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Updated: June 21, 2025
I descend from the cabin roof, and squat upon the deck, under the awnings, to have a smoke with Akira. And I ask: 'How many Buddhas are there, O Akira? Is the number of the Enlightened known? 'Countless the Buddhas are, makes answer Akira; 'yet there is truly but one Buddha; the many are forms only. Each of us contains a future Buddha.
But below it, upon the deep gold-rimmed black band, flames the mystic character signifying KING. Also, from the same crown-band protrude at descending angles, to left and right, two gilded sceptre- shaped objects. In one hand the King holds an object similar of form, but larger his shaku or regal wand. And Akira explains.
Again he shakes the box; a second bamboo slip issues from the slit. 'Dai kitsu! great good-fortune. The number is ninety-and-nine. Once more the box is shaken; once more the oracular bamboo protrudes. 'Kyo! laughs Akira. 'Evil will befall us. The number is sixty-and- four.
'Oh, Akira! you must tell me something more about Jizo, and the ghosts of the children in the Sai-no-Kawara. 'I cannot tell you much more, answers Akira, smiling at my interest in this charming divinity; 'but if you will come with me now to Kuboyama, I will show you, in one of the temples there, pictures of the Sai-no-Kawara and of Jizo, and the Judgment of Souls.
Happily Akira is able to borrow a pair of hakama from the landlord; and, after having arranged ourselves as neatly as we can, we take our way to the temple, guided by the messenger.
He accepts my invitation to a cup of tea, and informs me that his august master is waiting for us at the temple. This is delightful news, but we cannot go at once. Akira's attire is pronounced by the messenger to be defective. Akira must don fresh white tabi and put on hakama before going into the august presence: no one may enter thereinto without hakama.
There are two columns of mysterious signs exquisitely painted upon it. 'Oh, that is a calendar, answers Akira. 'On the right side are the names of the months having thirty-one days; on the left, the names of those having less. Now here is a household shrine.
Akira refuses his assent to this interpretation, and resumes: 'When Bimbogami once begins to follow anyone it is extremely difficult to be free from him again. In the village of Umitsu, which is in the province of Omi, and not far from Kyoto, there once lived a Buddhist priest who during many years was grievously tormented by Bimbogami.
But the landlord tells us this is not the temple, but only the Haiden or Hall of Prayer, before which the people make their orisons, By day, through the open doors, the temple can be seen But we cannot see it to-night, and but few visitors are permitted to go in. 'The people do not enter even the court of the great shrine, for the most part, interprets Akira; 'they pray before it at a distance.
Akira is trying to tell me something about the hyaku-hachino-mukaebi, the Hundred and Eight Fires, to be lighted to-morrow evening, which bear some figurative relation unto the Hundred and Eight Foolish Desires; but I cannot hear him for the clatter of the geta and the komageta, the wooden clogs and wooden sandals of the worshippers ascending to the shrine of Yakushi-Nyorai.
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