You Buddha Believe It...
Among the many places and things done while visiting Japan, the one experience that sticks out most in my mind is when my friends and I were able to spend time on Mt. Koya. I have always had a fondness for Buddhism and the fundamental belief that our path to happiness starts from an understanding of the root causes of suffering.
We made our way to Koyasan from Osaka taking in the Japanese scenery and trying not to get motion sickness… while traveling in a bus… taking hair pin curves on a two lane road to get up the mountain side. I do fairly well in vehicles on roads like that … if I’m the one driving.
Our arrival into Koyasan was marked by the appearance of the the Daimon Gate, or the entrance into the city. It’s a rather large gate, 82 feet high, that can feel ominous considering the two Guardian Deities that stand watch, judging you as you walked by. These statues are the largest in Japan, standing at over 18 feet tall and are called the nio or “Benevolent Kings.” Upon approaching the gate I couldn’t help but notice a pretty big difference between the statues; their mouth positions. In Buddhist meditation you constantly repeat the mantra of “Aum;” a Sanskrit word what means “the absolute.” However, that it is a contraction of the first word of Sanskrit which is pronounced “a” and the last word which is pronounced “hmm.” The statue to the left of the gate is Kongorikshi, or you can call him Lord Un (“hmm"), with his mouth closed. To the right you have Skukongoshi, aka Lord Ah (“a”), with his mouth open. I found this information even more interesting after learning that there is a fundamental belief that men are born speaking the “a” sound as their mouths open for the first time and then die speaking the “hmm” sound as their mouths close for the last time. Combining the two sounds symbolizes the birth and death of all things or if you ascribe to Christianity, they signify the Alpha and Omega.
While their mouth positions lead me down a rabbit hole of Sanskrit, pronunciations, and the cross of religious motifs, the other interesting part of these guardians was their appearance. Weapon wielding, violent demeanors, and body language that made them appear as if ready to attack, all of which were very opposite to attributes of Buddhism; compassion, peace, harmony, and non-violence. However, their purpose is to guard the temple, warding off evil spirits, demons, and human robbers. I suppose one couldn’t do so with a smile on their face.
From the Daimon Gate we then walked towards the Danjo-garan which was one of the first complexes built by the great Buddhist saint Kukai, who is posthumously known as Kobo Daishi aka the founder of Shingon Buddhism. The folklore that surrounds the wandering priest had a large impact on the early culture of Japan. They said his body would exude divine light during religious ceremonies, that he could commune with certain deities, purify water, and bring life back to the dead. It’s easy to see why tales of him were filled with admiration and devotion.
The story of how this area came to be the focal point is very reminiscent of playing darts. But instead of a dart, you throw a trident, and instead of a dart board, you use the world as you know it. From China, where Kobo Daishi was studying, he threw his trident (correctly know as a sanko) across the ocean in order to decide where he should start his new Buddhist school. So across the ocean it flew until it landed in a pine tree at the top of a mountain in Japan, which is now known as Koyasan.
The complex houses twenty temples and buildings including Kondo Hall and the huge Konpon Daito Pagoda. Kondo Hall is a large wooden temple hall where major ceremonies are held and like most wooden buildings, it has has burned down multiple times over the centuries. Konpon Daito Pagoda is two tiered and sits 150 feet tall. Inside you’ll find a statue of the Cosmic Buddha, which is the central Buddha in Shingon Buddhism.
While wondering the grounds I came upon the Great Portrait Hall which was once the spot reserved for Kobo Daishi’s private meditations. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see the painting that resided inside of Kobo Dashi as visitors are only allowed in only on March 21st, the date that commemorates when he entered eternal meditation (or his “death” date; although I should point out that the belief is that he did not actually die.)
In front of the hall stands Sanko no Matsu, the tree said to have been hit by the trident.
As you make your way through the complex you eventually come upon a hexagonal building that has an interactive revolving floor. At first you don’t notice the floor as much as you do your group of friends acting like they’re horses making a wheel turn. In that moment, you shake your head and decide whether you act like you know them or not. But of course you capture the moment for posterity (as well as the other buildings on the complex).
After wondering the scared complex we continued on our walk towards our last stop before we heading to our lodging for dinner; the Okunoin Temple.
Okunoin Temple
Okunoin is where you can find the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi. The way to the temple feels like it’s straight out of a movie with a forest filled with headstones as far as the eye could see. Some ornate and very large, others just a stone as big as your hand. Due the reverence that the Japanese people felt for Kobo Daishi, they wanted to be in close proximity to the man even in death. Koyason is not considered the home of just the sacred complex of Shingon Buddhism, but it’s also the home to the most sacred cemetery in all of Japan.
At the entrance to the Okuoin temple you will find chōzuya or temizuya - a purification fountain. As is tradition when visiting the majority of shrines in Japan, you are to rid yourself of impurity, or complete the act of temizu. Before you ask, no, this wasn’t done before we entered the Danjo-garan temple. Why? I’m not too sure. I also don’t recall seeing one. However, it does make sense we would do this before walking through an extremely scared cemetery.
So like I do (and I hope you do too) I respected the traditions and beliefs of the place I was visiting and complied with the need of purification before continuing on. In order to follow this custom, here are the steps laid out for you just in case you decide to visit a shrine in Japan. At any purification fountain you will find ladles… and no, they are not there to be of convenience if you are parched.
Take the ladle in your right hand and fill it with water. Pour over your left hand. (Starting with the right hand is super important!)
Transfer the ladle into the left hand, fill with water. Pour over your left hand. (Make sure to not touch your purified left hand with your right hand as it is not purified yet.)
Transfer the ladle back into your right hand and fill up the ladle if necessary. Pour water into your left hand, and then rinse your mouth. Do not swallow!!! Spit it out on the rocks below and be careful not to spit it in the basin!
With the remaining water, or fill the ladle once more, tip the ladle straight up so that the water will flow onto the handle. It is important to leave it clean for the next person.
You exude rays of divine light: you’re purified.
Now that we were cleansed, we continued on the path to the Ichinohasi Bridge. Here is where we began our mile and half walk to Kobo Daishi’s mausoleum. Just before we entered though, our guide explained that it is customary to bow and pay respect to Kobo Daishi before making our way to the mausoleum. So again, we complied with the local belief and traditions. It hurts no one to be respectful.
Once we made our way over the bridge (to go through the woods….) we had officially entered the largest cemetery in Japan which houses over 20,000 monks, as well feudal lords, like Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and other prominent citizens. If it had been a rainy, foggy day, this would have been the perfect start to a horror/suspense film and if you add the fact that it seemed like we were the only ones walking the path through the forest it’s a perfect set up. While the site could lend itself to being creepy, it was one of the most tranquil and beautiful places I have ever walked through.
While walking we tried to keep the talking just above a whisper. It’s hard to explain the feeling of walking through that many head stones. It most certainly wasn’t like the feeling of a cemetery in the US or Europe. It some how felt like we were being watched every step of the way. Not a creepy way, but in the way that you knew you should be acting properly. Throughout the walk, we kept seeing red bibs laid over statues that seemed to represent children. The reason for this was eventually explained as we came upon a row of statues depicting Jizo, a popular Bodhisattva that looks after children, travelers, and the souls of the deceased. It was an odd sight to come across, not for the statues themselves but the fact that there were people throwing water at the statues. Our guide explained that it was a custom that many part take in while making offerings. Throwing water is known as Mizumuke Jizo, or water covered Jizo, and is done while praying for departed family members. We also found out that those red clothes we saw on the statues were also done as an offering to Jizo, as he takes care of the souls of unborn children and those who die at a young age. Dressing the statues in the red bibs is a way for many to interact with the Bodhisattva and the red color indicates safety and protection.
Continuing on, we crossed yet another bridge, the Gobyobashi Bridge, that was over a stream just behind the Mizumuke Jizo. This bridge separated the innermost grounds of the temple from the rest of Okunoin. Again we were asked to bow and then made our way to Torodo Hall, or the Hall of Lanterns, built just in front of Kobo Daishi's mausoleum. For obvious reasons, photography was prohibited. So I’ll try to paint a picture.
Image walking into a long hall and all that you could see was thousands of lights floating, flickering as if there was a conversation going on between the light and the air. They were fixated in place, not bothered by the wind created as you passed by. These 10,000 lanterns were donated by worshipers over many centuries and are kept eternally lit. Some of which haven’t stopped burning in more than a thousand years. Supposedly the lanterns hold a fire which can’t be extinguished. As I walked through it was very dreamlike to me. Here, everyone’s private wishes were being cared for and if you listened hard enough you might hear the murmur of those prayers as they mixed with the continuous “aum” being chanted by the monks who keep watch. Continuing the through the hall a set of stairs will appear that leads down into the lower level. Once at the bottom we were met met with thousands upon thousands of tiny Budda statues. These, like the lanterns, were donated, and again if you listened hard enough you could hear the hum of prayer.
Making our way back outside, we rounded Torodo Hall and came upon the mausoleum where people were saying silent prayers and paying their respects. Kobo Daishi did not die but entered into the ever sought after enlightened state, where it is said he will remain until the arrival the future Buddha. So twice a day, monks take meals to Kobo Daishi and only the most important of monks are granted entry in the room where he resides.
No matter what words anyone uses to describe walking though Okunoin Temple grounds, you have to experience it for yourself. My only regret of this experience was not taking the time to walk through the grounds in the evening hours just as it turns dark. I’ve often wondered if the feeling would be different.