Gozan Okuribi

投稿日：2022年09月16日
投稿者：じゅうべい(Jubei)
カテゴリー：その他

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At that time, at family Kurido in Kyoto City, the legendary grand husband, Kurido Abolo Yazarwa was about to die now!

Oh no, oh no.

Hey, father, hey, Abolo. Pull yourself together, you son of a bitch!

His son, Ahonisai, would scream loudly at his father’s bedside and slap him repeatedly in the face, forcing him to stay in this world, even though his father was on the verge of dying of natural causes. He was about to ask his dying father what he had always wanted to ask, but had never been able to ask.

Father, I’ll ask the last question at the end. Please tell me about Bon Festival fire on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. What is it? Why are people moved by building a fire on the mountain? Please tell me why?

Be quiet, my fool son! Be quiet as I’ll tell you why now. If you say one more stupid word, I’ll sew your mouth to shut it.

So the man, Aboro, forced himself to exert his last strength in his futon and began to talk about the Gozan Okuribi (Bonfire of the Five Mountains).

Well, are you ready, everyone?

The Gozan-no-okuribi is a traditional event to conclude the Bon Festival, and it is held on August 16 every year to welcome the spirits of ancestors who have returned to this world by lighting a bonfire (a fire lit at the entrance or in the garden to welcome the spirits of ancestors (shorei) who are said to return to their homes during the Bon Festival), and to send back their souls to Jodo again. It has such a meaning.

Naturally, each letter has its own meaning♪

Please understand this!!

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Daimonji Bonfire (Nyoigatake, Sakyo district)

The origin of this “big” is that there is a folklore that in ancient times, when the Jodoji Temple located at the foot of Mt. Daimonji (Nyoigatake) was hit by a huge fire, a miracle occurred in which the principal image of Amida Buddha flew above the mountain and shone forth and the character for “big” was written in a near radial shape by Kobo-Daishi Kukai in an attempt to preserve the luminosity as an annual event for future generations. (There are other theories.)

“Matugasaki Myoho Okuribi” (Nishiyama and Higashiyama in Matugaaki, Sakyo district)

The words “Myo” and “Dharma” refer to the “Lotus Sutra”, which teaches the salvation of all things, transcending all forms of discrimination. According to the temple legend of Senyuji Temple in Higashiyama district in Kyoto City, the character for “Myo” on Nishiyama was painted by Priest Nichizo when he converted from the Tendai sect to Nichiren sect, and the character for “Dharma” on Higashiyama was painted by Priest Nichiryo (1590-1660) in the Edo period.

“Funagata Mantoro Okuribi” (Mt. Myoken located in Nishigamo Kita district)

The story has been passed down about this Okuribi. When Jikaku Daishi Ennin (794-864) was caught in a storm on his way back from studying in Tang China in Jouwa 14 (847), he wrote Namu Amida Butu and his name on a piece of cloth and threw it into the sea to pray for “peace on the four seas and Namu Amida Butu.” Soon after that, the rain and wind died down suddenly and he was able to return to his country safely. This is why Ennin welcomed Amida Nyorai with a boat-shaped halo as the principal image of Saiho-ji Temple (founded by Ennin) and started a bonfire in the shape of a boat, which was likened to the halo … end of story! (There are other theories.)

Left Daimonji Bonfire (Mt. Daimonji on Mt. Daihokuyama in Kita district)

As to the origin of it being lit on the top of the mountain of Rokuoji Temple Kinkku (Mt. Daimonji) got to be called Left Daimonji, there is a viewpoint that “when looking north from the city of Kyoto, Mt. Nyoidake to the east is on the right, and this mountain is on the left, so it is probably best to think of it as being called “left large”.

Torigata torchlight bonfire (Mt. Seno-ji Mountain in Saga Torihon. Ukyo district)

Well, for this, for example, since Torihon is the approach to Atago Shrine and the Ichino-torii (first torii) stands there, it is thought that the relationship with Atago Shrine should be emphasized. (There are other theories.)

It is said that it was in the Middle Ages, especially after the Muromachi period (1336-1573), when Buddhism penetrated deeply into the common people, that bonfires became widely practiced in general. It was not until the 15th century that it appeared in the historical record, and the current “Gozan Okuri” was probably established in the middle of the Edo period (1603-1867).

All right, thank you, father. I’m definitely forgetting this favor, 3 seconds later.

Well, now, I have no more use for you. Now get comfortable. Stupid father.

What did you say? I will not die, you stupid son of a bitch. I’ll be back next year, I promise.

Until then, Ipikaie ~. Good bye.

(By the way, today was September 16. One month has passed by from Okuribi. Well, okay… I don’t care about the details♪)

Reference URL: https://gozan-okuribi.com/2022/ja/top.html

All photos of Gozan-no-Okuribi were transferred from Wilipedia.