2016/09/16

Priest Sanshu and Tengu

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Priest Sanshu deceived by a Tengu
From the Buddhist collection of teachings and tails, the Konjaku Monogatarishū written between 1120 and 1140.
Sanshuu 三修禅師 Sanshu Zenji
伊吹山の天狗と三修禅師



The Tengu from Mount Ibukiyama 伊吹山の天狗 


source : toki.moo.jp/gaten
滋賀県米原市と岐阜県揖斐川町の境 Mountain on the border of Shiga and Gifu.
Written as 伊吹山、息吹山、伊夫岐山、夷服山、胆吹山、五十葺山、伊富貴山、伊服岐山
or Ifuki イフキ
There lived a Tengu called 飛行上人 Higyo Shonin "the Flying Saint".
三朱沙門飛行上人 - Sanshu Samon Hiko Shonin
(samon means priest)

He was very light, only san shu 三朱 "three shu" (一匁の四分の一 one-fourth of 3,75 g)
and therefore could easily fly from mountain to mountain. He lived for many hundred years.
One day on this way to come to help the Empress, who was ill, he stopped on a rock near Lake Biwa, performed some rituals and what do you say, the Empress was healed.

Another story about his activities is told below.

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A tengu deceives the Buddhist priest Sanshu.
James Kemlo

There once lived a Buddhist priest on Mount Ibuki of Mino Province. This priest was named Sanshu and he knew nothing but the reciting of holy Buddhist sutras and spent many years doing only this.

He taught his students only to recite sutras, but many were worried that Sanshu neglected to teach anything else.

One night, when he was reciting a sutra, Sanshu heard a clear melodic voice call to him from the sky saying, “Because you have been so devoted, reciting so many sutras for me, I will come to fetch you tomorrow at the hour of the sheep (1:00pm to 3:00pm).”

Excited at this, the next day Sanshu purified himself according to the Buddha, told his students to recite a sutra with him and, facing the west, waited for the coming of the Buddha.



At the hour of the sheep, he saw Amida Butsu (Amitābha) “The Buddha of Immeasurable Life and Light,” in all his shining gold radiance, appearing from the mountains in the west. Bosatsu (Bodhisattvas) surrounded him, flying about him chanting beautiful holy words and playing beautiful music. Showers of lotus petals were falling from the sky and carpeting the ground.

In the midst of bright purple clouds, Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara), “The Buddhist Goddess of Compassion,” appeared and gave the priest a golden cushion. The Bosatsu carried him away to the west on the golden cushion.

After witnessing this, the students who were left watching began to value even more the reciting of holy sutras.

However, seven days later, when another priest went into the mountains, he heard someone shouting out sutras from the top of a tall cedar tree. He looked carefully and saw Sanshu, naked, tied to the top of the tree reciting sutras. Climbing to the top of the tree he untied Sanshu and asked what had happened.

“Why did you untie me? The Buddha told me to wait here for a bit until he comes back to fetch me.” Sanshu became insane, and died three days later.

This is the story of a priest who, because he lacked the wisdom of the Buddha and knowledge of butsuhõ (the Buddha Dharma), was deceived by a tengu. The condition of maen (ma-en) (deception by Ma, the demon deceiver) and the state of sanbõ no kyõgai (The Three Treasures) are not the same.

Because Sanshu lacked the wisdom of the Buddha, he could not tell the difference between the two, and was therefore deceived. Sanshu could not differentiate between Ma and The Buddha, so he was led astray by a tengu.

Incorrect Buddhist practice leads to conditions that attract evil, that attract the powers of Ma. Wrong minded Buddhist practice leads to destruction. Only with correct practice and formal training under an accomplished Buddhist master attuned to the powers of The Buddha can one hope to achieve merit. One can only hope to correct en (the conditions of a previous life) through The Buddha’s wisdom.

From the Buddhist collection of teachings and tales,
the Konjaku Monogatarishū written between 1120 and 1140.
- source : © James Kemlo

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Mount Ibuki is 1377 m high.
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. Japanese Legends - 伝説 民話 昔話 – ABC-List .


................................................................................. Iwate 岩手県

In the village of 唐丹村 Tonimura the deity O-Shirasama comes to help is a home burns or there is a forest fire. This is related to legends of 飛行というと天狗 a flying Tengu or the sennin 仙人 Immortals of the mountains and other Buddhist deities.

. O-Shirasama, oshirasama おしらさま、オシラサマ "White Deity" .



................................................................................. Nara 奈良県

A man called 他惣治 Tasoji from 山添村 Yamazoe village once saw a huge firefly of more than 30 cm long. He followed it into the forest all the way to the top of 神野山 Mount Konoyama. There the firefly turned into a Tengu and Tasoji became its disciple. He studied for three days and three nights, and learned how to fly. When he came back to the village, he found his fellow villagers looking for him everywhere.
Tasoji could fly from Nara to Ueno in just two hours. He was now called

Tasoji Tengu 他惣治天狗


source : vill.yamazoe.nara.jp/folktales

Other sources say Tasoji was invited by
Iga no Ao-Tengu 伊賀の青天狗 the Green Tengu from Iga
and
Konoyama no Aka-Tengu 神野山の赤天狗 the Red Tengu from Konoyama .



................................................................................. Tokushima 徳島県

In the 板野郡 Itano district at the back of Oasahiki Shrine there lived a Tengu. If someone would stay with him for one year, eat only fruit of the forest trees an wild plants, he would be able to fly freely and become a 仙人 mountain saint, never to die. But the humans are usually threatened by this Tengu and he places them on a wooden door (toita) and carries them back to their home. Therefore those who came back are called
toita sennin 戸板仙人 Mountain Saint of the Wooden Door

. Oasahiko Jinja 大麻比古神社 Oasahiko Shrine .
Naruto, Tokushima



toita with Yokai monster decorations

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- reference : Nichibun Yokai Database -

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. 四十八天狗 - 48 famous Tengu of Japan .

. Tengu 天狗と伝説 Tengu legends "Long-nosed Goblin" .

. - yookai, yōkai 妖怪 Yokai monsters - .

. Legends and Tales from Japan 伝説 - Introduction .

. Mingei 民芸 Regional Folk Art from Japan .

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