Kobo Daishi, Kukai

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Kobo Daishi, Kukai 弘法大師　空海
(Kooboo Daishi, Kuukai) .. .. .. (774-835)

Founder of Shingon Japanese Esoteric Buddhism

For kigo about Kuukai see below.



Edited from an article by Koyu Sonoda:

There are few figures in Japanese history about whom such abundant biographies have been written as Kukai, popularly known by his posthumous title, Kobo Daishi.

Kukai was born in 774 in Sanuki Province on Shikoku. His birth name was Saeki no Mao. At seventeen he succeeded in entering the university. The trained his memory by using the Mantra of Akashagarbha.

In the autumn of 804, the first of the official diplomatic ships, in which Kukai was traveling, arrived in northeastern Fukien province in China. In the autumn of 806, Kukai returned to Japan.

Kukai's dazzling genius is graphically apparent in the calligraphy of a letter to Saicho (最澄), which is considered his greatest masterpiece.

He founded a temple on Mount Koya (高野山) in 816. Early in 823, Kukai was granted Toji (Too-ji　東寺), a temple situated at the entrance to Kyoto.

Kukai died on Mount Koya on April 23, 835, and it is believed that even now he remains in eternal samadhi in his bodily form within the inner shrine on the mountain.

Most ubiquitous are the tales about wells and springs associated with Kukai. A typical story is that in a certain village there was not sufficient water for irrigation, so the villagers had to be sparing in use of the water they drew from a far-off well. One day, there came passing through the village a traveling priest, who asked for a drink. The villagers willingly brought him one, whereupon the traveler, in thanks, struck the ground with his staff and a spring of water came gushing up. The traveler was in fact Kukai.

The best known of such activities is his direction of the reconstruction of the reservoir called Mannoike in Sanuki Province on Shikoku.

Read the complete story of his life here, please:
http://www.asunam.com/kukai_page.htm

Safekeep Copy is here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DarumaArchives-002/message/61



Kukai is often depicted on scolls or paintings seated, with a water container, a sprouted jar or water dropper or ritual ewer (kundika, Buddhist ritual sprinkler) beside him.

Quote
The vessel is probably best referred to as a ewer or kundika.
It references initiations (abhiseka [abhis'eka] ) in the historical transmission of Mikkyô. The Indian kundika (kun[.bel]d[.bel]ikâ ) was originally used for the royal accession ceremony for water from the four or five oceans poured on the head of the recipient; in Tantric traditions five ewers are often used. (Ennin received abhisekha from the master Yuanzheng 元政 with the Diamond World mandala then received the initiation of the Five Pitchers).

Read more about this discussion here:
© Cynthea Bogel / PMJS Group 2008


Read more about Kundika and Kendi:
The kendi is a well-known form in the Southeast Asian repertoire of vessels, and it has played a significant role in the rituals and daily life of the region since ancient times.

'Kendi' is a Malay word derived from the Sanskrit name 'kunda,' which came from 'kundika' a particular form of Indian vessel used as a container for liquids in both Hindu and Buddhist ceremonies.
Kendi in the Cultural Context of Southeast Asia
Dawn F. Rooney

Library

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Kobo Daishi for a modern need:

To bring children and good luck (like Daruma san).
子授招福大師 Kosazuke Daishi
An Offering from a Daishi Group in Osaka.
At the Temple Gokuraku-Ji, Nr. 2 in Shikoku.
修行大師像 平成十五年（2003年造像） 大阪極楽講同行による勧請、子授け招福をかなえて下さる修行大師様、 他の修行大師と違い子供を抱いておられるのが特徴 .



See my pictures Nr. 04 - 09 for more details.
... Photo Album Gabi Greve


Temples where to pray for conceiving of children. Usually Kannon or Jizo tend to that business. See
Child Protectors By Mark Schumacher


Here are many Japanese Temples for that purpose.
子授け寺・神社情報 へ


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I have written a few articles about Kukai.

Daruma Pilgrims in Japan: Koya San in Wakayama

Namikiri Fudo Wave-cutting Fudo 波切不動尊 、浪切不動明王　
Carved by Kobo Daishi himself.

http://www.daihorin-kaku.com/bijutsu/namikiri-fudo.htm

Sunafumi Ceremony (Shikoku Pilgrimmage)

Pilgrimages

Daruma San in Japan, Japanese Art and Culture: Washi, Japanese Paper

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Kukai Kobo Daishi and KIGO for Haiku

Kuukai Kooboo Daishi is a well known personality in the living Buddhism of Japan.
Many of the ceremonies and festivals in his honour are kigo. Here we will list a few.

.. .. Late Spring

March 21 : Kuukai Kooboo Daishi Memorial Day
This kigo has various other names listed here:

Kuukai Memorial Day and Ceremony, miei-ku　御影供、mie-ku みえく (in Osaka)
..... (Miei literally means: The Honorable Shadow.　Ｔhis type of memorial service for a deceased person is also performed for normal people. In the case of Kobo Daishi, a memorial service is performed each month on the 21st.)
Orthodox Memorial Service, shoo miei-ku 正見御影供 (April 21 at Tooji, Kyoto)
Memorial Group, Miei-koo 御影講, Daishikoo 大師講
..... ( A Daishiko is a group of followers of Kobo Daishi and Shingon Buddhism under the guidance of a temple. Koyasan Shingon Tenchi-ji: Daishiko )

Kooboo Memorial Day, Koobooki (Kobo-ki)　弘法忌
Kuukai Memorial Day, Kuukaiki (Kukai-ki) 空海忌
Dear Kooboo, Koobo san　弘法さん
..... (Called like this by the people of Kyoto.)

changing of his robes, mi-koromogae 御衣替, o-koromo-i　御衣井
..... (His mummy kept at Koya-San gets the robes changed to summer a lighter dressing. They are changed back to warmer winter wear in November. The mummy also gets food and water every day. The water is drawn from a holy well at the Temple Hooki-In 宝亀院, and sold as medicine for all sorts of ailments there as "Holy Water" reisui　霊水. Hooki is the name of the period when Kobo Daishi was born. http://www.koya-san.jp/xc/gbase/disp/70/me )

Visiting three Kooboo temples, san Kooboo mairi 三弘法参り,
.. also : san Kooboo moode 三弘法詣で (in Kyoto, at temple Tooji on the first to third of January)
Visiting Ninna-Ji, O-Muromairi 御室参り　（仁和寺)
..... (Famous for its beautiful cherry blossoms .)
Ladies visiting Jingo-Ji, Takao-san onnna moode 高雄山女詣, 高尾山女詣　（神護寺）
.....(On this day, ladies were allowed to the holy places otherwise only accessible to men.)

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.. .. Winter

Last Meeting of the Memorial Group, Daishi-koo 大師講, December 21
Osame no Daishi 納めの大師, 終大師 Shimai Daishi, Osame-Daishi 収め大師


Kooya Doofu 高野豆腐 Dried Tofu from Mt. Koya (food)
..... ( http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts-001-02s03g5.html)

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.. .. New Year

First Ceremonies of the Year including

First Ceremony for Kobo Daishi, hatsu Daishi, 初大師　January 21

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南無大師 石手の寺よ 稲の花
Namu Daishi Ishite no tera ya ine no hana

Masaoka Shiki


Devotion to the Great Saint,
the temple of Ishite ...
rice plants abloom.
Tr. Kametaro



Namo neisi
Šito neturi jau
ane ne gana
„kvailionė-matonė“



Ishite-Ji Temple, Nio Gate 石手寺（仁王門）and Haiku

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寺の子の七五三とて南無大師
tera no ko no shichi go san tote Namu Daishi

even at the Shichi-Go-San Festival
for the Temple Children -
Praise to the Great Teacher!

At Temple Shobo-Ji
Tr. Gabi Greve



................................ 南無大師遍照金剛
Namu Daishi Henjo Kongo


Namu Daishi Henjoo Kongoo
Prayer in the name of Kukai
the Gohōgō Mantra

Namu means"Oh!", Daishi is Kôbô Daishi (Kukai) and Henjô Gongô is Dainichi Nyorai.
In Mikkyô, Dainichi Nyorai is the foundation of the universe and Kukai through the ritual of Gakuho Konjo connected Dainichi Nyorai and Buddha.
In other words, the Namu Daishi Henjo Gongo are the words admiring Kôbô Daishi and Dainichi Nyorai.
©　Hiroshi Kushima


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.. .. .. Further Reference of the WKD

Saijiki for Buddhist Events

Memorial Days of famous people .

Pilgrimage(henro, junrei)Pilgrims
The 88 Temples Pilgrimmage of Shikoku

First Ceremonies of the year

Hanya Shingyo ：　Heart Sutra ..... 般若心経 ... and Haiku

Seven Five Seven (shichigosan) Japan.
Celebrating seven, five and three year old children


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Back to the Daruma Museum Index
http://darumasan.blogspot.com/

World Kigo Database

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Ikonographie von Kuukai

Die acht Patriarchen der Shingon-Sekte (Shingon hasso 真言八祖（しんごんはっそ）) sind:
Ryuumyoo 龍猛, Fukuu 不空三蔵, Ryuuchi 龍智, Kongoochi 金剛智), Zenmui 善無畏 , Ichigyoo 一行禅師, Keika Ajari 恵果阿闍梨 und Kuukai (Kooboo Daishi 弘法大師・空海).
Beispiel: Reliefstatuen im Tempel Kongoochooji 金剛頂寺, Shikoku.

Besonders häufig sind Statuen von Kooboo Daishi (774 - 835), dem Gründer der japanischen Shingon-Sekte.
Auf einem großen Stuhl, in der rechten Hand einen Donnerkeil mit fünf Zacken, in der linken Hand einen Rosenkranz. Vor dem Stuhl stehen die Schuhe und ein Wassergefäß (kundika). Diese Wassergefässe werden in buddhistischen Ritualen verwendet, sie enthalten das "Wasser des Lebens". Ihr Ursprung ist in Indien (kendi, kundika), dem Ursprungsland des Buddhismus.

Als stehende Figur im Pilgergewand, mit einem großen Strohhut, in der rechten einen Rosenkranz oder die Almosenschale und in der linken den Pilgerstab repräsentiert er so den Daishi auf seinen Pilgerfahrten (Shugyoo Daishi 修行大師).
So findet er sich häufig im Vorgarten eines Shingon-Tempels.




(c) Gabi Greve
Buddhastatuen (Buddha statues) Who is Who
Ein Wegweiser zur Ikonografie von japanischen Buddhastatuen

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