Tales of Mystic Mountain: The Legend of the Levitating Tales of Mystic Mountain: The Legend of the Levitating

Monk of Mt Monk of Mt Horaiji Horaiji

Houraiji templo
Houraiji es un templo budista del budismo Shingon, una
importante escuela de budismo japons, y se encuentra a
unos ! km al noreste de la ciudad de Toyohashi"
#l templo est$ cerca de la cima del monte Houraiji %&'(
metros de altura)" *s+ las tierras son empinadas y
cubiertas de bos,ues"
-ue fundada en .!/"
0 desde el 1 hasta siglo 12, este templo se hab+a
desarrollado bajo la gida de los gobiernos"
#n 1&31, Toshoguu Santuario consagrar 4eyasu
Tokuga5a, el fundador del gobierno de #do, como un
dios, fue construido"
*s+ ,ue la ruta rama para hacer una peregrinaci6n desde
la ruta Tokaido fue creado, y muchos adoradores visit6
a,u+"
* 7nales del siglo 12, esta 8ona se convirti6 en el
principal de la ermita por la pol+tica gubernamental"
S6lo se permiti6 una pe,ue9a 8ona para el templo, pero
el templo hab+a disminuido"
#n 1213, el principal templo fue destruido por el fuego,
pero fue reconstruido en 12.("
#n esta monta9a, s6lo hay Toshoguu Santuario, templo
principal reconstruida y algunos edi7cios antiguos"
La ruta principal al templo es desde el pie al suroeste de
la monta9a"
* lo largo del enfo,ue a travs de la pe,ue9a ciudad del
templo, hay algunos huspedes japonesas y tiendas"
:ero tienes ,ue subir 1(/3 escalones de piedra de all+ al
templo"
Si viaja en coche de al,uiler, la calle se llama Houraiji
:ark ;ay lleva a los alrededores del templo, de 0uya
complejo de aguas termales al pie oriental de la monta9a"
<na ruta de senderismo ,ue pasa a travs de los
templos, Toshogu, la cima del monte Houraiji y algunos
observatorios se estable8ca" La longitud es de unos
km, pero es el senderismo recorrido ondulado"
#n el templo de la ciudad, hay Horaijisan Museo de
=iencias >aturales"
4ntroduce los animales y plantas ,ue habitan en el monte
Houraiji"
?esde tiempos antiguos, la gente hab+a escuchado alg@n
canto de un p$jaro AperosBpouBsouA alrededor del Monte
Houraiji"
#n japons, AperosA signi7ca menas ACudaA, AhouA %pou)
ALa ense9an8a de CudaA, y AsouA signi7ca AsacerdoteA"
Se les llama los tres tesoros del budismo"
#n 123, por 7n, ,ue result6 ser la canci6n del japons
autillo"
<n autillo japonesa rellena se muestra en el museo"
*dicionalmente, se se9ala como el ave s+mbolo de la
:refectura de *ichi"
0uya complejo termal est$ a lo largo Hourai Dorge
formada por el r+o <re"
#s un antiguo manantial abierto hace unos 1"!! a9os, y
hay una docena de hoteles y huspedes japonesas"
E=6mo llegar a a,u+
:or ferrocarril
:ara Houraiji %=iudad de los templos), bajar en la estaci6n
HonB>agashino en FG 4ida Line" ?esde Toyohashi, unos
' minutos en limitada eHpress A4najiA, alrededor de 1
hora en tren de cercan+as"
Luego de autob@s de ruta, de unos ' minutos de la
estaci6n HonB>agashino"
:ara 0uya complejo de aguas termales, bajar en la
estaci6n onsenB0uya en FG 4ida Line" ?esde Toyohashi, a
unos (3 minutos en eHpreso limitado A4najiA, alrededor de
1 hora y 1! minutos en tren de cercan+as"
#n coche
#jecutar en autopista Tomei, y salir en Toyoka5a Salir"
=erca de /' km de all+"
http:II555"jnto"go"jpIengIlocationIspotIshritempIhoraiji"h
tml
Horaiji Temple on Mt Horaiji % )
4t is said that 1,!! years ago, on the peaks of Mt Horai
lived an ascetic monk and hermit called Gishu" *ccording
to temple tradition, Gishu founded the Horaiji Temple in
.!" ;ith the 5inding stone staircase temple approach of
1,(/3 steps and surrounding primeval 5ood of
cryptomeria cedars, and cypresses, the mountain is a
magni7cently mystical setting for mountain ascetic
practitioners" 4t has been a popular spot for pilgrimages,
especially during the #do :eriod"
Mikawa Province, Horaiji Temple by Ando Hiroshige.
The Temple belongs to the Shingon Cuddhist sect, but its
founding by the obscure mystic Gishu ineHplicably sho5s
dates that are earlier than the late 'th century origin of of
Shingon Cuddhism usually attributed to the more famous
monk Jukai"
Horaiji Temple (Photo courtesy o TripAdvisor!
Local legends cast a pall of mystery over the mountain
templeKs early background" Celo5 is a conLated story
from t5o accounts of the origins of the miracle hotsprings
of 0uya valley as 5ell as the founding of Horaiji Temple"
The Legend of the Levitating Monk
*round 1!! years ago, a Cuddhist monk named Gishu
5as said to have happily discovered a natural hot spring
bubbling to the surface of the 0uya valley in 5hat is
todayKs *ichi prefecture" Gishu according to some
accounts, 5as at the time already residing in the
mountains 5hen the (/nd #mperor of Fapan 5hom 5e
kno5 to be #mperor Mommu and 5ho 5as very ill at the
time""
Trained in the Cuddhist arts of healing, Gishu 5as called
upon to 7nd a cure for the #mperor and supernaturally
carried a5ay by a phoeniH to the royal palace" *t the
palace, the monk 5orked hard for 1. days and the
#mperor successfully made a full recovery"
*s a re5ard for his 5ork, the monk 5as allo5ed to
establish the Horaiji Temple %5hich means M:hoeniH =ome
TempleK) in the mountains above the 0uya hotsprings"
This photo o Horaiji Temple is courtesy o TripAdvisor
>o5, d5elling on the peak of Mt Horai didnKt make it
particularly convenient for Gishu to visit the hotsprings
that he so favored" So he levitated his 5ay do5n the
mountain"
S5ooping po5erfully do5n from the peaks of &'(mBhigh
Mt" Horaiji like a kyarobinga, and yet gracefully poised
like an apsara 5ith his robes gracefully Lapping around
him and all the 5hile playing his Lute, 5as ho5 Gishu
5ould visit the hot spring 5aters near the <re Giver" This
unusual method of travel and the holy monkKs fre,uent
dips made such an impression on the locals, that they
thought it opportune to open bathhouses there, in the
belief that these 5ould be 5aters 5ith magical healing
po5ers"
>o5 thereKs a tale that could have given a movie such
as =rouching Tiger, Hidden ?ragon a run for their money"
Modern pilgrims today still visit the mysterious mountain
maybe supposing the place to be still infused of magic
and the supernatural N locals say the local birds
%Fapanese scops o5ls) chant paeans to Cuddhism in the
late spring and summer: OCuPQ %Cuddha), O:oPQ %sutra),
and OSoPQ %priest)" *nd tourists and pilgrims still visit as
5ell the hotsprings in 0uya Ralley for its medicinal 5aters
that are reputed to cure everything from rashes to cancer"
"uddhist steles that guide and protect travelers on their
pilgrims up the mountain
SSS
;as there really a hermit monk GishuT
*ccording to tradition, the founding of the Horaiji Temple
is associated 5ith Shingon Cuddhism and 5ith the
historical 7gure (/nd #mperor Mommu %&'U.!.), as 5ell
as the fact that 0akushi mystic cults 5ere proliferating
%see pp" 3&(B3&. *ncient Cuddhism in Fapan), and
temples tended to be associated 5ith 0akushiBcults
eHactly around this time N all appear corroborate the
eHistence of an ascetic hermetic monk such as Gishu
around the turn of the 'th century"
The more fanciful embellishments of GishuKs character,
and the crediting him 5ith 5i8ardBlike po5ers, appear to
be consistent 5ith the activity of the popular 0akushi
=ults in an *ge of Mysticism"
The account of the founding at .! of a 0akushiB>yorai
venerating temple s,uares 5ell 5ith historical events thus
in recorded in %see pp" 3&(B3&. *ncient Cuddhism in
Fapan V Sutras and =eremonies in use in the seventh and
eighth centuries *"?" and their history in later times:
#$n A.%. &'( ()$$ *+!, when the ,mperor Mommu was ill, a
great amnesty was granted throughout the ,mpire, a
hundred men were caused to become monks, and order
was given- or the monks to be sent to the provinces.
%uring A.%. &'( ((nd year o Mommu Tenno, $$ ('!
#Provincial Masters- (kokushi, were appointed in all the
provinces., in A.%. /01 (*'th month!, this sutra was
e2pounded in the Palace, evidently in order to cure the
,mperor Temmu, who died the ollowing year ($) 3!. 4ther
sutras used or this purpose were the 5akushikyo (/0/, 6
(7!, the 8onkwomyokyo (/0/, 6lll 0! and the 8wannongyd
(/0/, 6$$ (0, 6$$ (!9 vegetarian entertainments o monks,
penitential services (kekwa!, oerings, dedication o a
hundred 8wannon images general amnesty, everything was
done in vain to save the ,mperor:s lie.
As seen above (;h. $, < *'!, in A.%. /0/ (6 (7! #the ,mperor
Temmu:s body was ill at ease. Accordingly the 5akushikyo
was e2pounded in the Temple o 8awara, and a retreat
(ango! was held within the Palace-.: As to the 5akushi=
kekwa or #>ites o >epentance in worship o the Healing
"uddha- not only 5akushi=kekwa were practised in all
?ihongi, ;h. 22i2, p. 17*9 Aston $$, p. +&/.
@hoku ?ihongi, ;h. vhi, p. *(+.5akushi=kekwa. 113
"uddhist temples o the ;apital and Home provinces and in
all #pure places o renowned mountains-, but also seven
5akushi images, / shaku + sun high, and seven copies o
the 5akushikyo (each o one chapter! were made in the
capital and in all the provinces. . The son o ,mperor
Mommu A #@homu Tenno was also a devout worshipper o
"haishajyaguru, Be learn rom the above acts that in the
eighth century and in the Crst hal o the ninth the Hosso
priests, and thenceorward during many centuries those o
the mystic branch o the Tendai sect were the principal
worshippers o 5akushi ?yorai.-
Sacred to the 5orship of Horaiji Temple is the 0akushiB
>yorai %the Healing Cuddha) a"k"a" the Cuddha of the
Master of Medicine)" 0akushiB>yorai 5as among the 7rst
of the Cuddhist forms or representations to arrive %the
other being Miroku) in the &th century from the mainland
continent, and he ,uickly became popular throughout
Fapan as a po5erful deity 5ho could cure sickness and
eliminate earthly sufferingU 0akushi remains one of the
most cherished Cuddhist 7gures in Fapan today"
0akushiKs full name is 0akushirurikW , 5hich
means Medicine Master o Dapis DaEuli >adiance"
The practice of venerating the OMedicine CuddhaQ in
Fapan is traceable to >orth5est 4ndia, via =hina 5hich
had practised a sini7ed form of Chaiajyaguru, an 4ndian
bodhisattva 5ho had achieved Cuddhahood, to become
the Cuddha of the eastern realm of RaidXryanirbhYsa, or
O:ure Lapis La8uliQS" The Medicine Cuddha is often
depicted 5ith a lapisBcolored jar of medicine nectar in his
left hand and in the related sutra, he is also described by
his aura of lapis la8uliBcolored light" Sanskrit manuscripts
of the ChaiajyaguruvaiXryaprabhYrYja SXtra have been
found at Dilgit, :akistan prior to the .th century and
also at a Camiyan monastery, *fghanistan, in the .th
century =# U attesting to the popularity of the Medicine
Cuddha in the ancient north5est 4ndian kingdom of
DandhYra as 5ell as in :akistan and *fghanistan" The
same mystical tendencies seen in 4ndia, Tibet and =hina
5ere also evident in Fapan 5ith 0akushi cults"
Ceginning in the .th century in Fapan, 0akushi, the
Medicine Cuddha, became the center of the devotion of
the earliest temples, %most belonging to the Tendai and
Shingon sects), around Jyoto, >ara and the Jinki region"
?evotees recite the mantra of the Medicine Cuddha to
overcome mental, physical and spiritual sickness 0akushi
5as prayed to not only for relief from illness and suffering,
but also invoked often in the traditional memorial services
for the dead" The ChaiajyaguruvaiXryaprabhYrYja SXtra
states:
# Bherever this sutra circulates or wherever there are
sentient beings who hold ast to the name o the Medicine
"uddha F5akushi "uddhaG and respectully make oerings
to him, whether in villages, towns, kingdoms or in the
wilderness, we Fthe Twelve HeneralsG will all protect them.
Be will release them rom all suering and calamities and
see to it that all their wishes are ulClled
The 0akushi Cuddha 5as venerated by many po5erful
men including Takeda Shingen, a daimyo of the 1&th
century, as 5ell as Tokuga5a 4eyasu, po5erful shogun of
the 1.th century"
Toshogu shrine
*part from Horaiji Temple, the Toshogu Shrine also stands
venerated on the slopes of the Horaiji mountain, a ToshoB
gu Shrine built in the 1.th century by the third shogun
Tokuga5a 4emitsu for his father, 4eyasu, to the east of the
main temple" The interior 5alls of ToshoBgu are decorated
5ith elaborate carvings that resemble those in ToshoBgu
Shrine in >ikko, Tochigi"
The religious site is said to have been particularly
venerated by the Tokuga5a family, upon Tokuga5a
4eyasuKs motherKs conception of her son after praying
there" Cut the inLuence of the temple declined after the
midB12th century 5ith the end of the samurai rule of
Fapan"
The main building of Horaiji burnt do5n many times, the
eHtant building 5as completed in Sho5a (2"
?io=mon (#%eva 8ing Hate-
Today, the main historic relics that remain of the sacred
site are the sanctuary, >ioBmon %O?eva Jing DateQ), bell
to5er, ZkunoBin %inner shrine), JoBdo %small hall), and t5o
small anneHes"
Ho5ever, the discovery of ancient ritual relics such as an
old mirror is thought to substantiate the actual anti,uity
of the site as a historical spot for pilgrimsK and asceticsK
rituals and provide evidence of human inhabitation on the
mountain since early times" This photo of Horaiji Temple is
courtesy of Trip*dvisor
Deology and environs of the mountain
Mt Horaiji, located on the southern edge of dormant
volcanos in Zkumika5a, Shinshiro, *ichi :refecture"
-ormed by volcanic lava /! to 13 million years ago, the
mountain consists of dacite, pitchstone and so on" The
mountain is famous as a habitat for scops o5ls, and at
the end of a rigorous climb to the top of the mountain,
the panoramic vie5 of the forested hills of the #ast
Mika5a :lain stretching all the 5ay to Mika5a Cay"
Risitors 5ill combine their temple pilgrimage 5ith a visit to
the 0uya Znsen, a popular rustic hotspring resort in the
1'th century 3 km" Zr they 5ill 5ant to hike the beautiful
prefectural park and for the spectacular autumn colours
of the *ichi Jenmin no Mori in early >ovember, all 5ithin
easy 5alking distance of FG 0uya Znsen station"
Many campsites are to be found %eg" the Jenmin no Mori
campground nearby the 0uya Znsen station) as 5ell as
the 0outh Travel Rillage at the base of Mt" Horaiji %5hich
offers tents and bungalo5s, as 5ell as auto camping
sites)"
Risiting Mt Horai and Horaiji Temple
Location and address:
HoraiBji located in HoraiBcho, *ichi :refecture"
*ddress: 1 Horaiji, Jadoya, ShinshiroBshi, *ichi
%Jadoyama Shinshiro, *ichi :refecture, ((1B12((,
Shinshiro Sightseeing *ssociation)
*dmission -ee: -ree in the temple precincts
?irections -rom Tokyo :
[Gail\ /h 13 min to Toyohashi Station by FG Tokaido
Shinkansen Line" 3 min from Toyohashi to HonB
>agashinoBjo Station by FG 4ida Line %limited eHpress),
and 1! min from the station to Horaiji by bus" -rom
the Horaiji Stop, a (!Bmin" 5alk
-rom Zsaka :
[Gail\ 1h /! min from ShinBZsaka to Toyohashi Station by
Shinkansen" -rom Toyohashi Station, southeast of
>agoya on the Tokaido main line, take the FG 4ida line to
0uya Znsen station %about .! minutes by local train, or (&
minutes on the 4naji limited eHpress)" -or Horaiji, eHit at
Honnagashino station instead, then board the %infre,uent)
Toyotetsu bus to either the Horaiji stop %an easy 13B
minute 5alk to the temple) or the village at the base of the
Horaiji staircase"
S >ote on the signi7cance of Lapis La8uli:
OThe most distinctive eature o this Medicine "uddha is his
color, the deep blue o lapis laEuli. This precious stone has
been greatly priEed by Asian and ,uropean cultures or
more than si2 thousand years and, until relatively recently,
its ornamental value was on a par with, or even e2ceeded,
that o the diamond. An aura o mystery surrounds this
gemstone, perhaps because o its principal mines are
located in the remote "adakshan region o northeast
Aghanistan, an all=but=inaccessible area located behind the
Hindu 8ush. 4ne commentator has written, #the Cnest
specimens o lapis, intensely blue with speckled waves and
swirls o shining gold=colored pyrite, resemble the night
aglow with myriads o stars.- Traditionally this beautiul
stone was used to symboliEe that which is pure or rare"Q
U Medicine Cuddha and Tibetan Medicine
Sources and references:
HouraijiBsan Mt Horaiji %>4::Z>BJ4=H4)
Horaiji Temple %Fapan >ational Tourist Zrgani8ation)
TenryuBZkuBMika5a ]uasiB>ational :ark
by ?aniel Simmons
;hatKs <p *ichi : The Healing ;aters of 0uya, The
Healing 4ssue /&, *utumn /!1/ is a :ublication of The
*ichi :refectural Dovernment San -rancisco Zf7ce
Chaiajyaguru %;ikipedia)
Horaiji Toshogu >ational Treasure
Shingon Cuddhism %;ikipedia)
Shingon Cuddhism by ?avid Moreton
*ncient Cuddhism in Fapan V S<TG*S *>? =#G#MZ>4#S
4> <S# 4> TH# S#R#>TH *>? #4DHTH =#>T<G4#S
*"?" *>? TH#4G H4STZG0 4> L*T#G T4M#S by ?r" M" ;"
?e Risser
ShingonBshu %Shingon Cuddhism)
The Adhyardhasatika Prajnaparamita is one o the most
inIuential and revered scriptures in ,ast=Asian esoteric
"uddhism. 8nown as the >ishukyM, this sktra, in its
;hinese version by Amoghavajra, has been or centuries
been at the core o the @hingon liturgy in Japan. $ts @anskrit
te2t, however, was known until recently only through a
ragmentary ;entral=Asian manuscript studied by ,rnst
Deumann in early twentieth century. This volume presents a
critical edition o the Adhyardhasatika based on the a newly
available photocopy, kept at the ;hina Tibetology >esearch
;enter ("eijing!, o a newly available @anskrit manuscript
rom Tibet. Also edited in this volume is the Tibetan version
o the te2t, Kes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa:i tshul brgya lna
bcu pa, using ourteen e2emplars o 8anjur and a
%unhuang manuscript. The introduction to the edition
includes a survey o previous studies o on the
Adhyardhasatika, a description o the materials used, as
well as remarks on the distinctive eatures o the @anskrit
te2t. @ee (sourceL Austrian Academy o @ciences!
o @anskrit Te2ts rom the Tibetan Autonomous >egion
1 (''3, ca. )6$$$M*'' @eiten, (7N*1,1cm, broschiert
Tales of Mystic Mountain: The Legend of the Levitating Tales of Mystic Mountain: The Legend of the Levitating
Monk of Mt Monk of Mt Horaiji Horaiji
Horaiji Temple on Mt Horaiji % )
4t is said that 1,!! years ago, on the peaks of Mt Horai
lived an ascetic monk and hermit called Gishu" *ccording
to temple tradition, Gishu founded the Horaiji Temple in
.!" ;ith the 5inding stone staircase temple approach of
1,(/3 steps and surrounding primeval 5ood of
cryptomeria cedars, and cypresses, the mountain is a
magni7cently mystical setting for mountain ascetic
practitioners" 4t has been a popular spot for pilgrimages,
especially during the #do :eriod"
Mikawa Province, Horaiji Temple by Ando Hiroshige.
The Temple belongs to the Shingon Cuddhist sect, but its
founding by the obscure mystic Gishu ineHplicably sho5s
dates that are earlier than the late 'th century origin of of
Shingon Cuddhism usually attributed to the more famous
monk Jukai"
Horaiji Temple (Photo courtesy o TripAdvisor!
Local legends cast a pall of mystery over the mountain
templeKs early background" Celo5 is a conLated story
from t5o accounts of the origins of the miracle hotsprings
of 0uya valley as 5ell as the founding of Horaiji Temple"
The Legend of the Levitating Monk
*round 1!! years ago, a Cuddhist monk named Gishu
5as said to have happily discovered a natural hot spring
bubbling to the surface of the 0uya valley in 5hat is
todayKs *ichi prefecture" Gishu according to some
accounts, 5as at the time already residing in the
mountains 5hen the (/nd #mperor of Fapan 5hom 5e
kno5 to be #mperor Mommu and 5ho 5as very ill at the
time""
Trained in the Cuddhist arts of healing, Gishu 5as called
upon to 7nd a cure for the #mperor and supernaturally
carried a5ay by a phoeniH to the royal palace" *t the
palace, the monk 5orked hard for 1. days and the
#mperor successfully made a full recovery"
*s a re5ard for his 5ork, the monk 5as allo5ed to
establish the Horaiji Temple %5hich means M:hoeniH =ome
TempleK) in the mountains above the 0uya hotsprings"
This photo o Horaiji Temple is courtesy o TripAdvisor
>o5, d5elling on the peak of Mt Horai didnKt make it
particularly convenient for Gishu to visit the hotsprings
that he so favored" So he levitated his 5ay do5n the
mountain"
S5ooping po5erfully do5n from the peaks of &'(mBhigh
Mt" Horaiji like a kyarobinga, and yet gracefully poised
like an apsara 5ith his robes gracefully Lapping around
him and all the 5hile playing his Lute, 5as ho5 Gishu
5ould visit the hot spring 5aters near the <re Giver" This
unusual method of travel and the holy monkKs fre,uent
dips made such an impression on the locals, that they
thought it opportune to open bathhouses there, in the
belief that these 5ould be 5aters 5ith magical healing
po5ers"
>o5 thereKs a tale that could have given a movie such
as =rouching Tiger, Hidden ?ragon a run for their money"
Modern pilgrims today still visit the mysterious mountain
maybe supposing the place to be still infused of magic
and the supernatural N locals say the local birds
%Fapanese scops o5ls) chant paeans to Cuddhism in the
late spring and summer: OCuPQ %Cuddha), O:oPQ %sutra),
and OSoPQ %priest)" *nd tourists and pilgrims still visit as
5ell the hotsprings in 0uya Ralley for its medicinal 5aters
that are reputed to cure everything from rashes to cancer"
"uddhist steles that guide and protect travelers on their
pilgrims up the mountain
SSS
;as there really a hermit monk GishuT
*ccording to tradition, the founding of the Horaiji Temple
is associated 5ith Shingon Cuddhism and 5ith the
historical 7gure (/nd #mperor Mommu %&'U.!.), as 5ell
as the fact that 0akushi mystic cults 5ere proliferating
%see pp" 3&(B3&. *ncient Cuddhism in Fapan), and
temples tended to be associated 5ith 0akushiBcults
eHactly around this time N all appear corroborate the
eHistence of an ascetic hermetic monk such as Gishu
around the turn of the 'th century"
The more fanciful embellishments of GishuKs character,
and the crediting him 5ith 5i8ardBlike po5ers, appear to
be consistent 5ith the activity of the popular 0akushi
=ults in an *ge of Mysticism"
The account of the founding at .! of a 0akushiB>yorai
venerating temple s,uares 5ell 5ith historical events thus
in recorded in %see pp" 3&(B3&. *ncient Cuddhism in
Fapan V Sutras and =eremonies in use in the seventh and
eighth centuries *"?" and their history in later times:
#$n A.%. &'( ()$$ *+!, when the ,mperor Mommu was ill, a
great amnesty was granted throughout the ,mpire, a
hundred men were caused to become monks, and order
was given- or the monks to be sent to the provinces.
%uring A.%. &'( ((nd year o Mommu Tenno, $$ ('!
#Provincial Masters- (kokushi, were appointed in all the
provinces., in A.%. /01 (*'th month!, this sutra was
e2pounded in the Palace, evidently in order to cure the
,mperor Temmu, who died the ollowing year ($) 3!. 4ther
sutras used or this purpose were the 5akushikyo (/0/, 6
(7!, the 8onkwomyokyo (/0/, 6lll 0! and the 8wannongyd
(/0/, 6$$ (0, 6$$ (!9 vegetarian entertainments o monks,
penitential services (kekwa!, oerings, dedication o a
hundred 8wannon images general amnesty, everything was
done in vain to save the ,mperor:s lie.
As seen above (;h. $, < *'!, in A.%. /0/ (6 (7! #the ,mperor
Temmu:s body was ill at ease. Accordingly the 5akushikyo
was e2pounded in the Temple o 8awara, and a retreat
(ango! was held within the Palace-.: As to the 5akushi=
kekwa or #>ites o >epentance in worship o the Healing
"uddha- not only 5akushi=kekwa were practised in all
?ihongi, ;h. 22i2, p. 17*9 Aston $$, p. +&/.
@hoku ?ihongi, ;h. vhi, p. *(+.5akushi=kekwa. 113
"uddhist temples o the ;apital and Home provinces and in
all #pure places o renowned mountains-, but also seven
5akushi images, / shaku + sun high, and seven copies o
the 5akushikyo (each o one chapter! were made in the
capital and in all the provinces. . The son o ,mperor
Mommu A #@homu Tenno was also a devout worshipper o
"haishajyaguru, Be learn rom the above acts that in the
eighth century and in the Crst hal o the ninth the Hosso
priests, and thenceorward during many centuries those o
the mystic branch o the Tendai sect were the principal
worshippers o 5akushi ?yorai.-
Sacred to the 5orship of Horaiji Temple is the 0akushiB
>yorai %the Healing Cuddha) a"k"a" the Cuddha of the
Master of Medicine)" 0akushiB>yorai 5as among the 7rst
of the Cuddhist forms or representations to arrive %the
other being Miroku) in the &th century from the mainland
continent, and he ,uickly became popular throughout
Fapan as a po5erful deity 5ho could cure sickness and
eliminate earthly sufferingU 0akushi remains one of the
most cherished Cuddhist 7gures in Fapan today"
0akushiKs full name is 0akushirurikW , 5hich
means Medicine Master o Dapis DaEuli >adiance"
The practice of venerating the OMedicine CuddhaQ in
Fapan is traceable to >orth5est 4ndia, via =hina 5hich
had practised a sini7ed form of Chaiajyaguru, an 4ndian
bodhisattva 5ho had achieved Cuddhahood, to become
the Cuddha of the eastern realm of RaidXryanirbhYsa, or
O:ure Lapis La8uliQS" The Medicine Cuddha is often
depicted 5ith a lapisBcolored jar of medicine nectar in his
left hand and in the related sutra, he is also described by
his aura of lapis la8uliBcolored light" Sanskrit manuscripts
of the ChaiajyaguruvaiXryaprabhYrYja SXtra have been
found at Dilgit, :akistan prior to the .th century and
also at a Camiyan monastery, *fghanistan, in the .th
century =# U attesting to the popularity of the Medicine
Cuddha in the ancient north5est 4ndian kingdom of
DandhYra as 5ell as in :akistan and *fghanistan" The
same mystical tendencies seen in 4ndia, Tibet and =hina
5ere also evident in Fapan 5ith 0akushi cults"
Ceginning in the .th century in Fapan, 0akushi, the
Medicine Cuddha, became the center of the devotion of
the earliest temples, %most belonging to the Tendai and
Shingon sects), around Jyoto, >ara and the Jinki region"
?evotees recite the mantra of the Medicine Cuddha to
overcome mental, physical and spiritual sickness 0akushi
5as prayed to not only for relief from illness and suffering,
but also invoked often in the traditional memorial services
for the dead" The ChaiajyaguruvaiXryaprabhYrYja SXtra
states:
# Bherever this sutra circulates or wherever there are
sentient beings who hold ast to the name o the Medicine
"uddha F5akushi "uddhaG and respectully make oerings
to him, whether in villages, towns, kingdoms or in the
wilderness, we Fthe Twelve HeneralsG will all protect them.
Be will release them rom all suering and calamities and
see to it that all their wishes are ulClled
The 0akushi Cuddha 5as venerated by many po5erful
men including Takeda Shingen, a daimyo of the 1&th
century, as 5ell as Tokuga5a 4eyasu, po5erful shogun of
the 1.th century"
Toshogu shrine
*part from Horaiji Temple, the Toshogu Shrine also stands
venerated on the slopes of the Horaiji mountain, a ToshoB
gu Shrine built in the 1.th century by the third shogun
Tokuga5a 4emitsu for his father, 4eyasu, to the east of the
main temple" The interior 5alls of ToshoBgu are decorated
5ith elaborate carvings that resemble those in ToshoBgu
Shrine in >ikko, Tochigi"
The religious site is said to have been particularly
venerated by the Tokuga5a family, upon Tokuga5a
4eyasuKs motherKs conception of her son after praying
there" Cut the inLuence of the temple declined after the
midB12th century 5ith the end of the samurai rule of
Fapan"
The main building of Horaiji burnt do5n many times, the
eHtant building 5as completed in Sho5a (2"
?io=mon (#%eva 8ing Hate-
Today, the main historic relics that remain of the sacred
site are the sanctuary, >ioBmon %O?eva Jing DateQ), bell
to5er, ZkunoBin %inner shrine), JoBdo %small hall), and t5o
small anneHes"
Ho5ever, the discovery of ancient ritual relics such as an
old mirror is thought to substantiate the actual anti,uity
of the site as a historical spot for pilgrimsK and asceticsK
rituals and provide evidence of human inhabitation on the
mountain since early times" This photo of Horaiji Temple is
courtesy of Trip*dvisor
Deology and environs of the mountain
Mt Horaiji, located on the southern edge of dormant
volcanos in Zkumika5a, Shinshiro, *ichi :refecture"
-ormed by volcanic lava /! to 13 million years ago, the
mountain consists of dacite, pitchstone and so on" The
mountain is famous as a habitat for scops o5ls, and at
the end of a rigorous climb to the top of the mountain,
the panoramic vie5 of the forested hills of the #ast
Mika5a :lain stretching all the 5ay to Mika5a Cay"
Risitors 5ill combine their temple pilgrimage 5ith a visit to
the 0uya Znsen, a popular rustic hotspring resort in the
1'th century 3 km" Zr they 5ill 5ant to hike the beautiful
prefectural park and for the spectacular autumn colours
of the *ichi Jenmin no Mori in early >ovember, all 5ithin
easy 5alking distance of FG 0uya Znsen station"
Many campsites are to be found %eg" the Jenmin no Mori
campground nearby the 0uya Znsen station) as 5ell as
the 0outh Travel Rillage at the base of Mt" Horaiji %5hich
offers tents and bungalo5s, as 5ell as auto camping
sites)"
Risiting Mt Horai and Horaiji Temple
Location and address:
HoraiBji located in HoraiBcho, *ichi :refecture"
*ddress: 1 Horaiji, Jadoya, ShinshiroBshi, *ichi
%Jadoyama Shinshiro, *ichi :refecture, ((1B12((,
Shinshiro Sightseeing *ssociation)
*dmission -ee: -ree in the temple precincts
?irections -rom Tokyo :
[Gail\ /h 13 min to Toyohashi Station by FG Tokaido
Shinkansen Line" 3 min from Toyohashi to HonB
>agashinoBjo Station by FG 4ida Line %limited eHpress),
and 1! min from the station to Horaiji by bus" -rom
the Horaiji Stop, a (!Bmin" 5alk
-rom Zsaka :
[Gail\ 1h /! min from ShinBZsaka to Toyohashi Station by
Shinkansen" -rom Toyohashi Station, southeast of
>agoya on the Tokaido main line, take the FG 4ida line to
0uya Znsen station %about .! minutes by local train, or (&
minutes on the 4naji limited eHpress)" -or Horaiji, eHit at
Honnagashino station instead, then board the %infre,uent)
Toyotetsu bus to either the Horaiji stop %an easy 13B
minute 5alk to the temple) or the village at the base of the
Horaiji staircase"
S >ote on the signi7cance of Lapis La8uli:
OThe most distinctive eature o this Medicine "uddha is his
color, the deep blue o lapis laEuli. This precious stone has
been greatly priEed by Asian and ,uropean cultures or
more than si2 thousand years and, until relatively recently,
its ornamental value was on a par with, or even e2ceeded,
that o the diamond. An aura o mystery surrounds this
gemstone, perhaps because o its principal mines are
located in the remote "adakshan region o northeast
Aghanistan, an all=but=inaccessible area located behind the
Hindu 8ush. 4ne commentator has written, #the Cnest
specimens o lapis, intensely blue with speckled waves and
swirls o shining gold=colored pyrite, resemble the night
aglow with myriads o stars.- Traditionally this beautiul
stone was used to symboliEe that which is pure or rare"Q
U Medicine Cuddha and Tibetan Medicine
Sources and references:
HouraijiBsan Mt Horaiji %>4::Z>BJ4=H4)
Horaiji Temple %Fapan >ational Tourist Zrgani8ation)
TenryuBZkuBMika5a ]uasiB>ational :ark
by ?aniel Simmons
;hatKs <p *ichi : The Healing ;aters of 0uya, The
Healing 4ssue /&, *utumn /!1/ is a :ublication of The
*ichi :refectural Dovernment San -rancisco Zf7ce
Chaiajyaguru %;ikipedia)
Horaiji Toshogu >ational Treasure
Shingon Cuddhism %;ikipedia)
Shingon Cuddhism by ?avid Moreton
*ncient Cuddhism in Fapan V S<TG*S *>? =#G#MZ>4#S
4> <S# 4> TH# S#R#>TH *>? #4DHTH =#>T<G4#S
*"?" *>? TH#4G H4STZG0 4> L*T#G T4M#S by ?r" M" ;"
?e Risser
ShingonBshu %Shingon Cuddhism)
The Adhyardhasatika Prajnaparamita is one o the most
inIuential and revered scriptures in ,ast=Asian esoteric
"uddhism. 8nown as the >ishukyM, this sktra, in its
;hinese version by Amoghavajra, has been or centuries
been at the core o the @hingon liturgy in Japan. $ts @anskrit
te2t, however, was known until recently only through a
ragmentary ;entral=Asian manuscript studied by ,rnst
Deumann in early twentieth century. This volume presents a
critical edition o the Adhyardhasatika based on the a newly
available photocopy, kept at the ;hina Tibetology >esearch
;enter ("eijing!, o a newly available @anskrit manuscript
rom Tibet. Also edited in this volume is the Tibetan version
o the te2t, Kes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa:i tshul brgya lna
bcu pa, using ourteen e2emplars o 8anjur and a
%unhuang manuscript. The introduction to the edition
includes a survey o previous studies o on the
Adhyardhasatika, a description o the materials used, as
well as remarks on the distinctive eatures o the @anskrit
te2t. @ee (sourceL Austrian Academy o @ciences!
o @anskrit Te2ts rom the Tibetan Autonomous >egion
1 (''3, ca. )6$$$M*'' @eiten, (7N*1,1cm, broschiert
Houraiji temple
Houraiji is a Cuddhist temple of Shingon Cuddhism, a
major school of Fapanese Cuddhism, and is located
about ! km northeast of Toyohashi city"
The temple is near the top of Mount Houraiji %&'( meters
high)" So the surrounging lands are steep and covered
5ith forests"
4t 5as founded in .!/"
*nd from the 1th to the 12th ceturies, this temple had
developed under the aegis of the governments"
4n 1&31, Toshoguu Shrine enshrining 4eyasu Tokuga5a,
the founder of #do government, as a god, 5as built"
So the branch route to make a pilgrimage from Tokaido
route 5as set up, and many 5orshippers visited here"
4n the late 12th century, this area became the main one of
the shrine by government policy"
Znly a little area for the temple 5as permitted, but the
temple had declined"
4n 1213, the main temple 5as destroyed by 7re, but it 5as
rebuilt in 12.("
4n this mountain, there are only Toshoguu Shrine, rebuilt
main temple and a fe5 old buildings"
The main route to the temple is from the south5est foot
of the mountain"
*long the approach through the small temple to5n, there
are some ryokans and shops"
Cut you must 5alk up 1,(/3 stone steps from there to the
temple"
4f you travel by rental car, the road called Houraiji :ark
;ay leads to around the temple, from 0uya hot spring
resort at the eastern foot of the mountain"
* 5alking trail passing through the temples, Toshogu, the
top of Mount Houraiji and a fe5 observatories is set up"
The length is about km, but it is hilly hiking course"
4n the temple to5n, there is Horaijisan natural science
Museum"
4t introduces the animals and plants inhabiting Mount
Houraiji"
Since old times, people had listened to any bird singing
AbutsBpouBsouA around Mount Houraiji"
4n Fapanese, AbutsA means ACuddhaA, AhouA %pou) menas
Ateaching of CuddhaA, and AsouA means ApriestA" They are
called the three treasures of Cuddhism"
4n 123, at last, it turned out to be the song of Fapanese
scops o5l"
* stuffed Fapanese scops o5l is displayed in the
museum"
*dditionally, it is designated as the symbol bird of *ichi
:refecture"
0uya hot spring resort is along Hourai Dorge formed by
<re Giver"
4t is an old hot spring opened about 1,!! years ago, and
there are about a do8en hotels and ryokans"
Ho5 to get to here
Cy railroad
^To Houraiji %Temple to5n), get off at HonB>agashino
station on FG 4ida Line" -rom Toyohashi, about '
minutes by limited eHpress A4najiA, about 1 hour by
local train"
Then by route bus, about ' minutes from HonB
>agashino station"
^To 0uya hot spring resort, get off at 0uyaBonsen station
on FG 4ida Line" -rom Toyohashi, about (3 minutes by
limited eHpress A4najiA, about 1 hour and 1! minutes
by local train"
Cy car
Gun on Tomei #Hpress5ay, and eHit at Toyoka5a #Hit"
*bout /' km from there"
http:IIjapanesemythology"5ordpress"comItalesBofBanB
asceticBmountainBtheBlegendBofBtheBlevitatingBmonkBofB
mtBhoraijiI
Houraiji templo
Houraiji es un templo budista del budismo Shingon, una
importante escuela de budismo japons, y se encuentra a
unos ! km al noreste de la ciudad de Toyohashi"
#l templo est$ cerca de la cima del monte Houraiji %&'(
metros de altura)" *s+ las tierras son empinadas y
cubiertas de bos,ues"
-ue fundada en .!/"
0 desde el 1 hasta siglo 12, este templo se hab+a
desarrollado bajo la gida de los gobiernos"
#n 1&31, Toshoguu Santuario consagrar 4eyasu
Tokuga5a, el fundador del gobierno de #do, como un
dios, fue construido"
*s+ ,ue la ruta rama para hacer una peregrinaci6n desde
la ruta Tokaido fue creado, y muchos adoradores visit6
a,u+"
* 7nales del siglo 12, esta 8ona se convirti6 en el
principal de la ermita por la pol+tica gubernamental"
S6lo se permiti6 una pe,ue9a 8ona para el templo, pero
el templo hab+a disminuido"
#n 1213, el principal templo fue destruido por el fuego,
pero fue reconstruido en 12.("
#n esta monta9a, s6lo hay Toshoguu Santuario, templo
principal reconstruida y algunos edi7cios antiguos"
La ruta principal al templo es desde el pie al suroeste de
la monta9a"
* lo largo del enfo,ue a travs de la pe,ue9a ciudad del
templo, hay algunos huspedes japonesas y tiendas"
:ero tienes ,ue subir 1(/3 escalones de piedra de all+ al
templo"
Si viaja en coche de al,uiler, la calle se llama Houraiji
:ark ;ay lleva a los alrededores del templo, de 0uya
complejo de aguas termales al pie oriental de la monta9a"
<na ruta de senderismo ,ue pasa a travs de los
templos, Toshogu, la cima del monte Houraiji y algunos
observatorios se estable8ca" La longitud es de unos
km, pero es el senderismo recorrido ondulado"
#n el templo de la ciudad, hay Horaijisan Museo de
=iencias >aturales"
4ntroduce los animales y plantas ,ue habitan en el monte
Houraiji"
?esde tiempos antiguos, la gente hab+a escuchado alg@n
canto de un p$jaro AperosBpouBsouA alrededor del Monte
Houraiji"
#n japons, AperosA signi7ca menas ACudaA, AhouA %pou)
ALa ense9an8a de CudaA, y AsouA signi7ca AsacerdoteA"
Se les llama los tres tesoros del budismo"
#n 123, por 7n, ,ue result6 ser la canci6n del japons
autillo"
<n autillo japonesa rellena se muestra en el museo"
*dicionalmente, se se9ala como el ave s+mbolo de la
:refectura de *ichi"
0uya complejo termal est$ a lo largo Hourai Dorge
formada por el r+o <re"
#s un antiguo manantial abierto hace unos 1"!! a9os, y
hay una docena de hoteles y huspedes japonesas"
E=6mo llegar a a,u+
:or ferrocarril
:ara Houraiji %=iudad de los templos), bajar en la estaci6n
HonB>agashino en FG 4ida Line" ?esde Toyohashi, unos
' minutos en limitada eHpress A4najiA, alrededor de 1
hora en tren de cercan+as"
Luego de autob@s de ruta, de unos ' minutos de la
estaci6n HonB>agashino"
:ara 0uya complejo de aguas termales, bajar en la
estaci6n onsenB0uya en FG 4ida Line" ?esde Toyohashi, a
unos (3 minutos en eHpreso limitado A4najiA, alrededor de
1 hora y 1! minutos en tren de cercan+as"
#n coche
#jecutar en autopista Tomei, y salir en Toyoka5a Salir"
=erca de /' km de all+"
http:II555"jnto"go"jpIengIlocationIspotIshritempIhoraiji"h
tml
Uno lee la informacin de internet y como casi siempre te
llevas un chasco, despus de hacer un viaje por la nueva
autopista de Nagoya Tokyo nos adentramos en carreteras
estrechas de montaas y sper peligrosas para ir solo a
visitar este templo, cuando leo siglo 7 piensa uno
encontraras algunos vestigios de los siglos en la historia del
templo oraiji, luego ves la realidad con mucha pena actual
de !apn a"uello esta se cae a peda#os , en ruinas , las
casas a$andonas el viaje costoso so$re todo el peaje de
autopista unos 7%&&& yenes, el aparcamiento '&& yenes,
mas gasolina (menos mal el auto es elctrico,suma y todo
cuesta un ojo de la cara y luego te encuentras un lugar
precioso en cuanto al paisaje donde esta situados los
recintos de los templos (destruidos por el paso del tiempo
en incendios %%%) triste ve tantos templos de esa forma%%%%
>agoya /' mayo /!1( :aco Carber$