Sensei's Notes

Sunday, May 16, 2004 : (continued from yesterday)

The spirit realm is inhabited by 3 types of divinity: 1. Buddhas and other Buddhist deities; 2. kami – more individual and local in nature; 3. Evil deities and spirits.

The Rituals of Shugendo:

1.Rituals for the purpose of identification with a deity (such as fudo myoo-o)

2.Rituals for communication with a deity

3.Rituals to achieve power to manipulate deities

4.Rituals of prayer – requests

5.Rituals of exorcism

Rituals

i. Practice in the Mountains (nyubu shugyo)

Involves various rituals while on extended retreat in the mountains. During this period the practitioner realizes union with the central esoteric deity – Fudo myo-o. The practitioner comes off the mountain reborn as a Buddha.

ii. Demonstration of magico-religious powers (genjutsu)

Having identified self with Fudo Myo-o the practitioner demonstrates this by entering the spiritual realm and performing various feats.

iii.Offering rites (kuyoho)

iv. Consecration ceremonies (shokanjo)

v. Participation in festivals

vi. Fortune telling and divination

vii. The art of obtaining oracles through mediums (fujutsu)

viii. Prayers of possession (yorigoto)

ix. Fire ceremonies for averting misfortunes (sokusai goma)

x. Rituals centered on various deities (shosonbo)

xi. Incantations (kaji)

xii. Exorcism (tsukimono, otoshi, chobuku)

Here the practitioner identifies himself with a deity, gains an oracle which tells him what evil is causing the problem, then wields the supernatural power of the deity and exorcizes the evil.

xiii. Spells and charms (fuju, majinai)

The Fall Retreat

Day 1: A funeral for the participants.

Day 2: The leader throws a large pole with paper streams up the steps of the temple before they depart.

Represents copulation.

March to temple

The temple symbolizes a womb.

Day 3: The initiates are purified.

They then chant sutra.

Noise awakens the initiates from the slumber of illusion.

Charcoal braziers - smoke is said to exorcize bad spirits.

Day 4: Initiates are required to fast

they go on long pilgrimages on the mountain.

Day 5: Leaders perform a memorial service for the dead.

Day 6: two torches together symbolize conception.

rites of confession.

Sumo wrestling.

midnight fire ceremony.

Day 7: Rites of confession, chanting.

Day 8: Prayers for the well-being of believers and for the founders.

pilgrimages on the mountain.

celebration and drinking of sake.

Day 9: More prayers.

descend from mountain.

Worship at the main temple

birth-cry.

jump over a fire.

symbolizes the rebirth of the initiates as Buddhas.

The first 6 practices represent a tour through the 6 realms of rebirth: the spiced smoke is hell, the fasting is the realm of the hungry ghosts, not drinking water is the realm of beasts, the warring gods realm (asura) is represented by sumo, the human realm by confessing sin, and heaven by the celebrations and drinking.

My brain is tired...

I understand the theory perfectly well, my problem is I have to "shell the peas"... rituals are designed to encapsulate the Truth -- like insects preserved in amber. (The truth is the insect and the amber is the ritual.) But, in the end the ritual and ceremonies become ends in themselves and the truth is forgotten. "Shelling the peas" means to extract the kernel of forgotten truth. We are not here for the amber, if that were true than the truth would only be ornamental. It would have no meaning other than it's outward container.

"The Follower of the Way:
Provides for the belly and not the eye.
Hence, he rejects the one and accepts the other. "
- The Light

Website of the day: Buddhist Information of North America