MUSINGS OVER OLD PRESSA: SHINTAI

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AMA-TERASU

AN EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK: A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN JAPAN (INCLUDING FORMOSA), BY BASIL CHAMBERLAIN,F.R.G.S. AND W.B. MASON, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AND LATE OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS. WITH THIRTY MAPS AND PLANS AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. NINTH EDITION, REVISED THROUGHOUT. LONDON. JOHN MURRAY, ALLEMARLE STREET. YOKOHAMA, SHANGHAI,- KELLY&WALSH, LIMITED-HONKONG, SINGAPORE.1913

AMA-TERASU

AMA-TERASU- lit. "The Heaven Shiner",- that is the Sun-Goddess.She was born from the left eye of the Creator Izanagi,when the latter was performing his ablutions on returning from a visit to his dead wife Izanami in Hades. the Sun-Goddess was herself the ancestress of the Imperial Family of Japan. The most striking episode in her legend is that, in which she is insulted by her brother Susa-no-o, and retires in high dudgeon to a cavern, thus plunging the whole world into darkness.

All the other gods and goddesses assembled at the cavern's mouth, with music and dancing. At length curiosity lures her to the door, and she is finally enticed out by the sight of her own fair image in a mirror, which one of the gods pushes towards her. The origin of the sacred dances called kagura is traced to this incident by the native literati.Other names under which the Sun-Goddess is known are Shimmei -Ten, Shōkō-Daijin, and Daijingū.

IMPERIAL CHRONICLES

EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK: NIHONGI, CHRONICLES OF JAPAN FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO A.D. 697

P.24

VI 16. wards to Mino whence she arrived in the province of Ise

Now Ama-terasu no Oho-kami instructed Yamato-hime no Mikoto saying:- "The province of Ise, of the divine wind, is the land whither repair the waves from the eternal world, the successive waves. It is a secluded and pleasant land. In this land I wish to dwell." In compliance, therefore, with the instruction of the Great-Goddess, a shrine was erected to her in the province of Ise. Accordingly an Abstinence Palace was built at Kaha-kami in Isuzu. This was called the palace of Iso. It was there that Ama-terasu no Oho-kami first descended from Heaven.

ILLUSTRATION:

TWENTY ENGRAVINGS BY BORIS ARTZYBASHEFF

FROM:

ORPHEUS MYTHS OF THE WORLD
BY PADRAIC COLUM

THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK MCMXXX

AIZEN-MYO-ō Three eyes

A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN JAPAN (INCLUDING FORMOSA), BY BASIL CHAMBERLAIN,F.R.G.S. AND W.B. MASON, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AND LATE OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS. WITH THIRTY MAPS AND PLANS AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. NINTH EDITION, REVISED THROUGHOUT. LONDON. JOHN MURRAY, ALLEMARLE STREET. YOKOHAMA, SHANGHAI,- KELLY&WALSH, LIMITED-HONKONG, SINGAPORE.1913

AIZEN-MYO-ō

AIZEN-MYO-ō is a Deity, represented with a fierce expression a flaming three eyes.and six arms. Nevertheless. he is popularly regarded as the God of Love. Anderson(source unknown) describes him as a transformation of Atchalâ the Insatiable

EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK- . THE JAPAN MAGAZINE- A REPRESENTATIVE MONTHLY THE THINGS JAPANESE- MAY 1916.

EXEPERT ARTICLE OF NORITAKE TSUDA ,EXPERT IN THE TOKYO IMPERIAL MUSEUM

ANOTHER familiar Buddhist deity A is Aizen-myo-o. though he is not so widely popular as Fudo. Aizen myo-o is the Indian god known in Sanscrit as Raga vidyaraja.

Raga usually means colour.- especially red. which symbolizes love or affection. Vidya means finding, and Raja means a king; and sometimes the Sanscrit name, which is used for this deity is- Namu-vajra-raga- vidyaraja, or again,- simply- Ragaraja.

Aizen-myo-o is said to be a partial incarnation of Kongo satta,- in (Sanscrit Vajrasattva )who took an oath to expel from the mankind all the wicked passions, and to hasten the coming of all men to Buddha, giving them happiness and a good fortune.

This God is represented commonly in red, with three terrible eyes, six arms;- the figure seated on a lotus pedestal,with lion headdress. Some ideas, associated with the iconography of Aizen-myo-o, may be inferred from one of the old masterpieces of painting, representing him.

The most beautiful and interesting of these is in the Hobodai in temple in Kyoto. The painting is now a national tresure, and at present is on view at the Imperial Museum Tokyo.

A minute examination of the piece shows that the body and features have been painted in red. In the sutra referring to this deity, his heart and body are said to shine as the sun; and it is probable that the red colour was selected to represent this, as well as to suggest reality The gaping, terrible eyes sparkle marvellously in the red face, one of the eyes being placed lengthwise between the usual two.

The three eyes are to give the beholder an impression of terror and awe as well as to suggest that this god has the oversight of three different aspects of the world. The eyes are blue with golden eyebrows. The mouth is open and has a grotesque grin with teeth gleaming, a common characteristic of Aizen to represent truth indestructible ;the Logos which in Buddhism is symbolized by the first letter of the alphabet.

The hair on the head of Aizen stands erect in bizzare fashion, and a cap in shape like a lion, is placed on the head with a fine-pointed kongo-sho stuck in it.The erect hair is intended to symbolize the subjugation of all evil agents. In his first left hand Aizen holds a bell,and in his first right hand,- another kongo-sho.-both of which are symbols of mercy bringing the peace of Vajrasattva to men. In the second left hand he holds a bow, and in the second right hand he holds an arrow,- to dispel the four demons and the three other obstacles of a man shooting especially the pessimistic passions The third left hand is extended in a grasping attitude with nothing in it, and in the corresponding right hand he holds a lotus bud is just opening,the gesture suggesting that the bud is to be thrown at something. This symbolizes the driving out of all worldly trouble by lotus-like purity. The red lotus,on which the god is seated, typifies the stability of his will. In front of the pedestal stands a treasure jar, around which are scattered treasure symbols, which suggest the bounty of the deity to all in need. It is noticeable that red is the prevailing colour in the icons of this deity, and this is always so, because in esoteric Buddhism red colour always stands for love, and the faculties that make for affection and compassion. The painting just described, comes down from the 12th century and may be taken to represent Aizen-myo-o in his most orthodox form. Several other forms, however are found among the representations of him as. for example.- some with four heads, or two heads and four hands,- but such divergences from the conventional form are rare.

The Aizen-myo-o is the god of the upper classes, chiefly especially, since the Fujiwara period, as he is believed to have the power of staying calamities,or gaining happiness for those who serve him.

On occasions of worship, an altar of red is erected;and a red image of Aizen placed thereon, and the officiating priests were also robed in red.

There now remain in Japan some 21 representations of Aizen-myo-o, which are listed as state treasures. In addition to the painting above mentioned, there is a very beautiful one on silk,- in the Gokoku in in Tokyo, as well as a very fine gilt statuette of him in the Imperial Museum Tokyo, which is dated February 1297 AD.

JAPANESE PAINTING- Nanryū or Shinki century

EXCERPT FROM THIS BOOK

Painting of Japan

THE EARLIEST PAINTINGS OF JAPAN

The earliest painter mentioned in the national récords was a Chinese immigrant named Nanryū or Shinki who settled in Japan in the second half of the fifth century and was followed by many generations of descendants.

From the latter part of the fifth to the middle of the ninth century may be considered the first or educational period of Japanese painting.

During this era both pictorial and glyptic art were almost entirely in the hands of foreigners- Koreans or Chinese. Unfortunately little is known of the quality of the pictorial art of that remote age. One of the least doubtful of the remains of it still in existence is the mural decoration in the Kondo of the temple of Hōryūji-described in Route 39 which is said to date from AD 607 This work will compare not unfavourably with the best of the later productions of the Buddhist school and both in composition and colouring bears not a little resemblance to the works of the early Italian masters.

Temple of Hōryūji Inn Daikoku

Hōryūji-Inn-Daikoku-ya -10 chỗ from station takes its name from a temple, which though somewhat battered by time. This temple will interest the serious student. The Temple Hōryūji is the oldest existing Buddhist temple in Japan, having been founded by Shotoku Taishi and completed in AD 607. Some of its treasures too are among the earliest art products of the country.They include a number of the 8th century miniature pagodas. Owing to its exceptional importance it more than 100 years ago. attracted the attention of art critics and of the Imperial Government. which has since contributed towards its support.

The chief annual festival is celebrated on the 22nd day of the 2nd moon old style.

Priestly guides are in waiting to conduct visitors around for a fee of 1 yen each(circa 1913) and a further similar fee to see the pupil of Buddha's eye .Passing through the Nam-mon or S. gate and the two storied Ni ō mon WAS repaired in 1902 3, out of the original materials.We enter an oblong enclosure con taining r.the Kondō and 1. the five storied pagoda which stand on a base of cement and are with the Ni-o-mon the oldest wooden structures in Japan. In the background- there is another temple called Dai-kō-dō. These edifices contain a number of very ancient statues,- several of which are attributed to Indian sculptors. Frescoes are partly obliterated by time, and are also to be seen.The work it is said of Doncho -the Korean priest.

Alike in the two storied gateway, and in the other buildings- the massive wooden pillars are of somewhat unequal size, and taper slightly towards the top. To observe also.- that the roofs are less slanting than usual,and the eaves more overhanging;further more that the distance between each storey of the pagoda is smaller making it low for its size, and therefore.- more stable.

The ground floor of the Pagoda is adorned with some curious tinted terracotta groups ascribed to Tori Busshi. They represent on the E. side- Monju with other gods. On the S. side- Amida with Kwannon, and Daiseishi,- on the W. the depositing of Shaka Muni's mortal remains, and on the N.- His entry into Nirvana. The rockery of the whole composed of white stucco represents Shumisen,-the fabulous mountain, where the gods have their abode.

\Leaving the pagodam we see r, the belfry, 1. the drum-towerm and then visit the Dai Kōdō, or The Great Lecture Hall, which is dedicated to Yakushi. and a host of other deities .

We then pass out of the oblong enclosure to some lesser buildings, aud thence up a mound to the 1. where stands an octagonal shrine, known as Mine no Yakushi .

The image of Yakushi -the God of Medicine,- is attributed to Gyogi Bosatsu .And the twelve smaller images representing the Signs of the Zodiac - is attributed to Tori Busshi.

This temple is a unique sight. being literally hidden under the enormous number of short swords, placed there as the offerings by the men, whose prayers for restoration to health have proved efficacious. Metal mirrors, combs, and hairpins are similarly placed there by the women. Drills, presented by persons, who have been cured of deafness, are piled along a ledge outside with miscellaneous ex voto tablets .

Descending hence, we pass a building called Sankyō in, and through the gallery before-mentioned, then the Kura or Store-house, which contains so many treasures, that a long day would be needed for their inspection alone. Next we visit the Taishi-dō, whose style of decoration is said to imitate that of the Imperial palace of Nara 8th century. Outside it is a wooden statue of Shōtoku Taishi's black horse with a groom in the costume of the 7th century.

Leaving this set of buildings and walking for some distance, we come to the Yume-dono ,or Hall of Dreams.-an octagonal edifice dating from the 13th century. It stands in the centre of an enclosure, surrounded by a gallery, and is dedicated to the Eleven faced Kwannon -it is over 600 years old. The long building behind, is divided into two parts:1. the E-den or Painted Apartment.-so named, because the whole interior is covered with brilliant paintings in the Tosa style, differing entirely from that of the faded frescoes mentioned before; r. the Shari-den. or Place of the Relic- so called be cause the pupil of Buddha's left eye is here enshrined .It is kept in a crystal reliquary, itself shut up in a case over which are seven damask wrappings, and is exposed to worship every day at noon in honour of the Sun-God. The Dembō-do, hard by, contains several ancient images and an old coffered ceiling. It was constructed by the Emperor Shōmu AD 724 48. The gate by which the temple is quitted stands close to the inn.

ILLUSTRATION:

A Player on the Tsuzumi - The Yūjo Somenosuké of the Matsubaya

FROM

SHADOWINGS AND A JAPANESE MISCELLANY
BY LAFCADIO HEARN

BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 10i MDCCCCXXII 10i

UZUME-NO-MIKOTO

UZUME-NO-MIKOTO

UZUME-NO-MIKOTO is a goddess, whose riotous dancing helped to lure the Sun Goddess from her cavern. She is popularly known as Okame and depicted with the ludicrous countenance here illustrated.

The Divine Age hand in hand with the divine priestess Ame no Uzume no Mikoto whose divine companion Sarutahiko is another genial apparition as guide to the Heavenly Grandson Ninigi no Mikoto on his descent from Heaven to earth

CITATION FROM:

OF THE JAPANESE NATION A STUDY OF SHINTO THE RELIGION

BY GENCHI KATO D Litt

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF THE TOKYO IMPERIAL UNIVERSITY IN CHARGE OF THE CHAIR OF SHINTO DIRECTOR OF THE INSTITUTE OF THE MELJI JAPAN SOCIETY FOUNDED IN TOKYO IN 1912 AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE SHINTO IN THE 13TH EDITION OF ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA TRANSLATOR OF KOGOSHUI AN HISTORICAL FRAGMENT OF OLD JAPAN

TOKYO THE ZAIDAN HŌJIN MEIJI SEITOKU KINEN GAKKAΙ MEIJI JAPAN SOCIETY 1926

TENGU

TENGU

TENGU a long nosed goblin often represented with wings and supposed to inhabit the mountains.
Please, have a look at the symbol of Norway- the goblin Troll.

The Tengu,- means- "two in number", and literary it means "heavenly dogs". Tengu are goblins with a red face an enormous nose, claws and a pair of wings. They inhabit mountains and forests and often carry away people of both sexes into the desolate mountains. The Tengu belong like Inari ,Hachiman, Tenjin, Dōryū etc. to the few Shinto deities, whose statues are commonly found and used as objects of worship.

دو In the 大同類聚方一 (quoted in Shikida's Norito bemmo) the term mono-no-ke, which means ke evil influence of a sprite. It is explained as "bewitchment",calamity from animals , and calamity from the high gods. The means the passive sufferance of bewitchment whilst the Norito speaks of its active exercise.

flying in at the smoke hole in the roof etc.

Taka-tsu-kami no wazahahi is the calamity sent by the Thunder god being struck by lightning and the Tengu.

SHI CHI FUKUJIN

SHICHI FUKUJIN- are THE SEVEN DEITIES OF LUCK

The seven deities, are the passengers of the Treasure Boat. They are believed to sail into the port on New Year's Eve. with a cargo of wonderful treasures,- such as the hat and coat of invisibility; the sacred master key, that opens all doors; the inexhaustible purse; the Fortunatus cup jewelsm and precious stones of all kinds. It must be a clean happy home occupied by none but good happy smiling persons which the Treasure Ship will design to visit on New Year's Day.

ARE

SHICHI FUKUJIN the Seven Gods of Luck namely

1. Ebisu

EBISU one of the Gods of Luck. He is the patron of honest labour. He bears in his hand a fishing rod and a tai fish
October 20 is Ebisu ko or Ebisu wor shipping day on which he is remembered in every Ebisu loving home with offerings cakes and sake as well.

In March of the ninth year of the reign of the Empress Suiko. 600 AD the illustrious Crown Prince Shotoku Taishi, who introduced Buddhism into Japan, first taught the people the art of buying and selling by holding a religious ceremony in honor of Ebisu, and dedicating a small shrine to the deity. Hence the deification of Ebisu as patron deity of all tradesmen

Indeed Ebisu is always smiling, has a fishing tackle in hand and is sitting in serene happiness on the top of a rock.

2. Dai koku

DAIKOKU is the God of Wealth may be known by his rice bales. The image of Daikoku is very popular in Japanese art, which exhibits little awe of things divine, represents these bales being nibbled at by a rat.
Ebisu and Daikoku are nearly always coupled, except where each is enshrined separately, The two deities are associated as closely as Damon and Pythias. Daikoku is a Hindu deity of the Buddhist faith and in color he is as black as the ebony. The name of Daikoku is Mahakara in Sanskrit was his original name and it meant in one interpretation to be a god of time and consequently of wholesale destruction. He was represented as a gigantic figure with a black face in which three huge eyes glared, with eight shoulders, each shoulder bearing something horrible such as a death's head, a sword, a trident, the head of a hungry demon, etc,;= all significant of death and destruction. Daikoku, however is regarded as the protecting god of farmers and is universaliy venerated all over Japan.

In most pictures of Daikoku is shown a little mouse nibbling at one of the rice bales. In fact, the mouse is understood as the Daikoku's fond disciple.

Daikoku has come to be depicted as sharing something of the physical features of Okuni Nushi being short of stature and carry ing a huge sack full of invaluable treasures on his shoulders. Daikoku sits on a couple of rice bales, bearing the usudenokodzuchi,- or the lucky hammer,- from which he can shake out anything on earth that human heart desires.

3.Benten

BENTEN or BENZAITEN(please, remember the Empire of the Byzance). Benten is the one of the Seven Deities of Luck. She is often represented riding on a serpent or dragon, whence is perhaps, the sacred character, attributed in many localities to snakes. Benten's shrines are mostly situated on islands.

Benzaiten or Benten for short was also the deity of the Hindu origin and said to be the guardian deity of some sacred river in Central India. However, she is firmly considered to be the Japanese lady who with Ebisu constitutes two representatives of Japan. Benten is a goddess of eloquence as the word ben seems to suggest and also of art and the accomplishments and of victory, wealth and of almost everything dear to the human heart except love. Benten is an unmarried maiden and is jealous of the love of others and so much so that it is said that a man or woman visiting her temple with wife or husband should never expect to have his or her prayer answered. Some prominent persons of Japan who because of their devotions to Benten remained legally unmarried all their lives, because of their devotions to Benten.
In all Shrines of Benten stand near the water's edge, sea, lake or river. Water seems to be the element in which Benten seems to thrive best in her original character as mistress of a pond. In fact there is a belief that Benten's being in reality only a human incarnation of a fearful sea serpent, who though she resumes her natural form of a serpent while under the water, and takes the guise of a beautiful maiden when appearing in the human world.

The roots of the Bentent cult seem traceable to the mythological tale of the beautiful daughter of the Dragon King, who wedded Yama-sachi-hiko or the Mountain-Lucky-Deity, but who was found later in the terrible shape of "a dragon eight fathoms long".

Benten and sea serpents are undoubtedly related and in almost every district where a Benten Shrine is, the snakes.- large and small,- are treated with remarkable kindliness. if not reverence.

Benten worshippers are found among the young maidens. who wish by her grace to improve in sewing music and other female accomplishments. As to her chaste soul nobody has ever doubted for though she is the only female occupant of the Treasure Boat there. and there has been no talk of liaison with any of her fellow passengers.

Benten sits in her resplendent robe, playing on the biwa,- her favorite instrument. Benten is Venus with the soul of Vesta. She represents art literature and music.

4. Fukurokuju

FUKUROKUJU is one of the Gods of Luck. He is distinguished by a preter-naturally long head, and typifies longevity and wisdom.
Fukurokujin is often called Fukurokuju, and some people say that he is an aggregate of three different deities rolled into one viz the deities , i.e. of fuku -"happiness"- roku -"riches" and ju-'longevity".

Now Fukurokujin is pictured as a man of short trunk and shorter legs, but with a preternaturally long head, even longer than his legs. He was a Chinese Taoist modelled after the character of Confucius's great disciple Roshi. It is also said that he is one of the Sen-nin Chinese philosophers who could exist without eating any food, being able to live on the mists of the heavens and the dews of the earth. Like other great Sen-nin he could prophecy all events which are to happen in unseen future. He could not only live as long as he liked ,but also resuscitate men as dead as a door nail,. He went about the world performing marvellous miracles to the great improvement of mankind

5.Bishamon

BISHAMON (Sanskrit Vâisramana)explained in Eitel's Hand-book of Chinese Buddhism as the God of Wealth. He has been adopted by the Japanese as one of their Seven Gods of Luck, with the special characteristic of impersonating war. Hence he is represented as clad in armour, and he is bearing a spear, as well as a toy pagoda. He is the god of militarism and army and and is worshipped if you wish to thrive by the power of arms or gain victories on fields of battles. Originally he was a god of riches as Daikoku and came to Japan from Hindu panehton, his name being Vaircramana in Sanskrit. He was a Brahman but like every soldier statesman he seems to have no scruple in changing his religion as frequently as it suits the purposes of his warlike statecraft. In China via which he came to Japan he is worshipped as a Buddhist and a god of war, and now that he has joined the Treasure Boat he consents to being deified in a Shinto fashion as witness the Bishamon temple at Kagurazaka Tokyo. which observes its fete day on all days of the Tiger as the days of Bishamon,

Bishamon carries in one of his hands a toy pagoda. Bishamon is the religious missionary and combined with the political ambassador. Indeed Bishamon stands bolt upright his eyes of fire rivetted on the earth below as if determined to conquer the whole world through the twofold virtues of his spear and pagoda.
He is also known as Tamonten -"Much Hearing God"- and under this name he is treated more or less in his original capacity as a god of wealth. He is represented as having a wonder ful pair of ears a dirty body and lame limping legs all which signify that wealth is filthy stuff and comes at a slow pace and to those who know how to listen Tamonten is one of the favorite of Buddha himself, often guarding the wherein his image is enshrined.

Kisshoten, the fair goddess of charity, who was once included in the list of the Seven Deities but who has since either left the boat or been ejected from it. She is a pure Buddhist maiden represented in various bizarre forms sometimes forming the hinder part of Bishamon himself ,

6. Jurōjin

JUROJIN is one of the Gods of Luck often represented as accompanied by a stag and a crane.
Jurojin is a god of long evity and he is depicted as a very venerable man with a long snow white beard down his breast, almost to his feet, and carrying shaku -holy staff,- to which is tied a scroll, containing all the wisdom of the world. He is accompanied either by a crane, a stag or a tortoise.

He is a merry, smiling deity, and a copious drinker of sake. In fact he can drink any quantity of sake without being any the worse for it . Once the Emperor invited him to a feast and made him drink as much sake as he liked and lo he drank one koku or nearly 40 gallons, and in the morning woke up perfectly sober and made some wonderful prophecies.

Jurojin would walk about in the guise of a mendicant, begging for food and when anyone gave him drink would tap his head with a gleeful gesture, and it was in this condition that he first attracted the attention of the Emperor; and he was finally identified to be a great Taoist teacher, who had discovered the secret of living as long as he liked and of dissolving himself whenever he liked. While he lived he drank sake and talked wise things and finally went off in a manner which nobody knew.

7. Hotei

HOTEL one of the Seven Gods of Luck typifies contentment and good nature He is represented in art with an enormous naked abdomen.
Hotei was no god, but merely a Chinese priest. A very great Zen priest;- he was as much talked about in China while and after he lived as Diogenes was in Greece. Instead of a tub Hotei possessed a large cotton bag which wasto him his earthly all-in-all. What there was in his bag nobody knew, but he would put in whatever he had left,- unused crumbs of food, and all other things. He had no house in which to sleep at night.He had no house, but when he felt sleepy, he would lie down just where he happened to be,- be it by the road side on the bridge or in the marketplace,- and when he awoke,- he would arise and walk off possessing the whole heaven and earth as his own.

Hotei embodies largeness of soul, and perfect contentm which perchance may be regarded as essentials of true felicity on earth.

SHAKA MUNI

EXECERPT FROM THIS BOOK: A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS IN JAPAN (INCLUDING FORMOSA), BY BASIL CHAMBERLAIN,F.R.G.S. AND W.B. MASON, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SCOTTISH GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY AND LATE OF THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS. WITH THIRTY MAPS AND PLANS AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. NINTH EDITION, REVISED THROUGHOUT. LONDON. JOHN MURRAY, ALLEMARLE STREET. YOKOHAMA, SHANGHAI,- KELLY&WALSH, LIMITED-HONKONG, SINGAPORE.1913

SHAKA MUNI IS THE PRINCE SAKYA- MUNI

SHAKA MUNI- the Japanese pronunciation of The Prince- Sakya Muni . This is the name of the founder of Buddhism who was also called The Prince Gautama and is generally spoken of by Europeans as "The Great Buddha". It was though, that it would be more correct to say "the Buddha", as there are many other inferior Buddhas innumerable.

In his youth, The Prince Gautama,- he was called Shitta Taishi (Sanskrit Siddhartha).

The birth of the Great Buddha is usually placed by the Chinese and Japanese calendars in the year of 1027 BC .But this date is being accepted by the European scholars as the year of 653 BC.

The most accessible account of The Buddha's life and doctorine is that one, given by the Professor Rhys Davids. In his little work, entitled Buddhism, and published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.

The entombment of Buddha, with all the creation,- standing, and weeping around, is a favourite motive of the Japanese art. Such pictures are called Nehan-zō that is Representations of the Entry into Nirvana .The birth of Buddha (tanjō Shaka)is also often represented as - The Great Teacher then appearing as a naked infant, with his right hand pointing up and his left hand down to indicate the power which he exercises over heaven and earth .

Here I want to point out Your attention to the paintings of Leonardo Da Vinci.

Our illustration gives the most usual form of his image.

Though not unlike that of Amida,- it differs from the latter by the position of the hand, and the shape of the halo. The chief festivals of Shaka are on the 8th of April- his birthday and the 15th of February the anniversary of his death.

Shaka Muni Butsu or Sakya Muni Nyorai, or more simply either Butsu the Buddha or Sakya Nyorai. Sanskrit -Sakyamuni Tathagata - is the Founder of Buddhism. He was born in 558 BC in Kapilavastu in the Nepal Tarai, being the son of Prince Suddhodana and Princess Māyā devī.
In his youth he was called Shitta Taishi.- Sanskrit -Siddhārtha .

At the age of 19, some authorities say 29, he left parents,wife, and his only son,- seeking deliverance from the miseries of existence. After several years of great spiritual struggle he believed himself possessed of perfect knowledge, thus becoming Buddha, or the Enlightened One. From now on for about half a century till his death at the age of 80 in 479 BC, the Buddha preached his doctrines confining his ministrations mostly to Northern India.

Shaka-Sanzon is an Image of the Buddha with Fugen Bosatsu and Monju Bosatsu,- as attendants; sometimes other Bosatsu are represented instead of these two .

CITATIONS FROM

AN OFFICIAL GUIDE TO EASTERN ASIA Trans Continental Connections BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA VOL II Sept of railways

THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS TOKYO JAPAN 1914

NI-Õ

NI-Õ

IS A TEMPLE GUARDIAN, THEY ARE GUARDING THE ENTRANCE TO THE BUDDHIST TEMPLE.. TEMPLE GUARDIANS ARE ALWAYS TWO.

NI-ō- lit. The Two Dêva Kings - Indra and Brahma, who keep guard at the outer gate of temples, to scare away the demons. One bears in his hand the tokko. The figures of the Ni-ō are of the gigantic size and of the terrific appearance. And they are often bespattered with the little pellets of paper, aimed at them by devotees, who think thus to secure the accomplishment of some desire on which they have set their hearts on.
Ni Õ are to be seen in some of the great temple gateways in Tōkyō, Kyōto and elsewhere. The grandest of all are those in the Ni-Õ-Mon or "Two Kings Gate" of the huge Todaiji temple at Nara, They are eight hundred years old. It is impossible not to admire the conception of stormy dignity and hurricane force, embodied in those colossal figures.

Prayers are addressed to the Ni-Õ, especially by pilgrims. Most of their statues are disfigured by little pellets of white paper which people chew into a pulp and then spit at them. There is a curious superstition that if the pellet sticks to the statue, the prayer is heard; if. on the other hand, it falls to the ground,- the prayer will not be answered 31

TEMPLE GUARDIANS Two temple guardians or gate keepers. Nio standing about eight and a half feet in height,. These carvings are about three hundred years of age having originally stood in front of the gate of the Temple at Nara Japan. They were bought to the USA with income from the Joseph E Temple Trust M Nos 97 688 and 689.

Such grotesque statues called Nio from the Japanese NI -"two" and O -king- "two kings".- were made of wood, carved and painted and were usually placed at the gate of a Buddhist temple to keep out devils.

CITATIONS FROM

GLIMPSES OF UNFAMILIAR JAPAN, BY LAFCADIO HEARN

BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY MDCCCCXXII

GENERAL GUIDE TO THE COLLECTIONS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MUSEUM AND SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL ART IN MEMORIAL HALL FAIRMOUNT PARK PHILADELPHIA PA

PRINTED FOR THE MUSEUM REVISED TO JANUARY 1st 1910

KWANNON

KWANNON

KWANNON- or more fully Kwanze on Dai Bosatsu (Sankrit -Avalôkitêsvara)-is the Goddess of Mercy, who contemplates the world and listens to the prayers of the unhappy.

According to another,but less favourite opinion,- Kwannon belongs to the male sex.

Kwannon is represented under various forms- many-headed, headed like a horse, thousand-handed. With reference to the images of this deity, it should be stated that the so called Thousand- Handed Kwannon has in reality but forty hands, which hold out a number of Buddhist emblems:such as the lotus-flower; the wheel of the law; the sun and moon; a skull; a pagoda; and an axe;- this last serving to typify severance from all worldly cares.

A pair of hands folded on the image's lap, holds the bowl of the mendicant priest.

The Horse Headed Kwannon has three faces and four pairs of arms, a horse's head being carved above the forehead of the central face. One of the four pairs of arms is clasped before the breast in the attitude called Renge no In, emblematical of the lotus flower . Another pair holds the axe and wheel. Yet another pair grasps two forms of the tokko (Sanskrit vajra)- an ornament originally designed to represent a diamond club, and now used by priests and exorcists as a religious sceptre, symbolising the irresistible power of prayer, meditation, and incantation.

Of the fourth pair of hands, the left holds a cord wherewith to bind the wicked, while the right is stretched out open to indicate almsgiving or succour to the weak and erring. A title often applied to Kwannon is Nyo-i-rin, properly the name of a gem, which is supposed to enable its possessor to gratify all his desires, and which may be approximately rendered by the adjective "omnipotent" .

The two figures often represented on either side of Kwannon are Fudō and Aizen Myō-ō .

The "Twenty eight Followers" of Kwannon (Ni-jū-hachi Bushū) are the favourite subjects of the Japanese sculptor and painter,- they are personifications of the twenty eight constellations known to Far Eastern astronomy.

The various forms, represented in the accompanying illustration are:

1. Shō-Kwannon (Kwannon the Wise)

2. Jū-ichi-men Kwannon (Eleven Faced)

3. Sen-ju Kwannon (Thousand Handed)

4. Ba-tō Kwannon (Horse Headed)

5. Nyo-i-rin Kwannon (Omnipotent)

In Japan there are thirty-three great temples of Kwannon Sama, where, in dim sanctuaries, before mighty golden images, the incense tapers burn, and, through the centuries. the sacred lamp glows with its gentle fire, never extinguished.
"In Kiyomidzu temple of Pure Water, the flowing fountain never shall run dry, but by the blessing of the Boundless Pity give health and strength to all the suffering, restoring hope to those unhappy ones enthralled in chains of sickness and despair.

Throughout the Empire of the Rising Sun, Kwannon Sama is beloved by every heart, such the sweet goodness of Her under whose feet are dragons of the elements and the lotuses of purity".

That the sweet dew of her great compassion descending on all the world may assuage the torments of lust and hate, and lead all beings to the deathless ambrosial great Nirvana is the heartfelt prayer of "MAHAYANA".

CITATION FROM

THE VISION OF KWANNON SAMA
A STORY OF FAITH AND LOVE OF LONG AGO

Bernard BROUGHTON Μ. Α. ΟΧΟΝ.

LONDON LUZAC & CO 46 GREAT RUSSELL STREET WC 1929

KÕSHIN

KÕSHIN

KÖSHIN a deification of that day of the month which corresponds to the 57th term of the Chinese sexagenary cycle and is called in Japanese Ka-no-e-Saru.

This, being the day of the Monkey is represented by three monkeys- (sam biki zaru), called respectively by a play upon words: mi-zaru, kika-zaru, and iwa-zaru. That is the "blind monkey", the "deaf monkey" and the "dumb monkey".

Stone slabs with these three monkeys in relief are among the most usual objects of devotion met with on the roadside in the rural districts of Japan the idea being that this curious triad will neither see hear nor speak any evil.

Jızō

Jızō is

Meeaning of the word is citate as it was written by the documents of Society of Japan Jızō .

Jızō is- Sanskrit Kshitigarbha , which is the Buddhist helper of those who are in trouble. He is patron of the of travellers, and of the pregnant women, and of children.

His image is heaped with pebbles, which serve in the other world to relieve the labours of the young, who have been robbed of garments by the hag named Shōzuka- no-Baba, and then set by her to perform the endless task of piling up the stones on the bank of the river Sai-no-kawara. which is Buddhist Styx.

Jizō is represented a shaven priest with a benevolent countenance, holding in one hand a jewel, and in the other hand- a staff with metal rings shakujō.

His stone image is found more frequently than that of any other object of worship throughout the empire It need scarcely be said that the resemblance in sound between the names Jizō and Jesus is quite fortuitous.

Here in the pleasant restful shade of a grove of trees stood a large stone Jizo, the special protector of travellers, women, and children, beloved by everyone for his gentleness and mercy.

CITATION ABOUT THE GOD OF CHILDREN JIZO FROM

TERRY'S GUIDE TO THE JAPANESE EMPIRE INCLUDING KOREA AND FORMOSA WITH CHAPTERS ON MANCHURIA THE TRANS SIBERIAN RAILWAY AND THE CHIEF OCEAN ROUTES TO JAPAN A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELERS WITH 8 SPECIALLY DRAWN MAPS AND 21 PLANS

BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY LONDON CONSTABLE & CO LTD TŌKYŌ KYO BUN KWAN GINZA SHICHOME 1927

Jızō ,the Sanskrit Kshitegarbha, is very popular with the Japanese and there are few roads in the Empire upon which his statues may not be seen only. The idols of Jızō often appear in groups of six (Rokudō-no-Jizō) and are known as the six succorers. Their primary function is to assist generally the six classes of the reasonable beings, distinguished by the Buddhist metempsychosis. namely gods. men. asura,( in Hindu mythology one of a class of demons in perpetual hostility to the gods) animals, hungering demons, and those condemned to hell; but they render other special services besides. Their names are respectively Emmyō, Hōsho, Hōshu, Jichi, Hōin, and Kengoi.Jizō proper (who has been called the most Japanese of all Japanese divinities) is especially the patron of travelers, of children and of pregnant women. He is represented by the image of a bonze with shaved head, backed by a nimbus, holding a gem in the left handm in the right -a staff shakujō at the top of which metal rings are attachedm and with an illuminating boss in the center of the forehead, It is as the tender guardian of dead children that he is specially revered .All children must according to the Buddhists go to the Sai no Kawara.- the Buddhist Styx or the Dry River bed of Souls when they die. Here the hag named Shō- zuka -no-Baba along with the demons Oni torment them, and make them pile up small heaps of stones which they tear down as fast as the children build them. The frightened little souls run to the compassionate Jizō ,who hides them in his great sleeves and comforts them and makes the demons go away. And every stone one lays upon the knees or at the feet of Jizō with a prayer from the heart, helps some child soul in the Sai-no-Kawara to perform its long penance. And those stones you see heaped about the statues are put there by people for the sake of the little ones, most often by mothers of dead children who pray to Jizō.
Many of the statues one sees near temples are adorned with a faded bib or cap or some little garment; either those of dead children or of living ones believed to have been cured of illness by the benevolent intervention of the deity. A common practice is to place a thousand tiny carved images of Jizō under one roof ranged on shelves one rank above the other and worship them collectively.

Another is for a bereaved mother to buy a doll as much as possible like the lost child and offer it to Jizō.

INARI

INARI IS

INARI- the Goddess of Rice also called Uga no Mitama. SHE IS THE PATRON OF FOXES AND BLACKSMITHS AS WELL.

The fox whose image is always found in her temples, is her servant or messenger.Though the more igno rant worshippers take that wily beast for the goddess herself .There is some confusion with regard to the sex of Inari, who is occasionally represented as a bearded man

Inari- a temple of the Shingon sect of Buddhists dedicated to the worship of Miroku and properly called Sambō in but generally known as Daigoji. Name Daigoji is coming from the name of the adjacent village. The main edifice has apartments handsomely painted by Kanō San raku and other artists,- and containing some splendid screens from Hideyoshi's palace at Momoyama.

There is also a large pagoda besides other edifices. This is an example of interesting as exemplifying different architectural epochs.

The garden too is very fine. On the top of the hill at what is called Kami Daigo- 24 m further, there are several more buildings. The whole neighbourhood is finely wooded, and the maples in the autumn are being exceptionally beautiful. This spacious foundation dates back to the reign of the Emperor Daigo AD 904, and it was restored under Hideyoshi in the 16th century from which period also dates the garden.

CITATION FROM :

INTIMATE TALES of OLD JAPAN by HAROLD HUGGINS and OSAM SHIMIZU -PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR SUBSCRIBERS TOKYO JAPAN 1929

THE GODDESS OF FOXES, FIRMEN, ACTORS AND BLAKSMITHS- INARI

Buddhism kas reached Japan about 650 AD. The God Daikini of Buddhism rapidly disappeared in the worship of the Japanese diety Inari . At first Kwannon Sama was worshipped at the shrine of Inari Daikoku Sama and Benten Sama are often depicted riding on white foxes.

Fudo Myojin also rides a white fox .

There is a close relation between Dakini and Kali, the evil blood drinking. flesh eating cannibal god of degenerate Buddhism. In Japan the esoteric sects of Shingon and Tendai are followers of the cult of Dakini.

There is one strange point, which Dakini and have in common with Inari and which is not often mentioned in early literature.They both wandered late in the night, about at seeking the souls of men that they might devour them.

Inari is also the patron of blacksmiths and iron mongers. They celebrate the festival of Inari on November 8 and call it Fuigo Matsuri. Low class actors were often called Inari machi .Actors are fervent worshippers of Inari. Firemen also worship Inari, who protects them especially from the ravages of fire.

THE JEWELS OF THE FOX WORLD- HOSHI NO TAMA

One more superstition about Inari and foxes. It is said that very old foxes, having the highest rank in the fox world always bear a jewel called the "hoshi no tama" at the end of their tails. Even these exalted foxes some times get into fights. and have been known to lose their hoshi no tama. They are then outcast, and no fox will have anything to do with them. If a human being picks up one of these precious jewels. his for tune is made. for the poor fox will give anything on earth or in the heavens above .or the seas below, in order to get it back again .This is quite true because many people have picked up these hoshi no tama and become suddenly rich, so they say. But to the doubting Thomases ,the hoshi no tama look remarkably like balls of animal hair which there is some reasonable ground for believing really are dropped by foxes.

FUDÕ

FUDÕ - Enlightenment personified

WHAT IS IS FUDÕ- (Sanskrit Achala)

Much obscurity hangs over the origin and attributes of this popular divinity. According to Monier Williams,- Achala which means "immovable". Fudo( 不動 translates this meaning exactly) is a name of the Brahmini call The God Siva and of the first of the nine deified persons, who are called "White Balas".. Among the Jainas (Satow says):- Fudō Akshara is identified with Dainichi (Vâirôkana), else The God of Wisdom, which quality is symbolised by the flames which surround him. It is a common error to suppose that he is the God of Fire.

According to the popular view- the sharp sword which he grasps in the right hand is to frighten evil doers, while in his left hand he holds a rope to bind them with. Fudo is generally represented in art attended by his two chief followers Seitaka Dōji and Kongara Dōji.

Fudo is Enlightenment personified.

CITATION FROM

IMPERIAL HOTEL GUIDE BOOK AND ΤΟΚΙΟ OF JAPAN 1892

His image sits or stands on a rock in flames of fire, and has a sword is in the right hand and a twisted rope in the left.

The flame represents the purifying power and the rock immovableness ; the name Fudo itself means immovableness.

Fudo cuts wicked thoughts with his sword and ties passions with the rope and keeps them under his complete control. Now this is the result of Enlightenment.

Sakyamuni said:- "Fudo dwells in the heart of every man". He represents, as we have saidm Enlightened Reason and every person has a germ of enlightenment in his mind. When a man gets enlightenment and keeps his passions under the complete control of his reasonm which standing on the firm basis of the rock of Truth, cuts and ties bad passions and thoughts then and therem he is a temple of Fudom-nay he is Fudo himself. But the popular superstition has taken literally the highly figured language of the sacred book and has made Fudo a separate being with personal at tributes, He is believed to have power to work miracles.

EMMA-Õ

EMMA-Õ

Sanskrit (Yama-raja) the regent of the Buddhist hells. He may be known by his cap resembling a judge's beret and by the huge mace in his right hand.

Before him often sit two myrmidons one of whom holds a pen to write down the sins of human beings, while the other reads out the list of their offences from a scroll.

The Bell

Now in that time there died in the village of Tamanawa a sick man whose name was Ono-no-Kimi, and Ono-no-Kimi descended to the region of the dead, and went before the Judgment-Seat of Emma-Õ .
And Emma, Judge of Souls, said to him, "You come too soon! The measure of life allotted you in the Shaba-world has not yet been exhausted. Go back at once."

But Ono-no-Kimi pleaded saying, "How may I go back, not knowing my way through the darkness?"/ And Emma answered him, "You can find your way back by listening to the sound of the bell of En-gaku -ji which is heard in the Nan-en-budi world, going south ."And Ono-no-Kimi went south and heard the bell, and found his way through the darknesses and revived in the Shaba world.

In the photo-

Great Bell of the Jodō Temple of Chion in at Kyōto.

In the twelfth year of Bummei this bell rang itself. And one who laughed on being told of the miracle met with misfortune. and another who believed thereafter ,prospered and obtained all his desires.

The bell is high and nine feet in diameter and its inferiority to the Kyōto bells is not in visible dimensions, so much as in weight and thickness. It weighs thirty seven tons. It was cast in 733 and is therefore eleven hundred and sixty years old. Visitors pay one cent to sound it once.

CITATION FROM:

GLIMPSES OF UNFAMILIAR JAPAN ,BY LAFCADIO HEARNM PUBLISHED BY BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY The Riverside Press Cambridge 1923

BINZURU

BINZURU

originally one of the Sixteen Rakan -was expelled from their number for having violated his vow of chastity by remarking upon the beauty of a female whence the usual situation of his image outside the sanctum.

It is also said that Buddha conferred on him the power to cure all human ills.

For this reason believers rub the image of Binzuru on that part which may be causing them pain in their own bodies and then rub them selves in the hope of obtaining relief and thus it comes about that such images are often found with the limbs partly worn away and the features nearly obliterated.

Binzuru is a highly popular object of worship with the lower classes and his image is often to be seen adorned by his devotees with a red or yellow cotton hood a bib and mittens.

HERE IS THE EXCERPT ABOUT THE GOD BINZURU AND WHO HE IS- REGISTERED BY THE AMERICAN REGISTERED NURSE LAURA B STARKWEATHER AND PUBLISHED IN THE MAGAZINE - THE NURSE MONTHLY IN 1915.

Buddha as you know was a teacher who gave Eastern and Southern Asia its form of worship.
He was followed about by sixteen rakkan, or disciples chosen for their virtue.
Binzuru was the first and favorite one, until one day he saw a woman.

He gave her a second look ,and noticed that she was beautiful. This might have passed unnoticed. but he spoke about it to an other deity, who told Buddha.

In the first place he should not have looked at her once, much less twice. and she should never have been thought beautiful, for only men can be beautiful; and then to tell about it was unpardonable.

So he was punished by being lowered the width of a thread in the scale of virtue, but to make up for this he was given power to cure all human ills.

His statue is placed in every temple where Buddha is worshiped, but he is never put up in the chancel with the other deities. He has a place within easy reach of the people near the god of light and wisdom. He is also found at many Shinto shrines but not at all them.

THE STATUE OF THE DEITY BINZURU IS TOUCHED BY TH WORSHIPPERS WHO ARE ILL AND THEN THEY TOUCH THEIR OWN ILL PLACE OF THE BODY AND TOUCH THE STATUE OF THE BINZURU BACK.

Daruma-The God Of Wisdom- and the cup of tea

May I tell just a little about the god of wisdom who always sits by Binzuru?

His name is Daruma. The God of Wisdom sits with God Binzuru and he never has legs. This is because he sat and thought so long that his legs dropped off. One day while he was thinking he fell asleep and was so angry about it when he awoke that he cut off his eyelids and threw them to the ground. These took root and grew into the tea plant.

Buddha told him to brew the leaves of the plant and drink it .He did so, and never has been asleep since. That is why tea keeps people awake nights. There is a reason for everything if you look long enough

So , when you make yourself a good cup of tea, you remember the God Of Wisdom- Daruma.

AMIDA

AMIDA

Sanskrit -Amitabha a powerful deity dwelling in a lovely paradise to the west

Originally Amida was an abstrac tion the ideal of boundless light.His image may generally be recognised by the hands lying on the lap with the thumbs placed end to end.

Very often too the halo gokō forms a background not only to the head but to the entire body and is then termed funa gokō from its resemblance in shape to a boat.

The spot on the forehead is emblematical of wisdom. The great image Daibutsu at Kamakura represents this deity Kwannon and Daiseishi are often represented as followers of Amida

The name Amida is sometimes shortened to Mida

HERE IS THE EXCERPT OF THE DIRECT DESCRIPTION OF WHAT IS UNDERSTOOD BY THE NAME OF AMITABA. THE SOURCE IS : "A CATECHISM OF THE SHIN SECT (BUDDHISM), BY AK REISCHAUER M.A,; From the JAPANESE SHINSHU HYAKUWA By R. NISHIMOTO ;1912

38. If one believes in Shintai what must one believe?

One must believe in Amida Nyorai as the chief object of worship,

"Vain is the heart that prays for a life of a hundred years, The boundless life of the gracious Buddha Amida alone is to be prayed for,"- Hōnen.

39 Who is Amida Nyorai ?

Amida Nyorai is the Buddha whose name is Namu Amida Butsu. This is Sanscrit and when translated means "The Glorious One Who has Boundless Life and Truth", or "The Glorious One from Eternity whose Light Radiates Freely in all Directions".