the turn of the era

the eternal life

I went to Fukushima of Japan northeast region at early summer of last year.
At that time、I went to plateau called "Joudo-daira" of Azuma mountain (Fukushima city’s west).

Joudo-daira's landscape、to see in my eyes、was bleak (Azuma mountain is active volcano).
　
By the way、"joudo" translated to English become "Pure Land".　
Therefore? "joudo" of Buddhism term、it is such a meaning. May be(lol).
In other word、like heaven.
Japanese people had believed the souls of those who died will go to joudo.

But I thought when I went to joudo-daira.
　
"This landscape is Hell rather than Pure Land." 　
When I thought so simply、this content was start.

Of course、"joudo-daira" is mere place name.
It is not the same as "joudo".

・・・・・・・・・

I looked at the map after get home from Fukushima.
There was mountain called "Hourai mountain" in the west of joudo-daira.
(chinese? accent Penglai mountain) 蓬莱山。


Well the topic changed a bit、once upon a time in China.
First emperor of China wanted to become eternal life.　
　
"There is the eternal life of life on Hourai mountain at over the sea"　
　
There was such a legend at that time.

"Go to Hourai mountain !"
"And get the eternal life !"

He ordered so to a man named Xu Fu. 徐福。
But then Xu Fu went to "Hourai mountain" by ship and never came back.
Therefore、first emperor of China was not able to become eternal life.
He died as a human being for granted.

・・・・・・・・・

Wow ! until now、I think it is mere legend.
But the eternal life exist on Fukushima surely.
That's amazing !!

Of course、"Hourai mountain" is mere place name.
(※footnote. It is a place to laugh.)

zipangu

Well、west of joudo-daira is Hourai mountain.
　
North of joudo-daira、there was "issaikyou" mountain.　
"Issaikyou" translated to english become "The complete Buddhist scriptures".
Incidentally、this mountain is the active volcano.
　
・・・・・・・・・

The mid-eleventh century、there was a man named "Abeｰnoｰsadato" on this land.

And era he was alive, there was a great revolt here.　

He battled as a member of the rebel、and eventually dead by defeat.

By the way、when seen this revolt from the center government of Japan.

Of course that was revolt.

But this revolt was a struggle to "gain autonomy" from their perspective.

(I think that revolt wasn't a struggle for "independence")

At that time、people of this land called "emishi". (Is not a race name)

They had been exploited as people who were conquered.

・・・・・・・・・

As aforementioned、 this struggle had became failed.
But immediately after that、kingdom had established in this land.
This kingdom lasted a hundred years.　

"Golden Island Zipangu"
　
Later、impression left by this kingdom was introduced so to the West by Marco Polo of Italian merchant.

・・・・・・・・・

Well、back to the topic.

"Abeno-sadato was filled the complete Buddhist scriptures into this mountain."

There is its legend、and it has become the origin of the name of this mountain.

　

pure land.

the eternal life.

the complete Buddhist scriptures.

Since ancient times、this land is "area" like that?

blessing of the sun

There is Bandai mountain to southwest of Azuma mountain.

According to one theory、the meaning of "Bandai" is ”bridge of rocks to climb to heaven”.

As the name implies、Bandai mountain is a symbol of this area.

・・・・・・・・・

　

Once upon a time.

Bandai mountain had called "Disease mountain" originally.

And people had been tormented to this mountain.

1200 years ago，this mountain erupted and made a huge lake in one night.

People had deepened the suffering.

Buddhist monk "Kukai" in Kyoto who heard it was came to this land.

(Kyoto is the capital of Japan at that time)

He prayed to the Buddha、and drove off the evil.

And then he built a temple called "e-niti-ji" on this land.

("e-niti-ｊi" meaning is "temple of blessing of the sun")

He did leave this temple to his disciple "Tokuichi" and he walked away.

And then、from some time，Disease mountain was became called Bandai mountain. (bridge of rocks to climb to heaven)　

And they lived happily ever after.

　

Fin.　

・・・・・・・・・

　　

Of course this is mere legend.　

Huge lake called "inawashiroko" was made at tens of thousands years ago in fact.

　

Also there is no record that Kukai came to this land.

(Yes he was a real person)

According to one theory、the man who actually built "e-niti-ji" was Tokuichi.

(There is no accurate record about that)　

new wave

Tokuichi was not a disciple of Kukai surely.　

He was the high priest of Hosso Sect of Buddhism that lived in this land.

　

Kukai was the founder of the Shingon sect in Japan.　

Hosso sect was old sect compared to the Shingon sect of Kukai at that time.

By the way、to same age、there was one more person who had been brings a new sect to japan.

The man who named "Saichou".

He was the founder of the Tendai sect in Japan.

　

Kukai and Saichou.

This two men were representatives of new wave of Japanese Buddhism.

　

Tokuichi was conflicting viewpoints with these two monks as a representative of old wave. (especially to Saichou)　

・・・・・・・・・

Why is there such a legend、then?

Because、it is just an imagination、Tokuichi was defeated in a dispute with Saichou.

Then Hosso sect became waning.　

Conversely sect of Kukai and Saichou had spread throughout Japan.

This temple might was temple of Hosso sect originally.

But from some time、this temple became a temple of the Shingon sect.

Perhaps this legend was made after that.

・・・・・・・・・

Of course、first、there was a decline of Hosou sect.

Then looked for that reason to the defeat of Tokuichi.

It may be this case in fact.

　

But would certainly was this era was the turn of the era.

These two new wave has continued to the present day after more than a thousand years.