September 2010
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63 Reads
Monumenta Nipponica
This great deity has two forms [gates], an origin and a trace. Now, by referring both to ancient records and current practice, I am able to reveal their meaning. First, the origin (honji 本地). One day in a certain month of a certain year, while on a seven-day pilgrimage [to Ise], I prayed that I might know the meaning of the august name of the Great Imperial Deity who Illuminates the Heavens (Tenshō Kōtaijin 天照皇太神). Early in the morning of the seventh day, the final day of my vow, I went to the shrine [on the other side of the river], and there, standing in the undergrowth, I proclaimed my sincere devotion and prayed, whereupon from further up the river, where the shrine seemed to be, came a voice from the sky, saying, "The primary meaning is Dainichi, King of the Heavenly Golden Wheel, Illuminating All Things (tenkin rinnō kōmyō henjō Dainichi son 天金輪王光明遍照大日尊)." Hearing these divine words, I hastened to make acknowledgment and left. Ten 天 (meaning heaven), shō 照 (meaning Bright Wisdom Illuminating All Things), and son 尊 (meaning Dainichi); in these three stages, ten is the "Corresponding Body" (ōjin nyorai 応身如来), shō is the "Reward Body" (hōjin nyorai 報身如来), and son is the "Dharma Body" (hosshin nyorai 法身如来). [They] are said to be the "three points" (santen 三点) of principle (ri 理), wisdom (chi 智), and compassion (hi 悲), namely, the "real nature of existence" (shinshō 真性), "illuminating wisdom" (kanshō 観照), and "attaining the practice [of buddhahood]" (shijō 資成). Therefore you should know that this is the august name by which Dainichi, the Three Bodies in One (sanshin sokuichi no Dainichi 三身即一之大日) is called. This summarizes the meaning of the "origin." Next, the "traces" (suijaku 垂迹). The name differs, depending on which of three places [one is speaking about]. In heaven its name is Amaterasu. After its divine descent to earth, it went to two different places. At Mt. Miwa 三輪 in the province of Yamato it is called the Great Bright Deity of Ōmiwa (Ōmiwa Daimyōjin 大神大 明神), and at Mt. Kamiji 神道 in the province of Ise it is called the Great Imperial Deity, Kōtaijin 皇太神. Thus one may know that it is one body with three names (ittai sanmyō 一体三名). I believe that of these, the august name Tenshō [Amaterasu] appears in Nihongi 日本紀. In this book it says that two deities together gave birth to the Sun Deity and named it Ohirumenomuchi 大日霊貴. This child, truly luminous and bright, illuminated every corner of the world (rokugō [or rikugō] 六合). Therefore the two deities said in great delight: "Although our children are numerous, none of them has been equal to this wondrous infant; it is not fitting [for this child] to stay in this land for long. We should promptly send her to Heaven and entrust her with [authority over] Heavenly Matters." In that age Heaven and Earth were not yet far from each other, so they sent her up to Heaven by the Heavenly Pillar. This is the meaning of the name Tenshō [Amaterasu] that they gave her. Tenshō Kōtaijin resides in the vicinity of the Mimosuso 御裳濯 river in the foothills of Mt. Kamiji in the village of Uji 宇治 in the Watarai 度会 district in the province of Ise. The Great Miwa Deity resides in the vicinity of the two rivers of ram and vam of Mt. Mimuro 御室 in the Shikinokami 城上 district in the province of Yamato. In "The Age of the Gods" in Nihongi it says, "Ōnamuchi no Mikoto 大己貴命 spoke to Tenshō Kōtaijin and said, 'Now, where do you wish to live?' She replied, 'I wish to live on Mt. Miwa in the Land of Yamato.'" We therefore know that the descent of the Miwa Deity happened in the age of the gods. The enshrinement of Tenshō Daijin occurred in the reign of Emperor Suinin 垂仁. The order of precedence is clear. On this basis, the first becomes the origin, the second the trace. This is the first level of origin and trace. If one relies on [the notions of] the Buddhist Dharma and "ultimate taboo" (okuimi 奥忌), which constitute "origin...