Also
known as En no Ozunu –ð¬Šp (also read En no Shoukaku) and En
no Ubasoku –ð—D”kÇ.
A semi-legendary holy man noted for his practice of mountain asceticism
during the second half of the 7c. Typically he is represented wearing a
white hooded robe and a pair of clogs, which have one support instead of
the usual two. He holds a staff and Buddhist prayer beads in his hands and
is usually seated on a rock base accompanied by two demons oni ‹S.
En no Gyouja was known as a diviner at Mt. Katsuragi Š‹é on the border
of Nara and Osaka. Mentioned in early Japanese texts, the NIHON RYOUIKI
“ú–{—ìˆÙ‹L, and the SHOKUNIHONGI ‘±“ú–{‹I as having magical powers that
enable him to cast spells, he is also said to have had two demon attendants
who gathered water and firewood for him. In 699 he was accused of misleading
the people and expelled to Izu ˆÉ“¤. Though his life story is riddled with
folklore, he is idealized as the founder of shugendou CŒ±“¹, a syncretic
religious order which combined elements of ancient pre-Buddhist worship
of mountains sangaku shinkou ŽRŠxM‹Â with the doctrine and ritual
of Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou –§‹³.
It is believed that he climbed and consecrated many mountains, making sanctuaries
in such places as Kinbusen ‹à•õŽR and Oomine ‘å•ô in Nara. He was given the posthumous
name of Shinben Daibosatu _•Ï‘å•ìŽF (Miraculous Great Bodhisattva).
Artwork depicting En no Gyouja dates from the Kamakura period or
later and is often found in temples of the Shingon ^Œ¾ sect, strongly influenced
by Oomine mountain asceticism. |