Kamakurabori

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Kamakurabori - Daruma and Laquerware
鎌倉彫り





Carved laquer objects made in Kamakura

First some general remarks about laquer techniques.

Laquerware is created from the sap of the laquer tree for practical and artistic equipment we use in our daily lives. The advantage of laquer is its strong natural adhesive property and it is very easily processed into pieces. Traditionally many coatings of laquer are applied and after drying patterns are carved out of the laquer. With Kamakurabori the process is the opposite. First the wood is carved and then only a few coatings are used to cover it. In this way the normally expensive laquer pieces could be produced at a more affordable level for every-day use objects.



The coating with laquer not only helps create beautiful pieces, but it also has the following advantages:

1. Preserves products from decomposition.
2. Keeps beautiful sheen and luster forever.
3. Provides soft and warm feeling when touched. This is important when you
use laquerware for eating tools.
4. Anti-acidity, anti-alkaline and anti-electric properties and a great
endurance against wear and tear.
5. The coating can be applied to almost anything, wood, iron, paper, leather.
6. It is easy to add other decorations after laquer coating.

Here are some forms of decoration:
Pictures painted or inlayed in laquer　漆絵（Urushi-e）
Pictures with sprincled powder of gold, silver or other materials　薪絵（Maki-e）
Gold or silver inlay in scratch marks of urushi 沈金（Chinkin）沈銀（Chingin）
Inlay of shells　螺鈿（Raden）




from the Fenolossa Cyber Museum.



Kamakurabori
is a specialty of the city of Kamakura. It's a combination of woodcarving and lacquer-work. Designs are carved in wood and then coated many times with red and black lacquer. The carving technique dates from the 13th century and originates from Buddhist statue sculptors. Their technique was succeeded from one generation to another. The present owner of the store Hakkoodoo in Kamakura for example is the 28th direct descendant of the founder of the Goto Buddhist-statue sculptor family.

As Kamakura began to wane in importance in the 15th century, demand for statue carving dropped. The artists found a niche in the area of utensils such as trays used domestically in the kitchen, and today, Kamakurabori is a special product of the city.


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Kamakura-bori ... further reference


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Walking in Kamakura　鎌倉散歩

Since Kamakura is easily reached by Yokosuka Line from Tokyo it is a good place for a daytrip. I lived in Kamakura for more than 15 years before moving to Okayama prefecture, so I will introduce you to some of my favorite spots.　
First the "Coin-Washing" Zeniarai Benten 銭洗弁天. zeniarai Benten

According to legend, the Shrine dates from the era of Yoritomo Minamoto (1147-1199), the founder of the Kamakura Shogunate. One night after a series of battles, an old man appeared in his dream and said, "I am the god of Ugajin. There is a spring in the gorge located in the northwest direction of Kamakura. Go find it and worship Ugajin with the spring water. People may start to have faith in the god and peace will be restored." It was the day of the Serpent, the month of the Serpent in 1185, the year of Serpent on lunar calendar based on twelve zodiac signs.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Believe me, I have washed a lot of coins there and it seems to have helped a little!

Inari 稲荷　＜＞　The Fox God Cult Kitsune, the animal fox.


One of my favorites is the temple Kakuon-ji, 覚園寺 hidden in the back of a valley and coming to live every year at August 10 for the midnight festival of the Black Jizo Bosatsu (kurojizoo 黒地蔵). 　　
August 10 every year is the day to venerate this Black Jizo Bosatsu. A religious service for him starts at twelve midnight with gongs and bells, attended by a number of Shingon sect priests chanting Han'nya shingyoo, or Prajna-paramita sutra.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

If you find time it is well worth a visit. From the big statue of Yakushi Nyorai in the Main Hall there is a long five-colored cord through the hall and outside in the garden, where it is hanging from a large pole, so you can get in direct TOUCH with this Healing Buddha. The hall is lit by candles and all seems far removed from time and space. Visitig the Cave with 13 Buddhas you get almost choked by the smoke of so many candles and have a real foretaste of hell.
There are not many chances these days to "experience" a Buddha statue in its original setting made for veneration and lit by candles. To spend a long mysterious summer night here in these otherwise quiet temple grounds shows you a glimpse of OLD KAMAKURA, better than the fireworks at the sea two days later.


KAMAKURA ... further reference


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Daruma of Kamakurabori


Here is a Bolotie holder of my collection. It is only 3.5 cm large. I bought it many years ago and it was quite expensive already then.
これは達磨さんがボーロネクタイ・ホールダになる作品です。




Next we have a small netsuke of 4.5 cm.
This Daruma looks almost like the Daibutsu, the Big Buddha of Kamakura. From his painstakenly carved eyebrows you can see it is Daruma san.





And finally one more piece of laquer, but this may be Negoro laquer.
This one is very special. It is a box where you put your cloths after undressing in the evening or for the daily bath (midarekago). I can well imagine the headpriest of some Kamakura temple having this made to order and use it daily to remind himself of the spirit of Zen in daily life. This box is 70 cm long and 48 cm wide. Inside is a carving of Daruma standing on a rush leaf (royoo Daruma).


Rush-Leaf Daruma (royoo) 芦葉達磨 Daruma on a reed



. My PHOTO ALBUM - Laquer Daruma Figures 　　


Urushi no ki 漆　うるし　＜＞ Lacquer Tree

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... Kamakura, my Haiku Town in Japan

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looptie ループタイ　 looptie holder, bolo tie


bolotie holder







pink coral ピンク珊瑚
ruupu tai ループタイ bolo tie, looptie


- source : rakuten.co.jp/sangoya


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. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja - Vidyaraja - Fudo Myoo .

loop tie ループタイ Fudo Myo-O


source :　rakuten.co.jp/horigin


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Jindai-ji Temple

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Temple Jindai-ji - - A Daruma Market and Sanskrit

深大寺の達磨市と梵字

. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Daruma from Temple Jindai-ji in Mitaka, Chofu　調布 a suburb of Tokyo.

On the belly we have the Chinese characters representing the name of
"Ganzan Daishi" , Gansan Daishi 元三大師.
This is another name for the famous 18th head priest Ryogen of the monastic center at Mount Hiei, Jie Daishi 慈恵大師 of the Tendai sect. Because he was born on the third of January in 985, he got this name. He had great spiritual power in warding off evil in daily life and many stories of his deeds are handed down to us.

Ryōgen 良源 ( 912 – January 31, 985 AD)
was a chief abbot of Enryaku-Temple (Enryaku-ji) in the 10th century, and the founder of the tradition of warrior monks (sōhei).


source :　en.wikipedia.org

Ryōgen is known generally by the names of Gansan Daishi or Tsuno Daishi "Horned Great Master".
The Horned Great Master in Engelbert Kaempfer's History of Japan (1727). On his way to Edo in 1691 Engelbert Kaempfer saw these paper glued to doorposts of many houses. His description published in the History of Japan is correct, but he wrongly called it Gozu Tennō (Ox-head-heaven-king), a deity worshiped at the Gion Shrine (Yasaka Jinja) in Kyotō.

Over the course of the 10th century, there had been a number of disputes between Enryaku-ji and the other temples and shrines of the Kyōto area, many of which were resolved by force. In 970, Ryōgen formed a small army to defend Enryaku-Temple and to serve its interests in these disputes. Records are not fully clear on whether this army consisted of hired mercenaries, or, as would be the case later, trained monks. Most likely, this first temple standing army was a mercenary group, separate from the monks, since Ryōgen forbade monks from carrying weapons.

In addition to the prohibition on carrying weapons, Ryōgen's monks were subject to a list of 26 articles released by Ryōgen in 970; they were forbidden from covering their faces, inflicting corporal punishment, violently interrupting prayer services, or leaving Mount Hiei during their 12-year training.

He is also called "Master Warding Off Evil" (mayoke daishi 魔除大師、gooma daishi 降魔大師).

There was a statue of Ganzan Daishi in the temple Jidai-ji, but in the Muromachi period there was a great fire and only this statue was saved, since it flew all by itself into the nearby pond 五大尊池. This episode even strengthened the belief of the people in the supernatural powers of this great master, which is alive until our days. The unification of this Great Master and Daruma san to ward off evil should have a double effect on your good luck, so on the yearly temple festival on Marach 3 and 4 there is a big Daruma market in the temple grounds, where you can buy all kinds of good-luck Daruma dolls.

You can ask a priest to paint in the left eye, in this case not the round pupil but the first syllable of Sanskrit A ｢阿｣ to indicate the beginning of your good-luck period. When the wish is fullfilled, you have the syllable UN ｢吽｣, the last syllable of the Sanskrit alphabet painted in the right eye. A is the first sound pronounced while opening your mouth, it is the origin of all sounds and represents the origin of all life, the woumb. UN is the last sound when closing your mouth. (A-UN is the Japanese pronunciation; usually we know this sound as the holy mantram OM or AUM.) In this way at Jindai-ji you have a reliable means to reinforce Daruma san's already salutary properties.

We find these symbols of open and closed mouth also for example in the pair of lion-dogs (koma-inu 狛犬) sitting on both sides of the entrance to a shrine or temple, warding off any evil spirits. A can also be interpreted as the entrance to life and UN the entrance to death.

In esoteric Buddhism there is also a tradition to meditate on a hanging scroll of this syllable as the symbol for Buddha, called "Visualisation of the Syllable A" (ajikan 阿字観), which we will study a little more further down this story.



The Sanskrit letter A

In the Daruma rendering of Jindai-ji we can feel the history of Daruma coming from India, going through many changes on the way and now through the painting of the eyes being the condensed symobl of the people's wish for long life, happiness, warding off evil and getting benefits in this world.
By the way, there is one more temple in the Kanto area where Ganzan Daishi is revered and an annual Daruma market is held, the Kita-In of Kawagoe 川越の喜多院.

. Kawagoe Daruma 川越だるま神輿



According to Prof. McFarland, we can also learn this about Jindai-ji temple.
The Daruma market at Jindai-ji is held in March, closer to the traditional New Year of the Chinese lunar calendar and the beginning of spring. So this event is also called the "inviting of spring" (haru o yobu 春を呼ぶ), as the saying goes:
"In Tokyo spring follows the Jindai-ji Daruma market." Normally the Daruma markets are held on the first three days of the new year in January, to get your good luck for the rest of the year.


The Temple Jindai-ji　深大寺
The temple Jindai-ji is one of the oldest in Tokyo, coming right after the famous Kannon temple in Asakusa and is well known for its Daruma market. After a visit to the temple you can enjoy a meal of buckwheat noodles, another speciality of this area. The main deity enshrined in this temple is Amida Nyorai.
東京では浅草寺についで古い歴史を持つ寺で、春のだるま市は大変賑わう。門前町はほとんどが深大寺そばを食べさせる店である。

There is the beatuiful old entrance gate with many stickers from the pilgrims over the years. You can also see the bronze gong called "Crocodile Mouth" (waniguchi 鰐口).
http://www.jindaiji.co.jp/jindaiji.html






The temple sells of course a lot of talismans and auspicious votive pictures connected with Ganzan Daishi and Daruma Daishi.
元三大師降魔札 だるま絵馬




A New Year arrow for good luck (hamaya 深大寺の破魔矢)



There is also a special beer with the name of the temple. Try it on the way home.
深大寺ビールもありますよ。ご参拝の後にぜひ試してね。
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


The annual Daruma market at Jindai-ji on March 3/4 　三月の達磨市
Some dealers still carry their Daruma dolls in baskets of woven bamboo in the oldfashioned way.
. . . CLICK here for Photos f the daruma market!



After you buy a Daruma, the priest fills in the eye for you, as we have learned.
ご住職が目をいれてくれます。




Jindai-ji also features a Pet Cemetery.　動物の墓地

There is a special Kannon Statue for the Animals
(choojuu Kannon 鳥獣観音)


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The temple is named after Jinja DaiOo 深沙大王　
Jin 深ja Dai 大Oo
深沙大将 （じんじゃだいしょう）Jinja Daisho, Jinja Taisho Jinja Taishō
Jinja Shin、深沙神



aka - Tobatsu Bishamonten 兜跋毘沙門天
Protects Capital Cities & Repulses Foreign Invaders
aka Tōhachi Bishamonten 刀八毘沙門天
aka Kōmyō Dai-ō 光明大王 (Great Radient King)
aka Jinja Taishō 深沙大将 (Great General of the Desert)

Says scholar Rosenfield (pp. 181-183):
"This is a notably unfamiliar subject that emerged from Chinese folktales about the [Chinese] pilgrim Xuanzang 玄奘 (Genjo Sanzo) (602–664), whose journey to India and return is one of the central episodes in the transmission of Buddhism in East Asia. Apocrypahl stories describe Xuanzang striding across the deserts west of Dunhuang, losing his water flask, and becoming desperately thirsty and discouraged. He dreamed of a giant figure with halberd who urged him to continue; soon he came to an oasis and was saved. In Chinese commentaries, the giant was an avatar of the Divine King Vaiśravana (Jp. = Bishamon).
A folk cult and its imagery thus developed in China and were transmitted to Japan in the 9th century. There the Desert General became well-enough recognized to be illustrated in the Esoteric Buddhist ritual handbook complied by the Japanese monk Kakuzen 覺禪 (active 12th century). The general also appears as Bishamon in a 14th-century Japanese handscroll illustrating Xuanzang's journey to India .......... emerging from the [statue's] skirt are the heads of two flayed elephants. Adapted from an Indian custom of clothing gods in animal skins, the elephants imply that the deity is endowed with power superior to that of the animal."
source : Mark Schumacher


- - - Legend knows this:
Saint Manku Shonin 満功上人 was the founder of Jindai-Ji.
His father Fukuman 福満 fell in love with the daughter of Sato Osaukon 郷長右近(さとおさうこん), but her parents were not happy about this relationship and banished the daughter on an island in the sea. Fukuman was remembering the travels of Genjo Sanzo 玄奘三蔵 on his way to India and prayed to Jinja Daioo for help.



And what do you know . . . there comes a sacred turtoise 霊亀 and he sat on its back all the way to the island. Now the parents were convinced the two belonged together and allowed the wedding.
Born was Manku, who tried to atone for his father's sins by becoming a monk of the Hosso sect in Kyoto 法相.
When he came back home, he used the two characters of the name for his new temple

Jin 深ja Dai 大Oo = 深大寺 Jindai-Ji.
The temple is blessed with clear water, flowing into the fields below, thanks to the "God of the Water".
source : www.jindaiji.or.jp/about

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akagoma, akai koma 赤駒 red horse

赤駒を山野 に放し捕りかにて
多摩の横山徒歩ゆか遣らむ
akagoma o sanya ni hanashi torikanite
Tama no yokoyama kachiyukayaramu

A red horse has been released into the fields and has run away.
Am I going to lose my husband in the wilderness of Tama.

There is already a poem about this horse in the Manyo-Shu poetry collection　from 759.
It is about a loving wife who had to let her husband go to war in far-away Kyushu and wished to have him back safely.

An amulet you buy for someone you love, to wish him/her well.
Some stores near the temple started to make this simple straw horse by hand, one by one even now since 1997, but before that it had been out of making for a while.

. Horse Amulets of Japan .


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The Sanskrit Alphabet 梵字、種字

One of the specialities of this temple is the painting of Sanskrit letters in the eyes of Daruma. The use of Sanskrit syllables is especially common in esoteric Buddhism. After all Buddhism came from India and Sanskrit is the old written language of this area. The Greek alphabet starts with ALPHA and ends with OMEGA whereas the Sanskrit uses A and UN or OM, as we have seen.
In esoteric Buddhism every Buddha or deity is represented by one or more syllables of this Sanskrit alphabet. These important syllables are also called "Seed Syllables"(shuji 種字). There are special Mandalas where the deities are represented only by these letters, each one on a little lotus flower.

. Seed sylable mandala 種字　曼陀羅


Let us have a closer look at the eyes of Daruma and the two chracters written in them.


On the following HP you can find the seed syllables for every deity. This is a very useful dictionary, even if you do not read Japanese. Click on any of the names to find the according syllables.
梵字学典と種字の説明の便利なHPです。見たいものをclickして下さい。 釈迦三尊　阿弥陀三尊　薬師三尊　不動三尊　大日三尊　四天王　五大尊　 五如来　胎蔵界五仏　金剛界五仏　六地蔵　胎蔵界中台八葉院　九曜星　法華曼荼羅　
- source - tobifudo.jp/bonjisho/


For example here is bonji for the Wisdom King Fudo Myo-O, one of my favorite deities.

And Fudo Myo-O in the garden of the temple


source :　facebook



source :　Toshiaki, facebook


. Fudō Myō-ō, Fudoo Myoo-Oo 不動明王 Fudo Myo-O
Acala Vidyârâja – Vidyaraja – Fudo Myoo .





A-UN representing the beginning and end of all things-maybe the best rendering of this idea is found in the two huge figures of Nioo-Guardians at the entrance of the temple Todai-ji in Nara.
東大寺の仁王門の阿吽仏像がそのアイディアをよく強調しているかもしれない。

. Nio, Deva Kings 仁王 (Nioo, Nio) A-Un 阿形 吽形


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The Ajikan Visualisation 　阿字観



This is a special method of meditation found in esoteric Buddhism. You sit in front of a scroll with a Sanscrit letter in a circle, usually the letter A, and meditate on its meaning. Since each deity has its own letter, you can use others too.
http://www.shingon.or.jp/ajikan.htm

Here are the three syllables for the Buddhas Dainichi, Fudoo and Aizen.


Chookyuuji, Temple Chokyu-Ji 長久寺三尊（大日・不動・愛染）



Esoteric Buddhism and the founder of Zen, Daruma Daishi,
in happy coexistence at this temple of Tendai Esoteric Buddhism
- what can we learn from this?

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December 8 - 13, 2011
Exhibition at Temple Jindai-Ji to help Tohoku




Housewifes made these little "Chofu Daruma" 調布だるま
and sold them, the profit going to support Fukushima.

福島と絆だるま展 Fukushima to Kizuna Daruma
at the gallery 曼珠苑ギャラリー


. Earthquake Darumam, Kizuna Daruma .



. Jindaiji Daruma Karinto 深大寺だるまかりんと .
karintoo 花林糖 Karinto, fried dough cake


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H A I K U

observance kigo for the New Year

Ganzan Daishi-E 元三大師会 Ceremony for Ganzan
January 28.



At night with only candles.

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いつも来る綿虫のころ深大寺
itsumo kuru watamushi no koro Jindai-Ji

I always come here
when the cotton flies are out ...
temple Jindai-Ji

Ishida Hakyoo, Ishida Hakyo 石田波郷 (1913-69)
His grave is in the precincts of this temple.


More haiku about temple Jindai-Ji

きさらぎの蓬を焚けり深大寺 宮岡計次
たか～と冬満月や深大寺 角川春樹
みほとけの深大寺村栗を買ふ 及川貞 榧の實
三月やまづ水神の深大寺 鈴木しげを
佛ゐぬまに鶏とそばくふ深大寺 中勘助
元日のすみれ咲きをり深大寺 鈴木しげを
先生の見てゐる落葉掃きにけり(深大寺) 細川加賀 『生身魂』
半日の落葉を踏みぬ深大寺 綾部仁喜 樸簡
地の鴉木の鴉冬の深大寺 殿村莵絲子 雨 月
地の鴉赦して冬の深大寺 殿村莵絲子

山門に梅の添ふ頃深大寺 三浦文恵
幾泉見て初詣深大寺 皆吉爽雨 泉声
新蕎麦に間のある風の深大寺 秋篠光広
春めける深大寺絵図草のいろ 長内艸骨
春惜しむ深大寺蕎麦一すすり 皆吉爽雨
昼ごろは杉菜の長けて深大寺 藤田あけ烏
木蓮の美しかりし深大寺 角川春樹 夢殿
松杉の秀は深大寺月のもと 皆吉爽雨 泉声
水引のひとすぢくもる墓前かな(深大寺) 岸田稚魚 『萩供養』
波郷忌の深大寺道穢土浄土 下村ひろし 西陲集
泰山木に雪あつきかなまた雪に(二月二十八日深大寺に波郷埋骨) 角川源義 『冬の虹』

深大寺ほとけおはすぞ馬に鞍 中勘助
深大寺みち綿虫の大きかり 大山さちを
深大寺丈余の切子ともりけり 肥田埜勝美
深大寺五月幟や水ぐるま 中勘助
深大寺旗垂れてゐる大暑かな 谷古宇巧一
深大寺暮色俄かや齋のあと 下村ひろし 西陲集
深大寺無患子拾ふ十あまり 柴崎忠雄
深大寺蕎麦が熱くて年の暮 大嶽青児
深大寺蕎麦にあづかる年忘 上田五千石 琥珀
深大寺蕎麦を啜りて年賀かな 星野麥丘人

炎天となるおん墓のうらおもて(深大寺) 細川加賀 『傷痕』
田を植ゑて深大寺村しづかなり 岩田昌寿 地の塩
秋晴の彼も一人や深大寺 星野麥丘人


source : HAIKUreikuDB


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般若心経 : Heart Sutra
written as a mandala with sanskrit letters
. Bonji Daruma 梵字だるま with sanskrit letters


. Hamaya 破魔矢 an arrow for the New Year


Me-ire - Painting Eyes for Daruma　達磨の目入れ Daruma and his EYES


. Amulet with 元三大師 Ganzan Daishi .
tsuno daishi 角大師 Great Teacher with Horns
from temple Shitenno-Ji Osaka 四天王寺

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Daruma Days Book

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Daruma Days:
a collection of fictionalized biography
Author: Watada, Terry, 1997
Historical fiction



Across a century of Japanese experience in Canada, these short stories link the lives of the issei, the first-generation of immigrants still bound to tradition and the belief in the supernatural, to the nisei, the second generation caught between the Old World and the New, and to the sansei, the current generation trying to make sense of the lives of their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
Much of the context is the internment camps in British Columbia in the Second World War. In this setting, there is alienation, anger, bitterness and retribution, but also reconciliation and healing.
http://www.wiredforwords.com/featured_p_young.html




..... Books about Daruma だるまの本、大百科など

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Daruma Museum

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Goma aburi-ki

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Sesame seed roasting pot 胡麻あぶり器
goma aburi-ki

Sesame is an important ingredient in Chinese cooking and used in many preparations. Since Chinese quisine is very popular in Japan too, sesame is used as cooking oil, as hot-spiced oil (ra-yu 辣油 ラーユ) with chilli peppers or in many variations of black or white sesame seeds on the table to put on rice or in soup (iri-goma いり胡麻)。Freshly roasted sesame seeds are especially delicious, hence this seed roasting pot for home use.


Short information about the SESAME plant.
Sesamum indicum or orientale cultivated for its seeds since ancient times, found chiefly in the tropics of Africa and Asia. Sesame seeds, also called bennes or gingellies, are black or white and yield an oil that resists turning rancid. The oil (known also as teel oil) is used extensively in India for cooking, soap manufacture, food, and medicine and as an adulterant for olive oil. The seeds are also popularly added to cookies and other baked goods and are made into candy (e.g., benne cakes). Sesame was introduced by African slaves to the U.S. South, where it sometimes becomes a weed. The sesame was once credited with mystic powers. Sesame is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Serophulariales, family Pedaliaceae.
http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/S/sesame.html

This piece with a lovely humorous Daruma san is from the early Showa period.
昭和時代のだるまさん一品です。

This is a kind of hooroku pot for roasting things.


Photo from my friend Ishino.


Hooroku Jizo ほうろく地蔵

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Daruma Museum

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Katsu - Koan

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Katsu !! - Koan and Daruma
喝と達磨さん―公案散歩


CLICK for enlargement !



In the belly of Daruma san are mikuji sacred lots.
Take one home for good luck !

source : Koakuma at Ise Shrine

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A koan is a riddle of sorts, put to a student of Zen by his master.
There are many ways to tackle these problems, so I will show you some stories about the use of KATSU, also written KWATS　喝, as a means to help wake up the sleeping mind.



For the practical study of Zen, you must pass the barriers set up by the masters of Zen. The attainment of this mysterious illumination means cutting off the workings of the ordinary mind completely. If you have not done this and passed the barrier, you are a phantom among the undergrowth and weeds. Now what is this barrier? It is simply "Mu", the Barrier of the Gate of Zen and this is why it is called "The Gateless Barrier of the Zen Sect."


The following illustration shows the Chinese character MU 無, written with many small MU to make one big MU. MU is maybe the most wellknown koan.
無と言う考案は多分一番よく知られている考案です。無と言う小さい漢字を使いながら、無と言う大きな無を書きました。

MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU MU



Master Mumon 無門禅師
Mumon was born in 1183, towards the end of the Sung Dynasty, 960-1279. He went to see Getsurin, the seventh successor of Yogi, at Manjuji Temple. Getsurin, who was famous for his severity, gave him the koan of Mu to study. After six years, Mumon had still not solved his problem.....(text cut)
The next day, when Mumon went to his interview with Getsurin, he wanted to tell him about his vision, but Getsurin asked him, "Where did you see the god? Where did you see the Devil?" Mumon said "Kwatz!" Getsurin said "Kwatz!" and they kwatzed each other, ad infinitum, more or less.....


Mind is Buddha
This is a famous story about a KATSU that even shocked the great warlord Oda Nobunaga.

"Mind is Buddha" is the phrase for one who wants medicine while he has no disease. "No Mind, No Buddha" is given to those who have been cured of disease but still cling to medicine. A monk asked Baso, "Why do you teach that Mind is Buddha?" Baso replied, "To stop a baby's crying." The monk asked, " What is it like when the baby stops crying?" Baso answered, "No Mind, no Buddha."

In connection with "Mind is Buddha,"there is an interesting story in Nanbanji Kohai-ki (History of Nanbanji):

In the 16th century, a great religious debate was held at Nanbanji between Buddhists and a Portugese Catholic Father who was much favored by Oda Nobunaga, an influential feudal lord of that time. The Portugese Priest was a man of wide erudition and was familiar with the Buddhist Sutras. Representatives of various Buddhist schools were all debated down by his eloquence. Finally Zen Master In of Nanzenji in Kyoto was selected as the last debater. The Portugese Priest asked, "What is Buddha?" "Mind is Buddha" answered Master In. The Portugese Father now unsheathed a dagger, thrust it at Master In's chest, and demanded, "What is 'Mind is Buddha'?" Master In, not perturbed in the least, shouted: "KWATZ!"

The Portugese Priest fell into a swoon in spite of himself and the audience including Lord Nobunaga, all paled.
― from Zenkei Shibayama, Zen Comments on the Mumonkan (1974), p. 225
http://www.wisdomportal.com/Enlightenment/ZenMasterIn.html

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Calligraphy by Nantenbo
. Nantenboo 南天棒 Nantenbo (1839 - 1925) .


KATSU and therapeutic hitting by Rinzai Zenji
The master would not hesitate to strike the disciple physically to resolve the koan. Such resolution once had the monk slapping the master, Obaku, and yelling: "There is not, after all, much in the Buddhism of Obaku." Rinzai explains this idea of 'therapeutic hitting': "Many students are not free from the entanglement of objective things. I treat them right at the spot. If their trouble is due to grasping hands, I strike them there. If their trouble comes from their mouths, it is there I strike." Rinzai was also famous for shouting Katsu!, a nonsensical word, as an answer to koans.
http://www.lifepositive.com/Mind/arts/new-age-fiction/koan.asp


A Modern MU interpretation
The correct answer to the classic trick question "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?". Assuming that you have no wife or you have never beaten your wife, the answer "yes" is wrong because it implies that you used to beat your wife and then stopped, but "no" is worse because it suggests that you have one and are still beating her. According to various Discordians and Douglas Hofstadter the correct answer is usually "MU", a Japanese word alleged to mean "Your question cannot be answered because it depends on incorrect assumptions".
by www.sra.co.jp/


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source : store.shopping.yahoo.co.jp/garandou


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Nakamaura sensei is probably the best-known scholar of Buddhism.

The Non-Logical Character of Zen: By Hajime Nakamura

Talking about Nakamura sensei, here is one more book I would like to introduce, if you are seriously interested in the comparative studies of Buddhism and its development in various Asian countries.
Nakamura, Hajime:
The Ways of Thinking of Eastern Peoples

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- source : googeling for 喝 達磨 -












yaru ki Daruma やる気達磨 in Mie


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Master Gempo and the Silent Kwats
On this HP you can meet the wonderful Master Gempo and his way to live KATSU.
Please take the time and read the full article about Gempo Roshi. I am sure you will find something new and refreshing for your daily zazen practise.
"I often read from the Rinzai Roku and many of you may think, "What is the significance of all those Kwatz?" A Kwatz is not necessarily a shout. There are silent Kwatz, smiling Kwatz, drinking Kwatz. Gempo Roshi was a master of all these. "
... www.daibosatsu.org


To Kwats or not to Kwats!
A master demanded of his disciple:"Show me the Ultimate!"
"KWATZ!" responded the disciple.
The master shook his head.
"KWATZ!!!" the disciple tried again.
The master replied,
"Even if you Kwatz! for countless eons, you still won't get IT!"


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Checking about KATSU I also ended up in some restaurants called Daruma selling cutlet (pronounced "katsu" in Japanese) and food items.

. WASHOKU
tonkatsu 豚カツ cutlet from pork


Hamburger Cotelettes KATSU Daruma Food
合格祈願エビカツバーガー　to pass examinations

Kushikatsu Daruma ... 串カツ『だるま』
Restaurant in Osaka. Kushiyaki Food


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Yahata Kumano Shrine,
Ichinokura, Tajimi-shi, Gifu



- source : Aoi on facebook -


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The sound of KATSU can be written with other Chinese characters too. Here is one more KATSU 勝, meaning to WIN, which we have found on the belly of Daruma dolls too. This store sells merchandise to Win.

Katsu Coaster

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When Daruma san is in the KATSU mode, as we might put it in modern speach, he stretches out his right arm, fist clenched holding his rosary, which is falling back on the arm with the force of the movement. The beard sometimes too seems to be standing on edge and the facial expression is full attention.

A large and very imposing Japanese lacquered hardwood carving of the seated Daruma with his clenched fist outstretched to repel demons. The body and head are carved as one, the outstretched arm is carved separately and attached to the main carving. The surface of the piece is covered with a lacquer finish. The effect is extremely strong, lively, and full of character.




There is also a clay bell with a KATSU Daruma with outstretched fist.



clay bell with KATSU Daruma from:
. Ninomiya Jinja 二宮神社 Shrine Ninomiya .
Kobe, Hyogo

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Now let us look at some Daruma of this kind in my collection.

My PHOTO ALBUM


My very own story about KATSU needs a German-English speaking person with a computer and a pet.



My Cat Haiku Kun


what does it take
to enlighten a mouse ?
a good KATZ !

what does it take
to write online haiku ?
a good mouse !



KOAN and Haiku (01) .. 公案と俳句
KOAN and Haiku (02) .. Dreams 夢
KOAN and Haiku (03) .. Original face and Immortality


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Jibun ni Katsu 自分に勝つ　！　to win against yourself


source :　s.webry.info

Daruma gives an interview after seeing a blue dragon in China:
「勝つ、勝つ、勝～つ！」


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Daruma Museum

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