April 17, 2009
Experience with the Nittatsu & Ichinen Sanzen Gohonzons
Part II: More on Kishimojin [鬼子母神] and the Jurasetsunyo [十羅刹女]
Previously I wrote: Kishimojin [鬼子母神] and the Ten Demon Daughters [十羅刹女] were preta or hungry ghosts 餓鬼 {gaki} who drained people's virya or vitality, before the Buddha saved them. Now, they are a kind of benevolent angels who use their negative energy to protect travellers 行者 {gyoja}or votaries of the Lotus Sutra [法華経 行者], They break the heads of arrogant people, who plague or vex the votaries, into seven pieces. My take is that means the negative energies can be converted to positive energies; that the creepy angst of dukkha can be changed into a stable, mellow and blissful joy or sukha right here and now. We do not need to die and be reborn in the Gokuraku or Sukhavati heaven.
Kishimojin, in her wrathful form, appears along with ten of her of daughters in the Dharani Chapter of the Lotus Sutra; where they vow to protect Travellers of Dharma Flower Sutra :法華経行者 {hokekyo gyoja}. A comparison might be made with a guard dog. Our female Rotweiller-Shepherd mix can be very warm and loving. She is also very protective, especially of our grandchildren. 
If she thinks someone is a threat, she bares her teeth, snarls, and looks ferocious. To someone on the wrong end of that snarl, she looks like a demon dog from heck. To someone she is protecting, the dog is like a guardian angel. In the Dharani Chapter, Kishimojin and her Ten Rasetsunyo daughters fiercely utter, "If there are those who fail to heed our spells and trouble and disrupt the preachers of the Dharma, their heads will split into seven pieces like the branches of the arjaka [basil shrub]."
If she thinks someone is a threat, she bares her teeth, snarls, and looks ferocious. To someone on the wrong end of that snarl, she looks like a demon dog from heck. To someone she is protecting, the dog is like a guardian angel. In the Dharani Chapter, Kishimojin and her Ten Rasetsunyo daughters fiercely utter, "If there are those who fail to heed our spells and trouble and disrupt the preachers of the Dharma, their heads will split into seven pieces like the branches of the arjaka [basil shrub]."
Note also that Kishimojin is a Yaksha {also spelled Raksha} or Troll-Demon. The concept of Yaksha protecting the Buddha is found in the Pali Canon. This is from the Ambattha Sutta aka Pride Humbled: 
"And at that moment Vajrapani the Yaksha, holding up a huge iron club, flaming, ablaze and glowing, up in the sky just above Ambattha was thinking, "If this young man does not answer a proper question put to him by the Blessed Lord by the third time of asking, I'll split his head into seven pieces!" The Lord saw Vajrapani, and so did Ambattha. And at the sight, Ambattha was terrified and unnerved, his hairs stood on end, and he sought protection, shelter, and safety from the Lord. Crouching down close to the Lord, he said, "What did the Reverend Gotama say? May the Reverend Gotama repeat what he said!"
"And at that moment Vajrapani the Yaksha, holding up a huge iron club, flaming, ablaze and glowing, up in the sky just above Ambattha was thinking, "If this young man does not answer a proper question put to him by the Blessed Lord by the third time of asking, I'll split his head into seven pieces!" The Lord saw Vajrapani, and so did Ambattha. And at the sight, Ambattha was terrified and unnerved, his hairs stood on end, and he sought protection, shelter, and safety from the Lord. Crouching down close to the Lord, he said, "What did the Reverend Gotama say? May the Reverend Gotama repeat what he said!"
So, perhaps the Yaksha represent the fear, loneliness, despair, restlessness of the realm of hungry ghosts; or the world of hunger? Some cover this up with a puffed up ego pride -- which is the realm of fighting demons or the world of Ashura. Such people have a need to boast about themselves; while pride and envy impel them to compete with and disparage others. Insight meditation causes us to confront our own inner demons. My experience is that this can be painful. However, the ensuing shame and guilt can humble the ego; thus motivating one to repent and seek the refuge of Buddha-Dharma. I also think it can, having been there and done that, make us more sensitive, forbearing, and compassionate toward those who continue dwelling in the worlds of hunger and anger.
Kishimojin also has a heavenly maiden or angelic form; called 天女 {ten'nyo}; a female form of 飛天 {hiten}. This form; which became important in Nichiren Buddhism during the Edo Era, resembles the Maternal Forms of Avalokiteshavara {Kuan Yin; Kanzeon, Kannon} [link]. 
Note that there is a whole Chapter of the Lotus Sutra devoted to the transformations of Kanzeon. He or she appears in various forms to meet the needs of those who summon up the heart of real karuna-compassion. The Kanzeon Chapter examples of people who find themselves in dire straits; they are attacked on the road by bandits, shackled in chains, about to be executed, victimized by spells, and so on. In each case, if the person calls on Kwan Yin, they are saved. The bandits freeze in their tracks and become kind hearted. The chains are loosed. The executioner's sword shatters into seven pieces. The curses are returned to the sender. My take is that is these examples dramatize or illustrate the incredible redeeming, conciliatory, and healing power of Maha Karuna 大悲 {daihi; dabei} or Great Compassion. I suspect that the idea is, when we confront enmity, malevolence, or cruelty; whether in ourselves or others, to channel Kwan Yin (who represents the merit of Great Compassion) within our heart 心.
Note that there is a whole Chapter of the Lotus Sutra devoted to the transformations of Kanzeon. He or she appears in various forms to meet the needs of those who summon up the heart of real karuna-compassion. The Kanzeon Chapter examples of people who find themselves in dire straits; they are attacked on the road by bandits, shackled in chains, about to be executed, victimized by spells, and so on. In each case, if the person calls on Kwan Yin, they are saved. The bandits freeze in their tracks and become kind hearted. The chains are loosed. The executioner's sword shatters into seven pieces. The curses are returned to the sender. My take is that is these examples dramatize or illustrate the incredible redeeming, conciliatory, and healing power of Maha Karuna 大悲 {daihi; dabei} or Great Compassion. I suspect that the idea is, when we confront enmity, malevolence, or cruelty; whether in ourselves or others, to channel Kwan Yin (who represents the merit of Great Compassion) within our heart 心.
The role of Kishimojin in Nichiren Buddhism also reminds me of that of Tara in Tibetan Buddhism. 
Like Kishimojin, Tara plays a protective role, and has both fierce or wrathful and mild or benevolent forms. There are many legends about Tara's origin. According to one, she started out in Hinduism as a blood sucking demon; but something happened to arouse her heart of female protective compassion. After that she become a benevolent goddess. This parallels Hariti's {Kishimojin} transformation from a Raksha demon; who fed human children to her own Rakshasha children, to a benevolent angelic being that protects children of all species. "Green Tara, who embodies active female wisdom, is sometimes called the 'Mother of All Buddhas'. She manifests in many emanations; both peaceful and wrathful in form. The merits acquired from the Green Tara meditation are quick thinking, practical wisdom, skillful compassion, generosity, magical powers, fearlessness, spontaneity, and general protective-ness." ~~ Green Tara Mantra
Like Kishimojin, Tara plays a protective role, and has both fierce or wrathful and mild or benevolent forms. There are many legends about Tara's origin. According to one, she started out in Hinduism as a blood sucking demon; but something happened to arouse her heart of female protective compassion. After that she become a benevolent goddess. This parallels Hariti's {Kishimojin} transformation from a Raksha demon; who fed human children to her own Rakshasha children, to a benevolent angelic being that protects children of all species. "Green Tara, who embodies active female wisdom, is sometimes called the 'Mother of All Buddhas'. She manifests in many emanations; both peaceful and wrathful in form. The merits acquired from the Green Tara meditation are quick thinking, practical wisdom, skillful compassion, generosity, magical powers, fearlessness, spontaneity, and general protective-ness." ~~ Green Tara Mantra
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