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"No, of course I do not suspect you of being the ogre's spy, for you are my old nurse," answered Watanabe. "Then you cannot surely refuse to show me the arm any longer." entreated the old woman; "for it is the great wish of my heart to see for once in my life the arm of an ogre!"
As he did so he touched something that felt like an arm it was covered with hair and as big round as the trunk of a tree! Watanabe knew at once that this was the arm of an ogre, so he drew his sword and cut at it fiercely. There was a loud yell of pain, and then the ogre dashed in front of the warrior.
This work is known by the analysis of Rajendralala Mitra from which it appears to be a Tantra of the worst class and probably late. Its proper title is said to be Śrîguhyasamaja. Watanabe states that the work catalogued by Nanjio under No. 1027 and translated into Chinese about 1000 A.D. is an expurgated version of it. The Śikshâsamuccaya cites the Tathâgata-guhya-sûtra several times.
Think of the nobleman, Watanabé Oboru, who, by means of the Japanese interpreter of Dutch, Takano Choyéi, is thrilled with the story of Jesus of Nazareth who helped and healed and spake as no other man spake, teaching with an authority above that of the masters Confucius or Buddha.
He felt sure that one day or other, as soon as the ogre got over his scare, he would come to try to get his arm back again. Watanabe therefore had a box made of the strongest wood and banded with iron. In this he placed the arm, and then he sealed down the heavy lid, refusing to open it for anyone. He kept the box in his own room and took charge of it himself, never allowing it out of his sight.
At last Watanabe reached the Gate of Rashomon, but peer as he might through the darkness he could see no sign of an ogre. "It is just as I thought," said Watanabe to himself; "there are certainly no ogres here; it is only an old woman's story.
Watanabe could not hold out in his refusal any longer, so he gave in at last, saying: "Then I will show you the ogre's arm, since you so earnestly wish to see it. Come, follow me!" and he led the way to his own room, the old woman following.
It was resolved to hunt out and destroy the imps. During the time in which Watanabé was forming his plan to destroy the onis that lurked in the Oyé mountains, the brave Raiko fell sick, and daily grew weaker and paler. When the demons found this out they sent the three-eyed imp called Mitsumé Kozo, to plague him.
Watanabe's eyes grew large with wonder, for he saw that the ogre was taller than the great gate, his eyes were flashing like mirrors in the sunlight, and his huge mouth was wide open, and as the monster breathed, flames of fire shot out of his mouth. The ogre thought to terrify his foe, but Watanabe never flinched.
Akad. der Wissenschaften, 1908. The Uigur text is published in Bibliotheca Buddhica, 1914. Mitra, Nepalese Buddhist Lit. pp. 90 ff. Ind. Lit. II. i. p. 242. Watanabe in J.R.A.S. 1911, 663 makes an equally definite statement as to the identity of the two works. Mitra, Nepalese Buddhist Lit. pp. 81 ff. See also Teitaro Suzuki, Outlines of Mahâyâna, p. 157.
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