Jizo and Kannon

 

 


Saturday, 19 November 2011

falling freely
tears and rain
on the garden Jizo


   -Senryu

     I posted a photograph of a sculpture (15 November entry) and want to say a little more about it.  It is of Jizo (also called Ojizo Sama, the most respectful name), who guards the souls children who are ill or die before their parents, and shortens the time they must suffer in the underworld.  This is a very common theme in Buddhist iconography, and here he is shown with a jingle staff (shakujo) which alerts insects and animals of his approach so they won't be harmed.  His face is often depicted to be childlike. Small stones, toys etc are placed at his feet, also red bibs and hats are common. 

     On November 17 I visited Sanjusangen-do (or the temple of 33 intervals between pillars).  Inside the long, narrow building is a sight to behold:  an ancient wooden statue of the 1000 armed Senju-Kannon (goddess of mercy), flanked by 1000 smaller statues (all different) with 42 arms apiece.  There are also 28 dramatic and various guardian statues.  The photographs above are not mine, as inside photography is strictly prohibited.  In case you are wondering, 1000 arms are present because each of the 40 arms saves 25 worlds. 

     Today was a down pour, so we went to a special exhibit at the Kyoto National Gallery from the Hosokawa Family Eisei Bunko Collection.  This family, originally powerful samurai, goes back about 16 generations, and they amassed over time a huge collection of poetry, scrolls, ancient ceramics, Noh play kimonos and masks, tea ceremony utensils, samurai clothing and weapons, and so on.  I found the cat and the cormorant paintings on the internet.  The entire collection is in a museum in Tokyo.  It was stunning and a bit overwhelming in size.  We especially loved the paintings and scrolls.  I think the family believed "the sword and the brush" went hand in hand.


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