Seven Demon Stories from Medieval Japan
Page 36
due, we are abandoned in the alleys to be kicked by oxen and horses. Insult
has been added to injury, and this is the greatest insult of all! Whatever it
takes, we should become specters and exact vengeance.” In the middle of
these heated discussions, a Buddhist rosary named Ichiren Novice (Ichiren
nyūdō) cut into the debate: “Everyone, it must be our karma to be dis-
carded like this. We should return hostility with benevolence.” Hearing the
Novice, a club named Rough John (Aratarō) became angry and yelled, “You
meddling Novice! Generally speaking, it is half-baked Buddhist priests that
people can’t stand to look at. Go away!” Aratarō then beat Ichiren so badly
that the Novice’s rosary knot was nearly severed. Ichiren Novice was close
to death, and only with the help of his disciples did he escape.
The Record of Tool Specters
229
Thus, the discussion went on, and each was asked to voice an opin-
ion. Professor Classics said: “The beginning of Creation is chaos, and
there is no form for humans, grasses, or trees. But because of yin-yang
energy and the heavenly furnace, things are given temporary shapes. If we
chance upon the art of yin-yang and heavenly craft, we, inanimate beings,
will surely be given souls. Aren’t such stories as the old pebbles’ talking32
and Mr. Gu’s turning into a carriage33 testimony to the transformation
of beings at the time of yin-yang change? So let us wait for the setsubun
(lunar New Year’s Eve), when yin and yang change their places and shapes
are formed out of entities. At that time we must empty ourselves and
leave our bodies to the hands of a creation god ( zōkashin). Then we will
surely become specters.” Everyone wrote down what the professor said
on pieces of cloth and left.
Meanwhile, although Ichiren Novice was a pious man, he could not
help but feel bitter, and he insisted on going back to vent his anger. His
disciples were able to restrain him, just barely, but he continued to seethe
with resentment.
Hitosuji ni / omoi mo kiranu / tama no o no / musuhoboretaru / waga kokoro
kana Like a string of rosary beads, my mind cannot be severed from angry
thoughts.
Deshi to tada / ochite kienamu / michi no e no / kusaba no tsuyu no / inochi
nariseba
I wish I could fall and disappear with my disciples, for my life is momen-
tary, just like dew on the grass in an alley.
New Year’s Eve arrived at last. The old tools emptied themselves as
Professor Classics had told them and entered into the bosom of the cre-
ation god. Since the tools lived meritoriously for more than 100 years and
the creation god had the power of transformation, no sooner did the two
forces combine than the old tools became vengeful specters. Some tools
became men or women, old or young; others took the shape of demons or
goblins. Still others became beasts such as foxes and wolves. These various
shapes were indeed fearful beyond description.
The tsukumogami discussed where they should live. “If it’s too far from
human habitation, it would be inconvenient for obtaining food.” So they
decided to move to the place behind Mt. Funaoka,35 deep in Nagasaka.36
From there, tsukumogami went in and out of the capital37 to avenge their
grudges. As they took all kinds of humans and animals for food, people
mourned terribly. But since specters are invisible, there was nothing people
.
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The Record of Tool Specters
231
could do but pray to the Buddhas and gods. Unlike the mortals who had
cast them aside, the vengeful specters were having a great time celebrating
and feasting—building a castle out of flesh and creating a blood fountain,
dancing, drinking, and merrymaking. They even boasted that celestial plea-
sures could not surpass theirs.
Topic: Flowers
Haru tatsu to / iu sono hi yori / waga gotoku / sakura mo hana no / nasake
tsukuramu
On the very first day of spring, perhaps the cherry blossoms have
become sentient like me.
Ika ni shite / yōtaru hana zo / yamazakura / miru hito hoto ni / kokoro
madowasu
How did mountain cherry blossoms get magical power? Their beauty
enchants all who see them.
Chinese poetry expresses one’s heart. Without talent for articulating
the beauty of nature, we are no different from the old tools without souls
we once were:
吾変明皇按楽来
I have changed myself into Minghuang38 to
play music
花驚褐鼓一時開
Startled by my drum,39 [trees] simultane-
ously burst into bloom
今宵共奏春光好
This evening we play together “The Spring-
tide Is Good”
永使茲身不可埃
This body will never be made into dust
珠簾影動落花春
Behind the jeweled screen move the falling
spring petals
胡蝶成媒悩美人
A butterfly becomes a matchmaker and
disturbs a beautiful woman
人似妖紅如一夢
A human is similar to a bewitching red
flower—like a dream
須傾鸚鵡酒霑脣
Let us pour wine into parrot cups to wet
our lips.
one day a tsukumogami said, “Japan is a divine country where every-
one believes in Shinto. While we have already received our forms from the
creation god, we have not worshipped him, and this is as if we were non-
sentient beings like trees and rocks. I propose that we make the creation god
our patron and worship him. That way we will be sure to have a long life
with abundant posterity.”
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Part IV: It
Thus, a shrine was built soon in the recess of Mt. Funaoka and was
named the shrine of the Great Shape-Shifting God (Henge daimyōjin).
They chose a Shinto priest’s headgear for a priest, bells for shrine maid-
ens, and wooden clappers for kagura performers,40 and they offered prayers
every morning and observed rituals every evening. Though they were evil
and violent specters, they were pious. It is like that great thief Dao Zhi,41
who followed the five cardinal Confucian virtues.42
They also proposed to have a religious festival as other shrines did,
the fourth month, they made a procession eastward along First Avenue.43
They made a festival float mounted with a decorative halberd and other
elaborate decorations.
At that moment the prince regent’s party44 was proceeding westward
along First Avenue to the imperial palace through Tatchimon Gate45 for a
special investiture. Here the regent’s party encountered the tsukumogami ’s pro-
cession.46 Astounded, the escorts and outriders of the regent’s party fell from
their horses in a swoon of fright, while other attendants were stricken as well.
The regent, alone of his party, was not agitated or frightened. From inside
his carriage, he glared angrily at the specters. A flame suddenly spurted from
an amulet the regent kept on himself, and in no time the flame spread and
attacked the tsukumogami.47 The specters fled for their lives before the flames.
The regent returned home, for the incident prevented him from visiting
the imperial palace, but he reported this strange encounter to the emperor
at dawn. The emperor was astonished and immediately had a diviner see
to the matter. According to the diviner’s report, restrained behavior was
required, so the emperor ordered offerings to be made to various Shinto
shrines and for Buddhist priests of the exoteric and esoteric schools to pray
in their temples.
Inquiring about the miracle of the regent’s amulet, the diviner discov-
ered that a certain bishop had copied Sonshō Darani 48 and had prayed for
the sake of his patron, the regent. The regent then kept the amulet on
him everywhere he went. Hearing the story, the emperor issued an order
to leave all future matter of prayers to the bishop. The bishop declined
the request again and again, but an imperial order was hard to refuse. He
finally agreed to carry out the Great Rite of Sonshō Darani at Seiryōden.49
The attending priests were excellent and skilled in the Yogācāra teachings
(yugakyō). Smoke from the ritual burning of mystic wooden sticks filled the
court, and prayers resounded in the palace.
on the night of the sixth day, on his way to Seiryōden to listen to the ser-
vice, the emperor saw a brilliant light just above the palace. Inside the light
The Record of Tool Specters
233
were seven or eight extraordinary-looking armed divine boys ( gohō dōji ).
Some had swords and others had bejeweled staffs—they all flew north-
ward. The emperor was moved to tears, understanding that the attendants
of two Myōō (Vidyārāja)50 had appeared to conquer the evil specters. The
emperor then went to the place where the service was being held and wor-
shipped the principal Buddha image. After the service ended and all the
rituals were over, he summoned the bishop and said, “It’s not that miracles
of Shingon Buddhism have only begun now, but the miraculous appearance
of the divine boys is due to your pious practice.” The bishop was thankful
for the imperial reverence for Buddhism and bowed out of the royal pres-
ence with tears of gratitude.
In the meantime, the divine boys flew to the tsukumogami’s den. Sacred
Wheels of Dharma ( rinpō ) whirled around in the air; flames from them
attacked the tsukumogami and with little effort, the divine boys conquered
the specters. The divine boys did not destroy the tsukumogami, however. Full
of mercy, they said, “If you forswear evil, promise not to harm humans,
and revere the Three Treasures of Buddhism and seek Buddhahood, we
will spare your lives. Otherwise, you shall all perish.” The terrified specters
forswore their vengeance and vowed to observe Buddhist doctrines.
Afterward, the tsukumogami gathered together shaken with fear, their
close brush with doom fresh in their minds. one specter said, “We have
incurred divine punishment because we took many lives and did much that
was evil. But observing our penitence, they have generously spared our
lives. We should abandon the quest for fleeting glory and follow the way
of Buddha.” The rest of the tsukumogami agreed and immediately sought
spiritual awakening.
They discussed who would be their mentor in Buddhism. “That Ichiren
whom we scorned is a revered master, known for his experience in the doc-
trine and practice of the various Buddhist schools. Let us ask him to guide
us. What a shame that we humiliated him last winter. But if we show our
repentance, he will perhaps benevolently forgive us.” So saying, they visited
Ichiren’s dwelling.
As for Ichiren [who had become the most pious of the Buddhist priests
and was now called Holy Ichiren],51 he was deeply weary of this world since
last winter’s incident, so he became a recluse in the deep mountains. He
made the wind through the pine trees his friend and thus awoke to the
twelve links in the chain that binds us to suffering ( jūni innen). He listened to
the sound of water in the valley and thus cleansed 108 polluting thoughts
from his mind.52 one evening a faint sound of the evening bell in the dis-
tance made Holy Ichiren think “the day is almost over” when he heard a
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The Record of Tool Specters
235
knock on the door. “Who could it be at such an hour?” he thought as he
opened the door and was surprised to see specters of various extraordinary
shapes gathered on his doorstep. Astonished, Holy Ichiren asked, “Who are
you? Are you demons to shake my religious faith?” The tsukumogami replied
that they were the specters of the familiar old tools and explained their situ-
ation—how the creation god had transformed them into specters and the
Buddhist divine boys awakened their religious faith. To this, Holy Ichiren
replied, “I was wondering what happened to you all since then. I’m so happy
that not only you visit me but also that you have become religious.” Among
the old tools, the club that beat Holy Ichiren nearly to death was especially
repentant for his behavior. The holy man, however, comforted him: “Don’t
say that. It was that very incident that led me to withdraw from the world.
Thus, you should be calle
d my mentor in the way of the Buddha.”
Soon, Holy Ichiren shaved their heads and had them don Buddhist garb.
Starting from the ten Buddhist precepts given to a novice, under the guid-
ance of Holy Ichiren they progressed to receive more complex precepts.53
one day the tool priests said to the holy man, “We understand that each
and every Buddhist doctrine in the canon opens a passage to Buddhahood,
but a pace of progress toward enlightenment depends upon the profundity
of teachings. If possible, we would like to receive profound teachings and
attain Buddhahood swiftly.”
Ever modest, Ichiren replied, “Although I am a priest of limited ability,
under the guidance of virtuous priests I have studied teachings of various
sects that came to Japan. The profundity of Shakamuni Buddha’s54 teachings
varies depending on the capacities of the sentient beings, but they all partake
of the virtue of the Dharmadatu, and we cannot easily discuss their advan-
tages and disadvantages. When it comes, however, to the immediate attain-
ment of Buddhahood in this very body ( sokushin tongo), it resides solely in the
power of the Three Mystic Practices55 of the Shingon esoteric sect. Long ago,
when Kūkai preached the teaching of immediate attainment of Buddhahood,
the master priests of various sects doubted it and did not follow his teach-
ing. Consequently, important priests of various sects gathered at the imperial
court and debated the doctrinal interpretations. The priests delivered power-
ful speeches, such as Kasen’en (Kātyāyana)56 and Furuna (Purna),57 but none
surpassed Kūkai’s eloquence, and his discourse on sanmaji or samādhi (medita-
tive states) for enlightenment was as clear as glass. As he logically argued the
teachings for the attainment of Buddhahood in this lifetime ( sokushin jōbutsu),
the scholarly priests of every school at the debate were rendered speechless.
“Then the emperor said, ‘The excellence of your discourse is doubtless.
But I still wish to see the proof of it.’ Whereupon Kūkai sat facing south,
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and no sooner did he exercise the Three Mystic Practices than his body was
fused with Mahāvairocana: on his head was the crown of Five Wisdoms,58
emitting a halo of five colors from his back. The emperor bowed his head;
his subjects and priests prostrated themselves and worshipped Kūkai, who
had become Shana (Mahāvairocana). After a while, Kūkai returned to his
human form and thus demonstrated to them the doctrine of shōbutsu funi, or