Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Koyasan, the sanctuary of Shingon Buddhism (3)

Koyasan, the sanctuary of Shingon Buddhism (1)
Koyasan, the sanctuary of Shingon Buddhism (2)

There are innumerable graves put in the deepest area in Koyasan.


I climbed up the road. A lot of Japanese cedars were there.


Ancient people wished to be held a ceremony after dying.
This is Nobunaga Oda's, Japanese most famous Samurai.


Nobunaga was well known as he fought against Buddhism. He burned Hieizan, the sanctuary of Tientai. Saicho, the founder of Tientai Buddhism was a rival of Kukai. Nobunaga also massacred the saints in Koyasan. Then why was he set up in Koyasan? There is a hypothesis that descendants of the saints in Koyasan moved the grave of Nobunaga from another place to this sanctuary. If so, Buddhists in Koyasan might be extremely tolerant.

This one is Hideyoshi Toyotomi's.
He was an apprentice of Nobunaga Oda. After the death of Nobunaga, he succeeded Nobunaga, to rule all over Japan.
Hideyoshi conquered Koyasan. He was also infamous as a merciless oppressor on Christians in his later years. I do not know why the grave of Hideyoshi is put in Koyasan.


Koyasan is open to various families.
This is a grave like a rocket! It is created by Shinmeiwa-Kogyo Co. to lament the sacrifice.


This grave is built by anti-termites association. Termite (white ant) is quite harmful for Japanese traditional buildings. Several corporations offer a service to eliminate termites. Is the builder mourning for termites after killing them? A little fanny.


The last grave I introduce is for 5 races. Five races include Japan, China, Korea, Mongolia, and Manchuria.


The five gravestones were placed equally.


Before the World War II, Japan established Manchuria in 1932. Japan in those days had an ambition to integrate Asian races. Evidently it was reckless. Manchuria was collapsed by Russian attack in 1945.

Now I cannot decide the people in those days was good or evil. At least, I would pray for the deceased in the WW II era, wherever they were born.

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