Three miracle tales from the Sanshin Salon, January 2026
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How Moritaka of Kamo Came Back to Life
Moritaka of Kamo was a merciful man by nature. He had never taken life and he had observed the ascetic practices on the twenty-fourth day of each month; moreover he constantly devoted himself to the worship of Jizo with a single-minded purpose. At the age of forty-three he suddenly fell ill and passed away. He fell headfirst into the pit as fast as an arrow. Fiercely burning flames passed before his eyes, and crying and screaming voices echoed in his ears. He felt tremors from all directions as if heaven and earth had fragmented into one broken heap and as if the great mountains had shattered into pieces. Utterly confused, Moritaka cried out in vain. Moritaka finally found himself crouching in the courtyard of King Emma's palace. Many officers and examiners of King Emma stood in due order in two rows to the east and to the west. Hundreds and thousands of demon messengers were milling about forming different groups like men in a market place. When he was summoned, Moritaka prostrated himself on the ground. A beautiful boy then appeared. As he approached, his delicate features reminded one of sunlight reflected on the side of a mountain. All the officers and demon messengers prostrated themselves and paid homage, saying, "Bodhisattva Jizo has descended." Coming before Jizo, Moritaka clasped his hands in prayer and cried out, "Great Merciful Bodhisattva, I pray you to save me as you vowed!" Jizo replied, "The palace of King Emma is easy to enter but hard to leave. You have been summoned here because of your sins. All this is beyond my control." Jizo then stood there in silence. But finding it difficult to abandon Moritaka, Jizo escorted him before King Emma and appealed to the king, "This man has established a close relationship with me as my devotee. He has just been summoned here -- please lengthen his life span and return him to the land of the living." An officer answered, "The life span of sentient beings has already been determined and cannot be changed now. It has been especially decided that this man shall receive his karma." Jizo cried out and appealed with sadness, "If the law forbids changing a person's karma, then I will undertake this man's sufferings in his place. So please let him go home." King Emma and his officials were all surprised to hear him say this and instantly pardoned Moritaka. Jizo was overjoyed and, taking Moritaka's hand, led him out through the palace gate. "Go back to your village," he said, "respect the priests, revere the Buddha, and believe in the Law. And don't return here." He then released his hand and Moritaka came back to life. After he had gained consciousness, Moritaka gathered all his household and relatives together and told them what had happened. Moritaka turned over a new leaf and became single-mindedly devoted to Jizo. His hand was said to constantly release a delicate fragrance until his death since it had been held by Jizo in King Emma's palace. This is a truly noble story. from "Jizo, the Most Merciful: Tales from Jizo Bosatsu Reigenki" by Yoshiko Kurata Dykstra in Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 33, No. 2. (Summer, 1978), pp. 179-200. About Priest Jin'yu of Echigo Province
Priest Jin'yu, commonly called Shodaitoku of Koshi, had many names which need not be mentioned here. He was of the Koshi district of Echigo province. He recited the Hokekyo and was devoted to his incomparably strict ascetic practices. Demon deities obeyed his orders, the lord of the region8' revered him from afar, and all those in the vicinity paid homage to him. Now there was a mountain called Mt Kukami in the province, and wishing to do some good deed, a pious patron built a jeweled pagoda there. When he was about to perform a service of dedication for the pagoda, the thunder rolled and lightning struck and shattered the building. The sad patron grieved and lamented tearfully. He reconstructed the pagoda, but when he tried to offer the dedicatory service for it, just as before, the thunder rolled down with lightning and broke it into rubble. His pagoda was destroyed in this way three times. The patron grieved over his unaccomplished vow; he desired once more to reconstruct the pagoda and wished it to be safe from the thunder's destruction. Priest Jin'yfi told the devout man, "Don't lament any longer. With the power of the Hokkekyo, I will protect the pagoda from destruction so that you may fulfill your vow." Priest Jin'yu stayed at the foot of the newly built pagoda and recited the sutra. Suddenly the thunder began to roll through the clouds, a light rain fell, and lightning flashed. The devotee once more grieved for he was afraid that this was the sign that the thunder was trying to destroy the pagoda. Priest Jin'yu made a vow and continuously recited the sutra in a loud voice. At that moment, a boy fell from the sky. He seemed to be about fifteen or sixteen years old; he had unkempt hair and a furious look. He was bound in five places, including his body, knees, and head, and he cried loudly and tearfully. Bowing and prostrating himself before Jin'yu, the boy said, "Have mercy and forgive me -- I will never destroy the pagoda hereafter." When Jin'yu asked him why he had destroyed the pagoda, the boy replied, "The Earth Deity of this mountain is a close friend of mine. The deity told me, 'A pagoda has been built on top of me and I have lost my place. Destroy the pagoda!' So I have destroyed the pagoda each time for the deity. However, the mysterious power of the sutra has subjugated everything and the Earth Deity has moved elsewhere. I am also frightened and awestruck by such power as this." The patron now realized that his vow had been fulfilled and that the priest's words were true. Priest Jin'yu said to the boy, the incarnation of the Thunder, "Since you follow the Law of the Buddha and do nothing contrary to it, and are also developing a good mind without destroying the pagoda, you will be truly benefited by your virtue. "Now when I look at the temple here, I see that it has no water. The priests have to go down to the valley and climb up here to fetch water. You, Thunder, must cause a spring to appear at this temple for the sake of the resident priests. If you don't create the spring, I will bind you and won't release you for months and even years. Also you must not make any rolling noise within forty ri in the four directions about this temple." The prostrated Thunder respectfully received the priest's orders and said, "I will produce the water as you said. Moreover, how could I dare make any rolling noise or even appear within forty ri about this mountain!" The Thunder then poured a few drops of water from a container on to his palms. As soon as he had made a hole on the top of a rock with his fingers, the Thunder made a quick movement, and leaped up into the sky and disappeared. Clear and abundant water suddenly gushed from the hole in the rock. It was cold in summer to reduce the heat and warm in winter to prevent freezing. The jeweled pagoda remained undamaged for several hundred years. Although the thunder rolled in all other places, it was never heard within forty ri in the four directions around Mt Kukami. Truly the power of the Law is unusual and mysterious. Many priests gathered there and lived in the temple; they propagated the Law and benefited others. Owing to the power of the Hokkekyo, Priest Jin'yu displayed marvelous virtue to the people and attained enlightenment. He expired during the era of Jingo keiun. from Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra. The Dainihonkoku Hokkegenki Yoshiko K. Dykstra Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 32, No. 2. (Summer, 1977), pp. 189-210. |
How the Great Holy One caused the theft of a silk robe in order to benefit a man and two women
During the time of the Retired Emperor Toba, a poor woman entered the service of Lord Nagasane, Minister of the Left. Although an inexperienced young woman, she had a good mind and served him faithfully, but she soon realized that such an ordinary position would not bring her lifelong security. Deeply concerned for her future, the woman had decided to make a monthly pilgrimage to the Masedera and pray to the Kannon for her future welfare. Although this was the third winter since she had begun the visits to the temple, no sign of a blessing had yet been granted her by the Kannon. She became more and more impoverished and possessed fewer and fewer things. As is the custom in this merciless world, people began to treat her with less respect owing to her reduced status. She thought that there might be good reason for this and so she determined anew to rectify her attitude and pray to the Kannon for help. About the tenth day of the twelfth month of Ten'ei she cleansed her heart from sin and went to the Hasedera and confined herself there. Thinking that this was her last opportunity to receive the assistance of the Kannon, who shows great mercy even to plants and trees of the forest, she devoted herself to ascetic practices day and night. After she had fallen asleep one night while lamenting her helpless condition, a dignified old priest appeared to her in a dream and said, "I have taken pity on you. The sins of your previous existence were so grave that they have hindered your prayers. However, you may share the great mercy of this temple's Kannon since you have been accumulating merit for so long. Take the robe of the lady who is behind you; then get up and return home quickly!" The poor woman awoke and thought, "What a wretched idea! What good would it do me to take a single silk robe?" She then fell asleep again but dreamed that the same priest appeared again and insisted that she should take the robe. She felt that such a deed was truly shameful, yet realizing that this might be a device of the Great Holy One, she stealthily took the lady's silk robe, quickly put it on, and started through the darkness in excitement and confusion. As the woman reached the Jion Temple by the lower reaches of the River Hatsuse, she heard the clamor of mounted men approaching behind her. Overwhelmed by fear and excitement, she devoutly relied on the Kannon. Then she heard one of the men give his attendant a message for her. The attendant ran over to her and gave her this message from his master: "Don't be afraid of us. While we were riding, we saw a lady walking ahead, and we thought that someone wearing a silk robe like yours must be a lady of a certain family returning home at this time of night after a private visit to the Hasedera. We will escort you until daybreak." Although frightened, the woman placed her entire trust in the Kannon. As dawn approached, they were able to see each other more clearly. The master was surprised at the woman's resemblance to his beloved wife, who had fallen sick and passed away. Overwhelmed by his sentimental feelings, the man told her, "Recently I lost my dear one and I am now returning from the Hasedera, which I visited to obtain consolation. Meeting you must truly be the wish of the Great Holy One, and in future I will devote myself entirely to his will." With these words, he continued to accompany the woman. The wealthy master was widely known as Minamoto no Yorimasa, and he lived in the Motosu district of Mino. He soon took the woman into his home and they spent their months and years together in perfect harmony. But in the mean time he had to move from the countryside to the capital, and he told the woman, "You will feel helpless and lonely remaining here alone and your prospects are not promising. Is there anyone you know well in the capital? How would you like to come and find out where they are living?" The woman was reluctant to tell her master that she had no acquaintances in the capital and so she said, "As a matter of fact, I have an elder sister there. Let us go then to the capital." The master purchased various gifts for her elder sister and they began their journey. After their arrival, the woman began to worry about what she had said so carelessly, for if the truth came out she would be in trouble. Besides, she feared the judgment of the Buddha. "Oh, what a silly mood made me say a thing like that!" she thought as she regretted what she had said, and while lamenting about the matter in this way, she felt quite distraught. When they came to the Sanjo Bridge, she said to her master, "Please wait a moment. I will make an inquiry at that house." She saw there a quiet old house which had a middle gate and a space for carriages. The residence possessed a serene atmosphere as though it belonged to a person of high rank. The woman asked a maidservant of the house if her mistress was in. When the maid said that she was, the woman told her to ask her mistress to come out so that she might meet and talk with her. Soon a lady about forty years of age, whose appearance was beyond all criticism, appeared from a corner door of the house and asked the woman who she was. The woman explained her awkward situation and implored the assistance of the lady. "This is very difficult to ask, but would you kindly allow me to tell my master that this is where my elder sister lives? Would you mind very much?" she asked. "No, I don't mind at all," replied the lady. "Tell me more about yourself." And she invited the woman into the house. The woman was very pleased and offered the lady the various gifts that she had brought. The lady hesitated but accepted them, and asked the woman why she was doing this. The woman began telling her the whole story, beginning with the incident in the Hasedera. The lady was very surprised by her story and exclaimed, "What a miraculous coincidence! I am the person who lost her silk robe that night in the Hasedera. My husband, Fujiwara no Toshitsugu, the former provincial governor of Iga, had passed away, and my financial support and rice allowance as his widow were very limited compared to my wardrobe expenses. Since I had neither children nor other sources of support, I was making a pilgrimage, unworthy as I was, to the Hasedera to pray for the assistance of the Kannon. Yet I received no blessing, and to make my situation even worse, my silk robe was stolen. "Since then I have been grieving over the sadness and transiency or this life. I no longer go out and have been spending my days aimlessly. My fortunes were waning, and as I was alone I was worried about the future but now I receive all these precious gifts from you. For a moment I felt it strange, but now I see that this is truly the thoughtful consideration of the Kannon. I am so overwhelmed that I cannot withhold my tears." The woman also was greatly moved by the lady's story and could not help weeping. The lady then said, "What is past is past. From now on, let us be devoted sisters!" The woman thought that her master should know about this and so she told him everything. He, too, was deeply impressed by the divine deeds of the Holy One and looked after both of the women; he also settled the financial prob lems relating to the widow's estate. Thus all three persons were benefitted by the Great Merciful One and their needs were satisfied. How truly remarkable this is! from Tales of the Compassionate Kannon. The Hasedera Kannon Genki Yoshiko K. Dykstra Monumenta Nipponica, Vol. 31, No. 2. (Summer, 1976), pp. 113-143. |
