2020-03-29

kyozuka sutra mound legends

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. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .
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kyozuka 経塚と伝説 Legends about a sutra mound

- quote -
A sutra mound (経塚, kyōzuka) is an archaeological site where sūtras were buried underground. In Japanese Buddhism, it is a type of good deed, and was done as a type of puja. ...
- History
For Japanese buildings, in 1007, Fujiwara no Michinaga built the oldest sutra mound at the summit of Kinpusen, a mountain range in Yamato Province. He did so because there was a sense of impending danger about the coming of mappō among the aristocracy, and he wanted to prepare for the coming of Maitreya and ensure that the sutras would be passed along to future generations.
In the middle of the 12th century, a monk who traveled around the country went around handing out copies of the sutras to the masses as a way of improving his spirit and puja.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


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-- In various regions people chant a special spell invoking a deity, a strong giant or
a sutra mound (kyoozuka 京塚 Kyozuka) to make the earthquake stop soon.
. jishin 地震 Legends about Earthquakes .


- - - - - ABC List of the prefectures :


......................................................................................... Chiba 千葉県
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nana kyoozuka 七経塚 seven sutra mounds
There were seven sutra mound called 七経塚 Nana Kyozuka, but people forgot where they were located.
But if the farmers sowed seeds aruond them, the plants would be dead dry at harvest time.
- There are other places where Nana Kyozuka are known, maybe a variant of the
Shichifukujin 七福神 Seven Gods of Good Luck.
Temple 龍経山妙正寺 Myosho-Ji is known for the Nana Kyozuka.
The legend dates back to 1260 and Saint Nichiren.
千葉県市川市北方町 4-2122 - reference : travel myoshoji-nakayama -




......................................................................................... Ehime 愛媛県
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四国中央市 Shikoku Chuo City 富郷町 Tomisato town

mayoke no kyoozuka 魔除けの経塚 sutra mound to ward of evil influence
On the road from 寒川 Samukawa to Tomisato there is 魔除けの経塚 a sutra mound to ward off evil.
After sunset this part of the road was very difficult to pass. Arount 1700 the ancestors of 松尾氏 the Matsuo clan erected this mound, burying many scrolls of the 般若経 Hanya Shingyo Sutra.
Through the power of these scriptures, the bad influence was subdued and people could now pass without fear or problems.
. Hanya Shingyo 般若心経 the Heart Sutra .




......................................................................................... Gifu 岐阜県
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揖斐郡 Ibi district 藤橋村 Fujibashi village

. yasha hebi 夜叉蛇 a demon serpent .




......................................................................................... Hiroshima 広島県
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三原市 Mihara city

. 経塚 "sutra mound" or 狂塚 "insanity mound" .




......................................................................................... Ishikawa 石川県
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鳳至郡 Fugeshi district 門前町 Monzen town

kyoozuka no matsu 経塚の松 the pine on the sutra mound
Near the kyozuka sutra mound at 暮坂 the Kuresaka slope in Susukino there was matsu 松の木 a pine tree. When they cut the tree down, blood began to flow from the cut of the tree.




......................................................................................... Miyagi 宮城県
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宮城郡 Miyagi district 利府町 Rifu town

Kariyasu Myojin 刈安明神 Kariyasu Myojin Deity
There was a swamp called 赤沼大明神 Akanuma Daimyojin where Suijin 水神 the Water Deity was venerated.
Once upon a time
a young female wandering ascet came to the village, wearing a crown, and asked to stay over night. but she could not find a villager to let her in, since she looked pregnant and ready to give birth.
The woman pleaded for a rest under the eaves outside. An old couple took pity and looked after her.
She gave birth beside the 経塚 sutra mound.
The child became a deity. Since it was born on a layer of Kariya grass, she got the name Kariyasu Myojin 刈安明神.
In this area grows a lot of high-quality Kariya grass and people use it to dye things yellow.
. kariyasu 刈安 (かりやす) Miscanthus tinctorius, kariya grass .




......................................................................................... Nagano 長野県

One of the seven wonders of Nagano:
A 経塚 sutra mound at the bottom of the lake, after the dragon had been exterminated.

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Nagano 南佐久郡 Minami-Saku district 小海町 Koumi town

. kyozuka no yoru no ame お経塚の夜の雨 rain in the evening at the sutra mound .

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Nagano 南佐久郡 Minami-Saku district 北相木村 Kita-Aiki village

Kumogafuchi no kyozuka くもが淵の経塚 Sutra mound at the Spider Riverpool
Upstream along 相木川 the river Aikigawa there is 白岩部落 a hamlet called Shiraiwa, where many fish lived.
Usually there were large spider webs and people did not go there.
But one day a man went there for fishing. The lord of the pool, 大蜘蛛 a huge spider, appeared, wound a thread around his leg and wanted to pull him inside. But thanks to his fishing rod being pulled in instead, the man was saved.
Afterthe villgers chanted Sutras by the riverside, the spider webs did not appear any more.
Now there is 経塚 a Sutra mound where they buried the scriptures to memorate the event.

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Nagano 下伊那郡 Shimoina district

. gorintoo 五輪塔 Gorinto grave marker with five layers .
When 五輪塔 the Gorinto grave marker of the temple was relocated, there was suddenly a lot of misfortune and illness at the temple.
When they asked a shaman for advise, they were told it was the curse of the Gorinto.
So they held special purifying rituals for the grave marker and all was well again.




......................................................................................... Nagasaki 長崎県
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対馬市 Tsushima city

. Yamanba, Yamauba 山姥 mountain hag .
At the 経塚 sutra mound there were two kyomon ishi 経文石 sutra stones.
When the old mountain hag tried to move one of them, it started to rain fire and water and a strong wind blew.
The stones are still on the mountain of 佐須村 Sasumura village.




......................................................................................... Okinawa 沖縄県
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那覇市 Naha city 首里区 Shuri ward

kyoozuka 京塚 Kyozuka (written with the character 京 for the capital.
. The Sutra Mound at Shuri castle .




......................................................................................... Tochigi 栃木県
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芳賀町 Haga town

. shirohebi 白蛇 White Serpent and Kukai Kobo Daishi .




......................................................................................... Tokushima 徳島県
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One of the seven wonders of Tokushima is the 経塚 Kyozuka, where the sutras copied by Kobo Daishi are buried.
. Kōbō Daishi Kūkai 弘法大師 空海 - 伝説  Kobo Daishi Kukai Legends .




......................................................................................... Yamagata 山形県
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南置賜郡 Minami-Okitama district 中津川村 Nakatsugawa village

People should not climb on 経塚 the sutra mound.
The emperor 後醍醐天皇 Godaigo Tenno is said to be buried there.
On the mound grows misumigusa ミスミ草 liverwort, Hepatica nobilis.
This plant grows only in 佐渡 Sado Island in Japan.
. Godaigo 後醍醐天皇 Go-Daigo-Tennō (1288 - 1339) .


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- reference : nichibun yokai database 妖怪データベース -

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. Kaido highway legends 街道と伝説 - - ABC list .

. animals and their legends 動物と伝説 - - ABC list .

. plants and their legends  植物と伝説 - - ABC list .

. trees and their legends  樹木, 木と伝説 - - ABC list .

. Persons, People, Personen and their legends - - ABC list .

. Legends about Kobo Daishi Kukai - 弘法大師 空海 - 伝説 .

. Japanese legends and tales 伝説 民話 昔話 - Introduction .

- Yookai 妖怪 Yokai Monsters of Japan -

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