Abira Uken Bazara dato ban
On amiritateizei karaun
Nama samman da basaranan
After saying these above three lines the caster should repeat the heart sutra below:
Gate gate paragate parasagate bodhi svaha (Sanskrit)
Gyate gyate haragyate haragyate bochi sowaka (Japanese)
3 The Names of Gods
The third and final category for words of power concerns the names of gods; these are used to give the speaker power or aid them in their quest. The names of the gods are spoken out loud and with force (to be repeated three times). The mantra is as follows:
Hagorosan Daigonden, Hagorosan Daigonden, Hagorosan Daigonden.
Gassan Daigonden, Gassan Daigonden, Gassan Daigonden.
Yudonosan Daigonden, Yudonosan Daigonden, Yudonosan Daigonden.
Arasawa emmei jizo daibutsu, Arasawa emmei jizo daibutsu, Arasawa emmei jizo daibutsu.
In this vein, there are four main gods of war: Hatchiman (patron of warriors); Marishiten (a goddess of light); Daikokuten (one of the seven gods of fortune); Bishamonten (one of the Four Heavenly Kings).
The Pentacle and the Grid
The se-man is the classic pentacle, a disc inscribed with a pentagram, a form of protection from evil or misfortune. The grid, do-man, is also used for protection and associated with the subject of kuji (see below). Both can be found embedded in magical literature in Japan and on objects such as armour and scrolls. Interestingly, the famous female free divers called shima who dive for shellfish and pearls in Mie prefecture wear headgear with one of these symbols on them to protect them on their long dives. The grid has a long history in Japan and is combined with the now very famous ritual called kuji – the art of the nine slashes.
The Art of Kuji
臨兵闘者皆陣列在前
No word resonates in the world of Japanese history and magic as strongly as the word kuji. The first thing anyone should understand about the series of mantras known as kuji is that it is has no clear definable boundaries and no clear origin, though it is most definitely not from Japan. It has multiple variations and distinct schools. The word kuji is a base word and concept that various methods of magic are founded upon. Furthermore, it should be known that some sources of kuji contradict each other and at points do not show symmetry. Some of the skills relevant to kuji were passed down in secret among specific groups, with their variations growing outwards as time progressed. It is only now, in this modern era, that we are bringing them back together as one – a realignment which has highlighted their differences.
The kuji used here are in the main (but not exclusively) taken from the following: Otake Ritsuke, the head teaching master of the Tenshin Katori Shinto Ryu, a fifteenth-century sword school; the academic work of the late Dr Carmen Blacker OBE of Cambridge University; an article by Dr Waterhouse; the samurai school Mubyoshi Ryu; and the collective work of the Japanese author Mr Y. Toyoshima.
The Four Main Areas of Kuji
Kuji, on a very basic and rudimentary level, can be broken into four parts, which may or may not have been known in full to the practitioners of old Japan.
Part 1: Kuji
The first area is the concept of kuji itself, which involves nine basic words of power:
Number Japanese Pronunciation
1 臨 Rin
2 兵 Pyo
3 闘 Toh
4 者 Sha
5 皆 Kai
6 陣 Jin
7 列 Retsu
8 在 Zai
9 前 Zen
These nine elements are accompanied by hand postures known as mudra and corresponding lines found on the kuji protection grid. They also are the platform for numerous kuji spells and should be considered the backbone of the practice and the basis of all its power.
Part 2: Kuji In
Perhaps the most famous element of the kuji magic system is the kuji in, or nine hand postures. A series of nine mudra hand postures that correspond to the nine power words given above are to be considered a set. Alongside the hand positions, a mantra is chanted for each kuji. According to Otake Ritsuke, the head teaching master of the Tenshin Katori Shinto Ryu sword school, the purpose of kuji in is to achieve a state of muga (‘no-mind’), a state of extinguishment. By practising these hand postures and by chanting rhythmically, a person can train their mind to understand the essence of muga and thus call upon that state whenever they need to, perhaps in a time of difficulty or even in battle. Research suggests that kuji was originally a Taoist spell of protection, but, as will become clear, kuji is so varied that its meaning has changed over time.
Part 3: Kuji Kiri
Kuji kiri is a form of protection grid cut into the air, written on the palm of the hand, written on paper or placed upon objects as a protection spell. It consists of nine lines which correspond to the above kuji word list and is the basic matrix upon which the art of juji (‘tenth symbol’) is based. A person will make the first line or cut from left to right horizontally at the top of the grid, and then the second cut is from top to bottom on the left. The grid maker then continues alternating between horizontal and vertical until all nine words of power have been used. The order can be followed in the image on page 62.
Part 4: Juji – ‘The Tenth Symbol’
Juji is a form of protective magic where you form the grid of kuji kiri as shown above and then place a tenth symbol upon it. This tenth symbol is a Japanese ideogram which always has a meaning and thus fits in with the caster’s intention. For example, the dragon is associated with water in Japanese culture; therefore, when crossing water a Japanese traveller would write the nine lines of power and draw the ideogram for ‘dragon’ on top of the grid, giving them the protection of the dragon and safety when crossing water. Other ideograms give other forms of protection.
Grandmaster Uematsu of Mubyoshi Ryu performing the nine lines of power. For the full teachings, see the book The Lost Samurai School.
The following list of juji is from the samurai school of Mubyoshi Ryu, a 400-year-old school which is now led by grandmaster Uematsu. The list shows which ideograms to use on top of the grid of power for different situations.
天 Use Ten (Heaven) before you meet high-ranking people
龍 Use Ryū (Dragon) when you across a sea, river or bridge
虎 Use Ko (Tiger) when you go through large field or deep mountain
王 Use O (King) when you go to battle or meet a thief
命 Use Mei (Life) when you eat without protection
勝 Use Shō (victory) when you quarrel or have a confrontation
鬼 Use Ki (demon) when you fight illness or go to an evil place
水 Use Sui (Water) when many people gather
大 Use Dai (large) when you are happy or something positive has happened
行 Use Gyō (to go) when you move to war or depart a place
Alternative Juji Spells
One variation of juji is taken from the Nichiren sect of Buddhism and is structured in a different way to the above. You must still use the above steps, but instead of drawing the kuji grid and placing the desired ideogram over it, this form of juji requires you to draw ten lines as shown in the image below. Start by drawing the line at the top left and move to the top right, then move back to the left and then right again until all ten are finished. This can be done in either the air or on paper. On each stroke call out the name of the ideogram as listed below. Notice how they differ from the standard kuji power words, and also remember that the tenth symbol is the last ideogram in the list. That means that the first nine are the words of power and the tenth word gives the spell direction.
To counter a curse and invoke disaster
1. Nen念
2. Pi波
3. Myo妙
4. Ho法
5. Riki力
6. To刀
7. Jin尋
8. Dan段
9. Dan段
10. E壊
To weaken the enemy and invoke disaster
>
1. Nen念
2. Pi波
3. Myo妙
4. Ho法
5. Riki力
6. Kan環
7. Jaku著
8. O於
9. Hon本
10. Nin人
To disperse the spirit of the dead or the living
1. Fu怖
2. I畏
3. Gun軍
4. Jin陣
5. Chu中
6. Shu衆
7. On怨
8. Shitsu悉
9. Tai退
10. San散
The Origins of Kuji
Kuji is said to have originated somewhere in the East, but in truth it is hard to know as it seems all researchers find themselves lost in the shadows of unknown history. One idea is that that it is a Taoist system, and it first appears in the Taoist neipian (inner chapters) of the Baopuzi by Ge Hong (283–343), which states that kuji is ‘a prayer to avert evil influences and to ensure that things will proceed without difficulty’. The meaning behind the ideograms is also unknown, but according to David Waterhouse of Toronto University the ideograms form a grammatically perfect Chinese sentence:
臨兵闘者皆陣列在前
(lin bing dou zhe jie chen lie zai qian)
This he translates as, ‘May those who preside over warriors be my vanguard.’
It is uncertain what the exact origins of this system are, but it is without doubt one of the oldest magic traditions recorded, already popular enough to be written about in the third century. All that can be said is that it came to Japan from mainland Asia and has been a widely practised form of magic in many traditions, spawning a myriad of variations.
The Basic Sword Mudra
Before you learn to draw the nine lines you have to understand what you will draw the lines with. To cut the lines in the air you will need to use the sword mudra. This is a symbolic sword represented by your middle and index fingers, with the ring and little fingers joined with the thumb.
In some traditions the ‘sword’ is housed in a ‘scabbard’, made by your opposite hand and placed at your hip before use, as though it were a real sword.
Grandmaster Uematsu of Mubyoshi Ryu practicing kuji with a sword.
When cutting the nine magical lines you will need to use the sword mudra above; however, as stated previously, kuji is an expansive and varied tradition and may be subject to variations.
Draw your sword or sword mudra from its sheath. Cut through the air, making the grid in the correct sequence, and call out each word of power as you cut the lines. This will form a protective spell around you. To move this on to juji – the tenth symbol, at the end write the corresponding ideogram in the centre of the grid. The spell can be finished by calling out, ‘A-un!’
Alternative Forms of Kuji Kiri
The following kuji kiri spells are taken from Nichiren sect of Buddhism and should be considered as alternatives to the standard kuji described above. Simply exchange the power words above for the alternative versions below while performing the nine-line grid.
A kuji to attack the spirit of a dead person with a sword and to make it depart in peace
1. A阿
2. Noku耨
3. Ta多
4. Ra羅
5. San三
6. Myaku藐
7. San三
8. Bo菩
9. Dai提
A kuji to invoke disaster upon the spirit of someone who is still alive or to fight off an epidemic
1. Ryou 令
2. Hyaku 百
3. Yu 由
4. Jun 旬
5. Nai 内
6. Mu 無
7. Sho 諸
8. Sui 衰
9. Gen患
A kuji spell for all kinds of exorcisms
1. Ryou令
2. Hyaku百
3. Yu由
4. Jun旬
5. Nai内
6. Mu無
7. Sho諸
8. Sui衰
9. Gen患
A kuji spell to disperse or invoke disaster
1. Myo妙
2. Ho法
3. Ren蓮
4. Ge華
5. Kyo経
6. Ju呪
7. So咀
8. Doku毒
9. Yaku薬
A kuji spell for recovery from disease or to make an evil spirit depart in peace
1. Myo妙
2. Ho法
3. Ren蓮
4. Ge華
5. Kyo経
6. Doku毒
7. Byo病
8. Kai皆
9. Yu癒
To Expel Evil
In Indian mythology, the Navagraha are heavenly bodies which can bring about negativity but who are also worshipped, each with their own area of protection. To change this negativity or to rid yourself of evil influences, perform the following kuji ritual. This ritual is based on your age, chanting the kuji power words that are matched with your years.
1. Face south.
2. Chant the corresponding single kuji power word nine times (see below).
3. Clench the teeth nine times.
To understand which heavenly bodies are causing a negative effect and to discover which kuji to use for your age, utilise the following list. If you need to use an age higher than those within the lists, simply add nine to the last age provided for each kuji. Remember the Japanese traditionally start age from one, not zero, so you may need to subtract one from the ages in the list.
Kuji intoned Heavenly body Ages
Rin Descending or South Node 7, 16, 25, 34, 43, 52, 61, 70
Pyo The Sun 5, 14, 23, 32, 41, 50, 59, 68
To Jupiter 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72
Sha Mars 6, 15, 24, 33, 42, 51, 60, 69
Kai Ascending or North Node 1, 10, 19, 28, 37, 46, 55, 64
Jin Saturn 2, 11, 20, 29, 38, 47, 56, 65
Retsu The Moon 8, 17, 26, 35, 44, 53 62, 71
Zai Venus 4, 13, 22, 31, 40, 49, 58, 67
Zen Mercury 3, 12, 21, 30, 39, 48, 57, 66
The following kuji spell was recorded by Carmen Blacker during her research into Japanese shamanism, but the use and context is not clear. Nonetheless, it serves as a great illustration of the diversity and intricacies of kuji magic and exemplifies how widespread and varied the art is.
1. Make all nine kuji hand symbols. As you make each one, call out its name: Rin, Pyo, To, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai and Zen. Make sure to call them out strongly and raise the voice to a sharp yell on the last kuji.
2. Make the sword mudra and cut the kuji kiri magic grid in the air.
3. Call out in Sanskrit, A-UN-A-UN (‘the beginning and the end’).
4. Call out the lesser spell of Fudo: ‘No maku samanda basarada.’
5. Repeat the heart sutra: ‘Gyate gyate haragyate haragyate bochi sowaka.’
6. Roar loudly and cry out, ‘Shin!’
Finally, it is also acceptable to chant the names of the kuji words of power while using a wooden sword and a rosary.
The above outline of kuji should give you a basic foundation in the use of the ritual spell, but keep in mind that there are a myriad of forms and traditions, that the hand mudras most likely have their origin in India, that the spell itself is probably Taoist and that in Japan it was used in many different situations. There are further examples of kuji in the remainder of this volume.
Wara Ningyo – Straw Curse Dolls
As far back as the sixth century the Japanese have had a form of doll used to curse their opponents; this was also recorded in the twelfth-century document Heike Monogatari, and by Hearn and others. The aim is to inflict misfortune and suffering – if not death – on the intended victim.
Instructions
1. Construct a doll made of straw.
2. Write the name and age of the victim on paper and insert it into the straw doll.
3. Draw the face of the enemy upon the doll.
4. At night, visit a shrine, temple or
sacred space and find an old tree.
5. Place a kanawa or iron circlet upon your head which has three vertical spikes attached; these are used to secure three lit candles. (Hokusai, the Edo period artist, captured this circlet in his picture ‘The hour of the Ox’, shown left. The hour of the Ox is a reference to the early hours between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., and as you can see in the image, the woman is practising magic under the watchful gaze of the mythical tengu goblins.)
6. At the hour of the Ox, nail the straw doll to the ancient tree and your curse will chase your enemy.
Blowing Away ‘Sin’
A doll which represents the human figure can also be used in rites of purification where the subject rubs the doll on their body or blows their breath upon it, thus transferring transgressions and pollutions they have to the doll, which is later cast into a river or another body of water. The doll can be made of material such as straw, wood iron or paper; the latter is the most common in modern Japan. The following extract was written in the mid-eighteenth century and instructs you on how to make a paper version of this doll:
How to make a magical paper doll
by
Ise Sadatake
1763
A Nademono (lit. thing to stroke) is a paper doll used when you ask an Onmyo magician to pray for you. The performer makes a paper doll and hands it to you, you then pass your hand over it and give it back to the performer. He prays over this doll. After praying he sometimes floats it down a river.
It is also called Hinagata or miniature figure. To make one, fold a piece of paper in two the with the fold at the top and cut out the shape as it is in the drawing. It can be of any size.
To make the head cut a diamond shape in one side and fold it up.
The Dark Side of Japan: Ancient Black Magic, Folklore, Ritual Page 4