modern day Tokyo) as Ono Tetsutaro on June 10th, 1836. His father was a retainer of the Tokugawa Government and his mother was the daughter of a Shinto priest from Kashima Shrine. Tesshu practiced Kendo from the age of nine, starting in the Jikishinkage Ryu Tradition.

Later his family were to move to Takayama where he began the Ono Ha Itto-Ryu style of fencing. When he was seventeen, he returned to Edo and joined the Kobukan Military Institute and the Yamaoka School of Spear Fighting under Yamaoka Seizan. Not long after Tesshu had joined the dojo, Seizan died, Tesshu went on to marry Seizan’s sister in order to carry on the Yamaoka name.

Obviously tales of Tesshu’s life differ and exaggerate to some degree, but by all accounts he seemed to be a man of immense spirit. It is said that Tesshu divided every day into four parts, Kendo, calligraphy, drinking and sleeping. Renowned for his drinking abilities, on one occasion whilst drinking with friends, they spoke of a horse that was so wild no-one could get a hold of it let alone ride it.

Tesshu replied “An animal that man cannot control! That is ridiculous! So his friends baited him to ride it and together they went to the stable. Tesshu marched up to the wild horse, grabbed it by the tail and started yanking it hard. Tesshu’s friends all dived for cover expecting the horse to buck and kick. Then to all their surprise the horse turned quietly and obediently followed Tesshu.

He explained to his friends “Animals confronted with determination greater than their own immediately submit”. However he later admitted that he had been quite drunk and had felt a bit braver than usual.

Tesshu’s pursuit of Kendo and enlightenment knew no bounds.

As well as a great teacher and swordsman, Tesshu had even played a role in the modernisation of Japan, employed by the Tokugawa government before the restoration, he subsequently was taken in the direct employ of the emperor.
© Read more in the WIKIPEDIA






© Shinjinkai
Painting of Daruma by Tesshu




......................... Haiku by Tesshu


Tightening my abdomen
Against the pain-----
The caw of a morning crow.



腹痛や fukutsu ya
苦しき中に kurushiki naka ni
あけからす akekarasu


© Budo haiku / Aoi Tokugawa


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quote
The Truth of the Ancient Ways:
A Critical Biography of the
Swordsman Yamaoka Tesshu

Anatoliy Anshin



... documents the life of famous Japanese swordsman Yamaoka Tesshu and his historical role in the end of the Tokugawa era. Written for martial arts practitioners and those interested in Japanese culture and history, Anshin draws from his doctorate dissertation to create the first critical biography on Tesshu over 120 years after his death in 1888.

Among practitioners of Japanese martial arts both in Japan and overseas, there is hardly a person who does not know the name of Tesshu. According to the author, Tesshu was not only famous for his martial arts skills, he was also known for his calligraphy and his pursuit of enlightenment in Zen Buddhism. Despite this, for over a century Tesshu’s figure was buried under numerous anecdotes and mythical stories, presenting a contrasting combination of broad popularity with the absence of critical biographies and a lack of verified data.

Based on scrupulous investigation of primary and secondary sources, Anshin’s book shows that Tesshu’s whole life was an uncompromising quest for authentic Japanese swordsmanship, which had been practically lost by his time. Anshin further analyzes how this quest eventually led Tesshu to play the central role in the bloodless surrender of Edo Castle – one of the most important events in the Meiji Restoration of 1868.

Looking at everything, from the beginning and development of Tesshu’s thoughts and belief systems to establishing his own swordsmanship school called Itto Shoden Muto-ryu, Anshin chronologically highlights Tesshu’s dramatic life path. This path mirrors the centuries-old cultural history of the Japanese warrior class, the samurai and its martial arts.
source : www.prnewschannel.com


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Calligraphy, Haiku and Daruma


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7/14/2007

Onomichi Coastal Town

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Daruma Pilgrim Gallery

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Onomichi, a costal town with many temples
尾道 ‐ お寺参り


Onomichi is a small costal town in Western Japan with a long history.

“You can feel history in the air when you walk the streets of Onomichi, where the folklore and traditions of old Japan live on. In addition, the carefully preserved Buddhist temples give visitors to Japan a real taste of traditional Japanese culture.”
http://www.city.onomichi.hiroshima.jp/



Joodo-Ji、Temple of the Pure Land Paradise 浄土寺



We visited there on May 2004, and by a stroke of good luck and timing even met with a “real life Daruma”.
At the temple of the Pure Land, Joodo-Ji we were greeted by a really round, small priest with a broad smile and such a friendly way, encouraging us to come in before he even knew we could communicate in Japanese. Anywhay, when he came out with one sandal in his hand, I had my clue: This must be Daruma san.

(Bypass: Why would Daruma san wear one sandal? ) Check it out here:
Daruma with One Sandal


It is believed that Prince Shotoku (574-622 AD) founded this temple in 616. This temple is also famous for its connection with Shogun Takauji Ashikaga (1305 – 1358) .It is called a treasure house of cultural assets. The main hall and the two-storied pagoda are designated as national treasures, the gate and Amida hall as important cultural assets.

Anyway, our Daruma guide opened the door to the famous garden with a thatched tea house on a small hill behind azaleas in full bloom, stone boulders and lanterns of various sizes, quietude all around. It is one of these Pure Land Paradise Gardens where you sit on the veranda and just BE for a while.


Most of the rooms have famous paintings on the sliding doors, which our Daruma guide explained in all details, as if he had painted them himself. He walked us to the place on the veranda from where to take the best pictures inside and even let me pass a hidden gate to get a better shot at one of the wooden panel doors with a painting of cherry trees.

Get an impression here.
http://www.ermjp.com/j/



By the way, there are two stories in my Daruma Homepage about these kinds of paintings on walls and sliding doors:
Fusuma and Daruma
Byoobu and Daruma


Our guide then gave us a special treat in the Amida Hall. There is a precious carving pattern between the walls and the ceiling, about 30 cm in height and painted white in the background, green on the protruding parts and red on the carved sides, so while you walk along the color changes and – whow – even the pattern changes from round to square and back to round.

Our Daruma san then grinned even more, closed the doors, turned off the electric light, put us in the right spot to watch and then said: “Timeslip back to when no electricity was available”. He opened the door just a little (“this is a rainy day”) to show this magic pattern, in red and round, then opened the door more (“now we have a sunny day”) and – whow – again, from the same spot the pattern changed to green and square, just by adding some more light to the room!
This famous pattern is called 卍崩しの組子(まんじくずしのくみこ)Manji-Kuzushi no Kumiko.



Manji is the Japanese name for the Svastika symbol, here carved in manyfold artistic variations. This pattern shows the Greek and Indian influence in early Buddhist Art and its most famous representative is found at the temple Hooryuu-ji, Nara.

Have a look at more pictures of the temple here:
http://www.urban.ne.jp/home/jyodoji/


At this temple there are sometimes performances of the famous No-Theater outside in the evening.
Here is a spectacular LINK to this event, called “Takagi No”, No performance whilst burning fire. One picture of the Pagoda at Night is really inspiring.
Takagi Noh Performance


It was hard to leave this quiet temple, so full of historical atmosphere. I felt as if all the batteries had been recharged with positive energy.

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Senkoo-Ji, The temple of a thousand light beams 千光寺

This is the symbol temple of Onomichi, located on a rocky hill above the city and easily reached by a 3 minutes ride with a ropeway.

Well, there was a stall selling talismans and good luck charms, one with our Daruma to help pass an examination and one with a small plastic Daruma, his eyes falling out (me ga deru), a play on words meaning to have good luck.

Jorenji Temple


The rocks and old pines bend by storm and clutching to the ground, quite a phantastic sight! Many rocks have special names, resembling something of the human world, but it seemed to me the rocks would better speak for themselves.
The temple has a completely different atmosphere than our quiet morning visit.

Sitting on a rock overlooking the city and the many islands scattered around in the Seto Inland See makes you wonder how much more impressive it must have been without all electricity poles, shipbuilding heavy mashinery and noisy trains passing by below.

Walking down the mountain the “Path of Literature”, there are huge boulders with poems engraved.


When Masaoka Shiki, the famous Haiku poet, passed here he made the following KU, which is carved in stone, see above:

nodokasa ya / koyama tsuzuki ni / too futatsu

What rural serenity!
rows of small mounains
and two pagodas


The NODOKASA part seems to be lost these days by busy bustling modern life below.


Here are some LINKS to see pictures of the temple and scenery:
http://www.sukima.com/14_sanyou01_05/38senkouji.htm
http://ww4.tiki.ne.jp/~urabe/senkouji-kouen.htm
http://www.city.onomichi.hiroshima.jp/seeing.htm


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Some LINKS for the historically minded:

The famous Shoogun Ashikaga Takauji is a familiar figure since my own “Kamakura Period”. He founded the Ashikaga Shogunate with Kamakura as its headquaters.
http://www.samurai-archives.com/takauji.html

Prince Shootoku (Shotoku Taishi) introduced Buddhism to Japan and is a very important figure in Japanese history. If you have red the story mentioned above about Daruma and his one sandal, you have met him already. Here is more historic background.
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/japan/asuka/p-shotoku.html
http://www.geocities.jp/general_sasaki/shitennoji_and_prince_shootoku.html




My Onomichi PHOTO album !!!!!


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7/09/2007

Calligraphy

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Daruma Pilgrims Gallery

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Calligraphy , shodoo 書道 Shodo
The Way of the Brush




Child prodigy Minamoto no Shigeyuki executing calligraphy
源成之の席書

Torii Kiyonaga (1752–1815)

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East Asian calligraphy

Asian calligraphy typically uses ink brushes to write Chinese characters (called Hanzi in Chinese, Hanja in Korean, Kanji in Japanese, and Hán Tu in Vietnamese). Calligraphy (in Chinese, Shufa 書法, in Korean, Seoye 書藝, in Japanese Shodō 書道, all meaning "the way of writing") is considered an important art in East Asia and the most refined form of East Asian painting.
© Read more in the WIKIPEDIA


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77 Dances: Japanese Calligraphy by Poets, Monks, and Scholars, 1568-1868
Stephen Addis


- source - Shambhala Publications


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Dragon Horse Temple 龍馬山
. Yoshitsune Temple Gikeiji at Minmaya

「義経寺」(ぎけいじ) 三厩村 .



. Dragon Calligraphy .


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Tanchu Terayama and Zen Calligraphy: Hitsuzendo

"Dragon" Calligraphy by Yamaoka Tesshu

Scrolls with Daruma, many with calligraphy

Inkstone, 翡翠硯(すずり) suzuri with Daruma face !



Literally "The Way of Writing" - - -
All about Calligraphy by Mark Schumacher !



History of Japanese ink painting
source : www.ink-treasures.com

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- quote -
Four Treasures of the Study 文房四宝
Four Jewels of the Study or Four Friends of the Study
is an expression used to denote the brush, ink, paper and ink stone used in Chinese and other East Asian calligraphic traditions. The name appears to originate in the time of the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420-589 AD).
- Brush, Ink, Paper, Inkstone
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. Doing Business in Edo - 江戸の商売 .



hitsuboku uri 筆墨売り selling brushes and ink
two of the four treasures



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Artists involved in beyondcalligraphy.com project are members of the All Japan Organization of Calligraphy Art and Literature (全日本書芸文化院, Zen Nihon Shogei Bunkain) which has a long tradition and utmost respect here in Japan.

We are also members of Shosoin (書宗院), a calligraphy organization devoted to the study and research of Chinese and Japanese calligraphy, founded by grand master calligrapher Kuwahara Suihou (桑原翠邦) who was the most talented pupil of grand master Hidai Tenrai (比田井天来), often called “the father of modern calligraphy”. Grand master Hidai Tenrai was an initiator of avant-garde calligraphy in Japan, a trend that has had great influence not only on Chinese artists and calligraphers but also modern abstract painters, sculptors, etc., all over the world.
source : www.beyond-calligraphy.com


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"Frog and calligrapher"
Tsukioka (Taiso) Yoshitoshi

Ono no Tōfū (894-966) Ono no Doofu, Ono no Dofu, Ono no Tofu

quote
Ono no Michikaze or Ono no Tōfū 小野 道風
(894 – February 9, 966) was a prominent Shodōka (Japanese calligrapher) who lived in the Heian period (794–1185).
One of the so-called Sanseki 三跡 (Three Brush Traces), along with Fujiwara no Sukemasa and Fujiwara no Yukinari. Tōfū is considered the founder of Japanese style calligraphy or wayōshodō 和様書道.
© More in the WIKIPEDIA !



Ono no Takamura (小野 篁) also known as
Sangi no Takamura 参議篁, Sangi no Takamura
(802 – February 3, 853)
Ono no Michikaze and Ono no Komachi are Takamura's direct descendants.
. Shrine Onoterusaki jinja 小野照崎神社 .


小野炭や手習ふ人の灰ぜせり
Ono-zumi ya tenarau hito no hai zeseri

this charcoal from Ono -
a student of calligraphy
scribbles in the ashes


The famous calligrapher Ono no Toofuu 小野東風 / 小野道風 (894 - 967) is said to have practised writing characters in the ashes of a brazier.

. Matsuo Basho and Charcoal from Ono .

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. Calligraphy from China .
Ouyang Xun 歐陽詢
(557–641)
and Japanese Kinoshita Mariko 木下真理子


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............... H A I K U


KIGO for the New Year

First Calligraphy, kakizome 書初め
..... kissho 吉書 "auspicious writing"
On January 2, people take the brush for the first time in the New Year. The ink is ground with fresh first water (wakamizu) from the well. The words written include a wish for the New Year or some auspicious poems.
The writing is hung at the Shelf of the Gods (kamidana), to make the deities aware of your wish.
Others burn the paper outside and judge from the hight of the smoke and paper pieces if the Gods accept your offering and your writing will improve in the coming year.


. fude hajime 筆始(ふではじめ)first use of the brush   
..... shihitsu 試筆(しひつ), shigoo 試毫(しごう)
shikan 試簡(しかん), shimen 試免(しめん)
shiei 試穎(しえい), shiko 試觚(しこ)
shishun 試春(ししゅん)"first calligraphy in spring"


. Kitano no fudehajime sai 北野の筆始祭
(きたののふではじめさい)
first use of the brush ceremony at Kitano .

Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto 北野天満宮 京都


hatsu suzuri 初硯(はつすずり)first use of the ink stone






taking the brush
365 days
first calligraphy


Gabi Greve


. NEW YEAR - KIGO for HUMANITY


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writing a spell, gihoo o kaku 儀方を書く (ぎほうをかく)
..... gihoo o shosu 儀方を書す(ぎほうをしょす)
observance kigo for mid-summer

In ancient China it was custom on May 5 to write the two characters GIHO 儀方 on a piece of paper and paste this onto the four main pillars of the home to ward off mosquitoes and flies during the summer time. In Japan, this tradition was followed for some time too.

. Mosquitoes and kigo



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First Birthday Calligraphy in India
haiku topic for India

We have calligraphy in every Indian language - an art that was practiced most widely, until the computer fonts came into being! The most preferred is the Sanskritised letters in English - English lettering which resembles the Sanskrit script.
On a child's first birthday - his/ her hand is guided by the Hindu priest who writes the first letters of the alphabets of the child mother tongue, on rice [with the husk] placed on a plate.

Kala Ramesh

.. .. .. .. ..


© Hindu Wisdom, Indian Art


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- - - - - LINKS to online dictionaries

古文書くずし字検索
http://komonjo.riok.net/charSrch/index.html

東京大学史料編纂所
http://wwwap.hi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/ships/db.html

漢字データベースプロジェクト
http://kanji-database.sourceforge.net/

http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/ - (sign in with user name = guest)

http://www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/ - JAANUS
http://www.eudict.com/
http://jigen.net/kanji/13661

http://www.kanjijiten.net./
http://kotobank.jp/
http://www.smartkanji.net/
http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kotenseki/index.html

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/jhti/cgi-bin/jhti/vocasel.cgi
(search classical Japanese texts)
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/onlinejdic.html
(Online Japanese Dictionaries and Glossaries)

http://www.chineseetymology.org/CharacterEtymology.aspx?submitButton1=Etymology&characterInput=%E5%AF%BF
http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php?itemid=682&catid=20&subcatid=128
http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Lindict/
http://en.glosbe.com/ja/en/


筆墨硯紙事典 - 天来書院

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7/07/2007

Kotodama

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Daruma Pilgrims Gallery

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Kotodama 言霊 

The spirit which is present in Japanese words


© Onisaburo Deguchi, Philosophy

Ama-no-Kazu-Uta ("Chant of Heavenly Numbers")

(= 1) Hito
(= 2) Futa
(= 3) Mi
(= 4) Yo
(= 5) Itsu
(= 6) Muyu
(= 7) Nana
(= 8) Ya
(= 9) Kokono
(= 10) Tari
(= 100) Momo
(= 1000) Chi
(= 10000) Yorozu

Literally meaning "the Chant of Heavenly Numbers," Ama-no-Kazu-Uta is a prayer that invokes the mystical power of kototama (or kotodama), thereby providing those who intone the incantation with divine help and the grace of Kami.

In this respect, Ama-no-Kazu-Uta is by no means a mere sequence of numbers; instead, it praises the Great Original Spirit (= the primordial form of the Great Original Deity of the Universe) represented by kototama "su"  for Its Virtue, Power and Glory in creating and evolving the cosmos through a myriad of times, stages and processes.
(Note: the Great Original Spirit   is identical to Ame-no-Minaka-Nushi-no-Kami (The Deity Master-of-the August-Center-of-Heaven) in the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and to Ame-no-Minehio-no-Kami (The Deity Fire-of-the August-Peak-of-Heaven) in the Reikai Monogatari.)


Hito (1) = ichi-rei-shi-kon (four aspects of man's soul governed by one direct portion of the Spirit of Kami)
♣The Great Original Spirit, the root cause of the great cosmos, governs the four soul-aspects, , , and , under the command of the direct portion of the Spirit called .

Futa (2) = hachi-riki (eight forces of the True God)
♣Varying degrees of the union of yin and yang, which constitutes a part of the workings of the True Kami, result in eight forces--namely, do (activating force), sei (quieting force), kai (melting force), gyo (coagulating force), in (pulling force), chi (loosening force), go (combining force) and bun (dividing force).

Mi (3) = san-gen (three irreducible elements of the physical world)
♣Subtle and intricate combinations of the eight forces produce the three fundamental elements of the material plane, go (tamatsume-musubi = generative power of Kami that fastens the soul in the physical body; essence of minerals), ju (taru-musubi = generative power of Kami that enriches creatures; essense of plants) and ryu (iku-musubi = generative power of Kami that gives life to inanimate objects; essence of animals).

Incidentally, Onisaburo indicates that the chemical elements which have been discovered until today will ultimately fall into these three categories. He goes on to say that go corresponds to Kuni-no-Toko-Tachi-no-Kami (The Earthly-Eternally-Standing-Deity) in Kojiki, ju, to Toyo-Kumonu-no-Kami (The Luxuriant-Integrating-Master-Deity) and ryu, to Umashi-Ashikabi-Hikoji-no-Kami (The Pleasant-Reed-Shoot-Prince-Elder-Deity).

Hito also means the Spirit of the True God (ichi-rei-shi-kon), futa, His Power (hachi-riki) and mi, His Body (san-gen). Thus, at this stage, the three irreducible elements of the universe, or the Three Attributes of the Godhead, are all present.

Yo (4) = yo (world) (this is a homonym; the same applies to the rest of the numbers)
♣A mud-like world comes into being.

Itsu (5) = itsu (emergence)
♣The sun, the moon, the stars and the earth appear.

Muyu (6) = muyu (multiplication)
♣Plants, trees, animals and various other creatures proliferate.

Nana (7) = nana (fulfillment of the earth)
♣The birth of human beings realizes the kingdom of the earth.

Ya (8) = ya (prosperity)
♣The world flourishes continually and expansively.

Kokono (9) = kokono (solidification)
♣The fullness and stability of the world are strengthened.

Tari (10) = tari (completion)
♣The world reaches perfection. (The True Kami desires that the world evolve in the manner of upward spiral, treading the path from perfection to greater perfection.)

Momo (100) = momo (variety)
♣Various other things are further created.

Chi (1000) = chi (blood = spirit)
♣The blood (or spirit) of the great creation work circulates in every vein of the universe, constantly replenishing all entities with vigor and vitality.

Yorozu (10000) = yorozu (departure from darkness)
♣The world of illuminous light unfolds forever and ever via the evolutionary process explained thus far.

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Creation Story

Day 1 (Hitsuka)
In the beginning, quite an imperfect spiritual element (rei so) appeared. It took almost 1 billion years for this spiritual element to evolve into spirit.

Day 2 (Futsuka)
The spirit displayed its power (chikara). Chi as in chikara means "spirit" or "fire" and kara, "body" or "water." It took another 1 billion years for this spiritual force to do its part.

Day 3 (Mitsuka)
Chikara began forming physical substance; another 1 billion years passed.

Day 4 (Yotsuka)
Spirit (rei), force (chikara) and body (tai) exerted their combined energy to create innumerable forms of solid and liquid. The sun, the moon, the earth and many other heavenly bodies came into existence. This process required another 1 billion years.

Day 5 (Itsuka)
The seeds of plants and animals appeared in heaven and on earth; another 1 billion years passed.

Day 6 (Muyuka)
The workings of yin and yang and of water and fire set in motion, perfecting the foundation of all that is. This phase needed another 600 million years.

Day 7 (Nanaka)
As mentioned above, the Creator created everything in 6 days.
The Creator declares that He will spend another 70 million years to sublimate and complete this world into one of ineffable bliss--namely, the Age of Mi(5)-ro(6)-ku(7) (= 5.67 billion years = Miroku = Maitreya). This is Nanaka (the 7th Day).

Incidentally, nana as in Nanaka means "perfection" or "rest."
Only after the fulfillment of all these 7 days will a cosmos of absolute truth, absolute beauty and absolute good come. This state is called the Sabbath.

Thus, Day 7 per se is not equal to the Sabbath. Should the Creator take a day or even a minute off, every being in the universe would collapse in a flash.

Today is in the midst of the 5.67-billion-year transition period to the Age of Maitreya. In this respect, our world is imperfect and has inevitably undergone a myriad of upheavals.

© Onisaburo Deguchi, Philosophy


More about Onisaburo

Great Exorcism of the Last Day of the Sixth Month
Norito Text






Daruma, most probably painted by Onisaburo
Curtesy of Robert Roemer


1871年(明治4年)? - 1948年(昭和23年)1月19日)
『出口王仁三郎 聖師』


出口鬼三郎 Onisaburo Deguchi
was born with the name Kisaburo Ueda in 1871, in Kyoto Prefecture's Kameoka City. He passed away on January 19, 1948, at the age of seventy-eight. Oomoto's Co-Founder, Onisaburo Deguchi

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Nanette Gottlieb on the myth that Japanese is uniquely difficult and impenetrable to foreigners.
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/linguafranca/stories/2005/1496894.htm


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Genji Monogatari Japanese words (the myth of kotodama).
https://appsv.main.teikyo-u.ac.jp/tosho/mono36.pdf


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values (such as mono no aware), and spiritual qualities (kotodama)
The State and Racialization: The Case of Koreans in Japan
www.ccis-ucsd.org/PUBLICATIONS/wrkg69.pdf

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Prof. Dr. W. J. Boot
"Kotodama and the Ways of Reading the Man'yooshuu"
Publication, Leiden University

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Yamato Kotoba: The Japanese Language of the Flesh
Yukari Kunisue and Judy Schavrien

Abstract
This inquiry explores the Japanese Yamato Kotoba language, one preceding the Chinese injection of spoken and written words; this subset of present-day Japanese preserves earlier words that are better suited, the authors propose, to express the experience of people inextricably involved with their natural setting.
Aspects of this exploration include analysis of a haiku in which Basho uses Yamato Kotoba; and also an explanation of Japanese Koto Dama, which deploys the spiritual power that resides in words—both spoken and unspoken. In what ways do these linguistic approaches preserve, capture, and celebrate human intimacy with nature? The presentation of Eastern approaches, intimate and even mystical (bypassing all separation between human and setting), is supplemented in a prologue citing analogies and departures in the West.

The authors will also examine how Yamato Kotoba is related to the indigenous concept of Koto Dama, or the spirit of the words. Etymologically Koto in Koto Dama came from the word kotoba (word, speech, or language, “koto” and leaf, “ha” or “ba”). Like a single leaf falling out of its mother tree, when a word comes out of thoughts, each leaf of thought brings out the power of the spirit that originated in the deep roots of the tree.

Koto Dama: The Spirit of the Language
Japanese children grow up believing in the miraculous power of words called Koto.
source : www.sofia.edu/academics

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The concept behind Kotodama is a role-playing game in which players must master concepts of Japanese language and culture to gain in-game abilities. Through speech recognition input, players use spoken Japanese to accomplish game goals. Kotodama is targeted towards high school age kids with an interest in videogames and Japanese anime."
http://blogoehlert.typepad.com/eclippings/2005/03/index.html


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Fujitani Mitsue 富士谷御杖 (1768-1822)

“The poet's anxiety results from the subjugation of the guts—the aesthetic sacred dimension to the political rules of the body, or external reality. The poet penetrates and communicates with the inner self (kami) of the reader by dwelling within the 'spirit of words' (kotodama), which awakens the reader to the truth of his real, 'unidimensional' Being.”

Modern Japanese Aesthetics
Tr. Michael F. Marra


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What is the meaning of Kotodamaya?
The name of this site ‘Kotodama’ literally means ‘The power of Word‘ or ‘ The soul of Word‘ in English. In Japan, it has been believed that a soul dwells in word or even a natural phenomenon from ancient times. By using this words as a symbol of Japan, Kotodamaya stacks with Japanese Culture.

What kind of information does Kotodamaya handle?
Japanese culture on Kotodamaya.com is mainly Tradition or Custom (High Culture) which hardly immovable or influenced by latest trends but not Pop or Sub culture which is always changing.

◦Footprint of Eminent Poeple :
Basho Matsuo, Musashi Matsuo, Issa Kobayashi etc..

Tsutomu Kodama
source : kotodamaya.com/about


Kotodamaya - Tags with Matsuo Basho :
source : kotodamaya.com/tag/basho-matsuo


. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


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[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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Junpuji and Senrigan

[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]

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Fudo Myo-O Gallery

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Senrigan and Junpuji
Two demons or heavenly generals. They are very popular in China.

They protect the Mother Deity Maso.





Maso 媽祖, also known as the "Heavenly Empress Mother",
the Chinese protector goddess of the sea, is a syncretic deity who was originally the object of popular worship in Fujian Province in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Worship of Maso spread throughout China during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), when she was enshrined on ships carrying rice from southern China north to Beijing. During the Ming Dynasty, veneration of Maso spread through international trade to Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.



Maso is seated in the center of the rear of the hall, and is accompanied by numerous other deities, including the red and blue demons who stand before her. These demons, tamed by Maso, are actually the benevolent beings Senrigan and Junpuji, whose very names--literally "eyes that see a thousand leagues" and "ears that hear through the winds"--convey their powers.



© www31.ocn.ne.jp/~koufukuji/
Nagasaki, Temple Kofuku-Ji


More is here
Bosa Festival at temple Soofuku-Ji in Nagasaki
and HAIKU



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Senrigan 千里眼




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Junpuji 順風耳




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Maso Bosatsu 媽祖菩薩
temple Fukuju-In in Hakone, Japan

The deity originates in Fujian, China. Around 906, there was a young girl that could read the sciptures of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. She also studied all the spells and incantations to protect people at sea. Later she was deified as MASO, and soon even as an incarnation of Kannon Bosatsu.
Soma sama 馬祖様

It is said that in Japan the famous Mito Daimyo 水戸光圀公, Mito Komon at the beginning of the Edo period, was one of her worshippers.



© www.geocities.jp/hakonekannon

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Expernal LINK

The Maso Hall in Chinatown, Yokohama
媽祖廟, 横濱中華街



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From Taiwan



媽祖是漁民的守護神,身邊的千里眼和順風耳是媽祖收服的二妖,為媽祖「眼觀千里災,耳聽八方哀」。媽祖成為民間信仰的神祇,大約是在南宋以後,在台灣,從早期的移民社會到現在,信眾最廣,廟祠最多的亦是媽祖。

© taiwanox

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Get a small statue of Maso for your private wellbeing



© ctrading.co.jp/maso

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Bosa Festival at temple Soofuku-Ji in Nagasaki
and HAIKU


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