英語訳
【Right Page】
It is said that during that time, he came to this place and used a vajra pestle to dig and obtain water here. The sacred spring constantly bubbles forth abundantly, and even during blazing heat and drought, it never runs dry. Eventually, it is channeled for use in the rice fields of Meguro village. In ancient times, it gushed forth from three outlets, but now it has become two streams. Once, for one year, this waterfall dried up, but a certain monk prayed to Benten of Enoshima, and it returned to its original state. Therefore, even now, the temple annually sends monks to worship at Benten of Enoshima without fail. The Wakan Sansai Zue refers to it as Kurikara Falls.
The Takasue Pine (formerly called Nioi Pine, also known as Koshikake Pine) stands beneath the stone steps, verdant and flourishing. During the Kan'ei period, when the Shogun went hunting in this area, his hawk escaped and its whereabouts became unknown. Therefore, the temple administrator Jitsue was ordered to pray. Immediately, the hawk flew back and perched on this pine tree. The Shogun was greatly pleased and bestowed upon this tree the name "Takasue Pine" (Hawk's Perch Pine).
According to the temple's origin story, in the third year of Daido under Emperor Heizei, when the Great Master Jikaku was traveling from his home province of Shimotsuke to Mount Hiei, he lodged in this place. That night in a dream, the Wisdom King appeared with a divine revelation, saying he would eternally leave his traces in this place to save all living beings. The next day, he carved the current principal image, modeling it after the sacred form he had worshipped in his dream, and enshrined it in this temple.
Some say this place enshrines Prince Yamato Takeru. When the Great Master Jikaku passed through this area, he carved an image of Fudo Myoo as a representation of the deity. This is because when Prince Yamato Takeru was hunting in Suruga, villains set fires to attack the prince. At that time, the prince drew his Kusanagi sword, cut the leashes of his hunting dogs to release them, and cut away the burning grass. The prince's appearance standing in the flames resembled that of a Wisdom King, which is why this comparison was made. The reason dogs serve as messengers of this temple is also said to be due to this story, though this theory has not yet been thoroughly examined.
From that time until now, spanning a thousand years, the威power of perfect wisdom has been vast, and the miraculous virtue of Garuda flames profound. In the spring of the first year of Genna, when a fire broke out from a house in this area and the flames covered the hall, the principal image itself removed the fierce fire and emerged to remain beneath the waterfall. Everyone found this miraculous. In the first year of Kan'ei, the Shogun hunted in this area, and in the eleventh year of the same era, reconstruction took place, and the temple's structure was completed.
【Left Page】
Although this place is far removed from the capital, worshippers never cease coming. Especially on the 28th day of the last months of the first, fifth, and ninth months, crowds gather from the previous day throughout the night, creating great bustle. Also, on December 13th, there is an opening ceremony for temple cleaning, and for this too, worshippers gather in crowds from the previous evening. For five or six blocks in front of the temple gates, shops line both sides of the street to provide rest for visitors. Many houses sell millet rice cakes, candy, and decorative rice cake flowers.
Komusō Temple: Located west of the main road in front of the temple gates, it belongs to the Fuke sect's Kinsen branch and is called Tōshōji. It is called a "control station" and is not a head temple. It is sometimes also called a bathhouse. There are branches such as Kinsen, Katsusō, Saikō, Anraku, and Mito Eight Temples. Those that claim to be stations of the head temples include Asakusa Hirokoji, Kogane Ichigatsuji, Ushigome Waseda, Ōme Reihōji, Shiba Kanasugi, and Kanagawa Saikōji.
The Yōshū Fushi states: "They take emptiness and void tranquility as their doctrine, hence they are called komusō (monks of emptiness)." They are also written as komosō. The meaning is that their followers constantly eat wind and sleep in dew, do not fear hardships, travel through various places, and wherever they go, they sit on straw mats and are satisfied. Therefore, they are also called komosō. In medieval times, they were also called "boro." In the Shokunin Zukushi Uta-awase, they are also referred to as "umaishiri."