The Saint Kuya and Imperial Tea

How is everyone doing in the continuing hot summer? In addition to the summer heat, summer colds and coronas are likely to be darker than you can see today. Hot and viral, a true summer groggy. Since I am in such a mood, I feel like talking about Buddhism today, which seems to be somewhat friendly to the common cold.

That is the story of Kuya Shonin and the Imperial Dress Tea (Oubukucha).

Kuya Shonin, a monk active in the mid-Heian period, is known as the person who spread the Amida Nembutu to the people of Heian-kyo, and he once risked his life to help people suffering from plague throughout Kyoto.

That was about 1000 years ago, in the 5th year of the Tenryaku era (951). The Keiki region was once plagued by an epidemic, and both the Kamo no Kawara and Miyako Oji Road were inundated with the corpses of the dead. Seeing this misery, Kuya Shonin built a golden statue of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, one meter tall (3.03m), and carried it on his car to travel around the center of Kyoto and the surrounding area.

In addition, he added the tea made by breaking green bamboo into eight-leaf flakes with pickled plums and myoga, and served it to the emperor and other people who were suffering from the plague.

This was the beginning of the so-called “oubukucha” tea given to visitors to Rokuharamituji Temple on the third day of the New Year, which is said to have brought an end to the epidemic. (At Rokuharamitu-ji, the tea is written as “oubukucha” because it was served by Emperor Murakami, and tea is made from young water drawn on
New-Year’s-day and given together with a talisman to ward off bad luck).

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“We cannot let this be an unscientific legend.”

This was stated by writer Shuzo Takagi. In “Visiting the Rokuharamituji-Temple” (“New edition, old temple pilgrimage Kyoto 5 Rokuharamituji”, Tankosha, 2007), Mr. Takagi said.

Incidentally, Kannon Bodhisattva is a sidekick of Amitabha Buddha, and is said to be the bodhisattva who connects the salvation in the next life by Amitabha Buddha and the suffering in the present life.

Thus, Kuya Shonin developed his activities in Heian-kyo to save people from plague and disease through his faith in Kannon Bodhisattva and the imperial tea.

End.

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Author

じゅうべい(Jubei)
Hello everyone. I am Jubei, an earthling whose energy does not stop today. What I like is playing (manga, movies, music (J-Rock, etc.) and visiting cafes). Thank you for your understanding.