the legend of the golden lotus

the following legend is obviously not of japanese origin. the priests of buddhism in japan knew that the success of their religion lay, not in sweeping out the old gods of shinto, but in adapting them with infinite cleverness to the needs of their own teaching. in this case japan has borrowed from india and in a minor degree from china, if we may look upon the dragon as originally belonging to the celestial kingdom. we have followed closely mr. edward greey's version, and insert it here because it often enters into a nippon priest's discourse, and has a decidedly japanese setting. we might duplicate legends of this kind, but one will be sufficient for our purpose. the other two legends given in this chapter are strictly japanese.

the lord buddha, having concluded his holy meditations upon mount dan-doku, slowly walked along a rocky pathway on his way to the city. the dark shadows of night crept over the country, and there was profound stillness everywhere.

on nearing his destination the lord buddha heard some one shout: "shio-giyo mu-jiyo!" ("the outward manner is not always an index to the natural disposition.")

the lord buddha was delighted at these words, and desired to learn who had spoken so wisely. over and over again he heard the same words, and, drawing to the edge of a precipice, he looked down into the valley beneath, and perceived an extremely ugly dragon gazing up at him with angry eyes.

buddha and the dragon.

the holy one then seated himself upon a rock, and inquired of the dragon how he had come to learn one[pg 81] of the highest mysteries of buddhism. such profound wisdom suggested a store of spiritual truths yet to be revealed, and the lord buddha, therefore, requested that the dragon should give utterance to other wise sayings.

then the dragon, having coiled himself round the rock, shouted with a great voice: "ze-shio metsu-po!" ("all living things are antagonistic to the law of buddha!")

after uttering these words the dragon was silent for some time. then the lord buddha begged to hear yet another sentence.

"shio-metsu metsu-i!" ("all living things must die!") shouted the dragon.

at these words the dragon looked up at the lord buddha, and upon his dreadful countenance there was an expression of extreme hunger.

the dragon then informed the lord buddha that the next truth was the last, and so precious that he could not reveal it until his hunger had been appeased.

at this the holy one remarked that he would deny the dragon nothing so long as he heard the fourth truth revealed, and inquired of the dragon what he demanded. when the lord buddha heard that human flesh was what the dragon required in exchange for his last precious fragment of wisdom, the master informed the dragon that his religion forbade the destruction of life, but that he would, for the welfare of his people, sacrifice his own body.

the dragon opened his great mouth and said: "jaku-metsu i-raku!" ("the greatest happiness is experienced after the soul has left the body!")

the lord buddha bowed, and then sprang into the gaping mouth of the dragon.

no sooner had the holy one touched the jaws of[pg 82] the monster than they suddenly divided into eight parts, and in a moment changed into the eight petals of the golden lotus.

the bronze buddha of kamakura and the whale[1]

"above the old songs turned to ashes and pain,

under which death enshrouds the idols and trees with mist of sigh,

(where are kamakura's rising days and life of old?)

with heart heightened to hush, the daibutsu forever sits."

yone noguchi.

the great bronze buddha of kamakura, or the daibutsu, is undoubtedly one of the most remarkable sights in japan. at one time kamakura was the capital of nippon. it was a great city of nearly a million inhabitants, and was the seat of the shoguns and of the regents of the hojo family during the troublous period of the middle ages. but kamakura, for all its devout worshippers of the lord buddha, was destroyed by storm on two occasions, until it finally lost its importance. to-day rice-fields and woods are to be seen in place of the glory of old. storm and fire, however, have left untouched the temple of hachiman (the god of war) and the bronze image of buddha. at one time this gigantic figure reposed in a temple, but now it stands high above the trees, with an inscrutable smile upon its great face, with eyes full of a peace that cannot be shaken by the petty storms of the world.

legend is nearly always elemental. divinities, irrespective of their austerity, are brought down to a very human level. it is a far cry from the complex teaching of the lord buddha to the story of amida butsu and the whale. one can trace in the following legend an almost pathetic desire to veil the greatness of buddha. the gigantic size of the daibutsu is not[pg 83] really in keeping with that curious love of little things which is so characteristic of the japanese people. there is a playful irony in this story, a desire to take down the great teacher a peg or two—if only to take him down in stature a paltry two inches!

so many things appear to us to be done in a topsy-turvy way in japan that we are not surprised to find that in measuring metal and soft goods the feet on the yardstick are not alike. for soft goods a whale measure is used, for any hard material a metal foot. there are two inches of difference in these measures, and the following legend may possibly give us the reason for this apparently rather confusing discrepancy.

the bronze buddha, in its sitting posture, is fifty feet high, ninety-seven feet in circumference, the length of its face eight feet, and as for its thumbs they are three feet round. it is probably the tallest piece of bronze in the world. such an enormous image naturally created a considerable sensation in the days when kamakura was a flourishing city, laid out by the great general yoritomo. the roads in and about the city were densely packed with pilgrims, anxious to gaze upon the latest marvel, and all agreed that this bronze image was the biggest thing in the world.

now it may be that certain sailors who had seen this marvel chatted about it as they plied their nets. whether this was so or not, a mighty whale, who lived in the northern sea, happened to hear about the bronze buddha of kamakura, and as he regarded himself as being far bigger than anything on land, the idea of a possible rival did not meet with his approval. he deemed it impossible that little men could construct anything that could vie with his enormous bulk, and laughed heartily at the very absurdity of such a conception.

his laughter, however, did not last long. he was[pg 84] inordinately jealous, and when he heard about the numerous pilgrimages to kamakura and the incessant praise evoked from those who had seen the image he grew exceedingly angry, lashed the sea into foam, and blew down his nose with so much violence that the other creatures of the deep gave him a very wide berth. his loneliness only aggravated his trouble, and he was unable to eat or sleep, and in consequence grew thin. he at last decided to chat the matter over with a kindly shark.

the shark answered the whale's heated questions with quiet solicitude, and consented to go to the southern sea in order that he might take the measurement of the image, and bring back the result of his labour to his agitated friend.

the shark set off upon his journey, until he came to the shore, where he could see the image towering above him, about half a mile inland. as he could not walk on dry land he was about to renounce his quest, when he had the good fortune to discover a rat enjoying a scamper along a junk. he explained his mission to the rat, and requested that much-flattered little creature to take the measurement of the bronze buddha.

so the rat climbed down the junk, swam ashore, and entered the dark temple where the great buddha stood. at first he was so overcome by the magnificence he saw about him that he was uncertain as to how to proceed in carrying out the shark's request. he eventually decided to walk round the image, counting his footsteps as he went. he discovered after he had performed this task that he had walked exactly five thousand paces, and on his return to the junk he told the shark the measurement of the base of the bronze buddha.

the shark, with profuse thanks to the rat, returned[pg 85] to the northern sea, and informed the whale that the reports concerning the size of this exasperating image were only too true.

"a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" evidently applies equally well to whales, for the whale of this legend, after receiving the information, grew more furious than ever. as in a story familiar to english children, he put on magic boots in order to travel on land as well as he had always done in the sea.

the whale reached the kamakura temple at night. he discovered that the priests had gone to bed, and were apparently fast asleep. he knocked at the door. instead of the dismal murmur of a half-awake priest he heard the lord buddha say, in a voice that rang like the sound of a great bell: "come in!"

"i cannot," replied the whale, "because i am too big. will you please come out and see me?"

when buddha found out who his visitor was, and what he wanted at so unearthly an hour, he condescendingly stepped down from his pedestal and came outside the temple. there was utter amazement on both sides. had the whale possessed knees they would assuredly have knocked together. he knocked his head on the ground instead. for his part, buddha was surprised to find a creature of such gigantic proportions.

we can imagine the consternation of the chief priest when he found that the pedestal did not bear the image of his master. hearing a strange conversation going on outside the temple, he went out to see what was taking place. the much-frightened priest was invited to join in the discussion, and was requested to take the measurement of the image and the whale, and accordingly began to measure with his rosary. during this proceeding the image and the whale awaited the[pg 86] result with bated breath. when the measurements had been taken the whale was found to be two inches longer and taller than the image.

the whale went back to the northern sea more utterly vain than ever, while the image returned to its temple and sat down again, and there it has remained to this day, none the worse, perhaps, for finding that it was not quite so big as it imagined. dealers in dry goods and dealers in wood and iron agreed from that day to this to differ as to what was a foot—and the difference was a matter of two inches.

the crystal of buddha[2]

in ancient days there lived in japan a great state minister named kamatari. now kamatari's only daughter, kohaku jo, extremely beautiful, and as good as she was beautiful. she was the delight of her father's heart, and he resolved that, if she married, no one of less account than a king should be her husband. with this idea continually in his mind, he steadfastly refused the offers for her hand.

one day there was a great tumult in the palace courtyard. through the open gates streamed a number of men bearing a banner on which was worked a silken dragon on a yellow background. kamatari learnt that these men had come from the court of china with a message from the emperor koso. the emperor had heard of the exceeding beauty and exquisite charm of kohaku jo, and desired to marry her. as is usual in the east on such occasions, the emperor's offer was accompanied with the promise that if kohaku jo should become his bride he would allow her to choose from his store of treasures whatever she liked to send to her own country.

[pg 87]

after kamatari had received the envoys with due pomp and ceremony, and put at their disposal a whole wing of the palace, he returned to his own room and bade his servant bring his daughter into his presence.

when kohaku had entered her father's room she bowed before him and sat patiently on the white mats waiting for her august parent to speak to her.

kamatari told her that he had chosen the emperor of china to be her husband, and the little maid wept on hearing the news. she had been so happy in her own home, and china seemed such a long way off. when, however, her father foretold more happiness in the future than she had ever had in the past, she dried her eyes and listened to her parent's words, a little amazed to hear, perhaps, that all china's treasures were to be laid at her own small feet. she was glad when her father told her that she would be able to send three of these treasures to the temple of kofukuji, where she had received a blessing when a little babe.

so kohaku obeyed her father with not a little misgiving, not a little heartache. her girl companions wept when they heard the news, but they were comforted when kohaku's mother told them that some of their number would be chosen to go with their mistress.

before kohaku sailed for china she wended her way to the beloved temple of kofukuji, and, arriving at the sacred shrine, she prayed for protection in her journey, vowing that if her prayers were answered she would search china for its three most precious treasures, and send them to the temple as a thank-offering.

kohaku reached china in safety and was received by the emperor koso with great magnificence. her childish fears were soon dispelled by the emperor's kindness. indeed, he showed her considerably more[pg 88] than kindness. he spoke to her in the language of a lover: "after long, long days of weary waiting i have gathered the 'azalea of the distant mountain,' and now i plant it in my garden, and great is the gladness of my heart!"[3]

the emperor koso led her from palace to palace, and she knew not which was the most beautiful, but her royal husband was aware that she was far more lovely than any of them. because of her great loveliness he desired that it should be ever remembered throughout the length and breadth of china, even beyond the bounds of his kingdom. "so he called together his goldsmiths and gardeners," as madame ozaki writes in describing this story, "and commanded them to fashion a path for the empress such as had never been heard of in the wide world. the stepping-stones of this path were to be lotus-flowers, carved out of silver and gold, for her to walk on whenever she strolled forth under the trees or by the lake, so that it might be said that her beautiful feet were never soiled by touching the earth; and ever since then, in china and japan, poet-lovers and lover-poets in song and sonnet and sweet conversation have called the feet of the women they love 'lotus feet.'"

but in spite of all the magnificence that surrounded kohaku she did not forget her native land or the vow she had made in the temple of kofukuji. one day she timidly informed the emperor of her promise, and he, only too glad to have another opportunity of pleasing her, set before her such a store of beautiful and precious things that it seemed as if an exquisite phantom world of gay colour and perfect form had suddenly come into being at her very feet. there was such a wealth of beautiful things that she found it very[pg 89] difficult to make a choice. she finally decided upon the following magical treasures: a musical instrument, which if one struck would continue to play for ever, an ink-stone box, which, on opening the lid, was found to contain an inexhaustible supply of indian ink, and, last of all, "a beautiful crystal, in whose clear depths was to be seen, from whichever side you looked, an image of buddha riding on a white elephant. the jewel was of transcendent glory and shone like a star, and whoever gazed into its liquid depths and saw the blessed vision of buddha had peace of heart for evermore."[4]

after kohaku had gazed for some time upon these treasures she sent for admiral banko and bade him safely convey them to the temple of kofukuji.

everything went well with admiral banko and his ship until they were in japanese waters, sailing into the bay of shido-no-ura, when a mighty tempest whirled the vessel hither and thither. the waves rolled up with the fierceness of wild beasts, and lightning continually blazed across the sky, to light up for a moment a rolling ship, now flung high upon a mountain of water, now swept into a green valley from which it seemed it could never rise again.

suddenly the storm abated with the same unexpectedness with which it had arisen. some fairy hand had brushed up all the clouds and laid a blue and sparkling carpet across the sea. the admiral's first thought was for the safety of the treasures entrusted to him, and on going below he discovered the musical instrument and ink-stone box just as he had left them, but that the most precious of the treasures, buddha's crystal, was missing. he contemplated taking his life, so grieved was he at the loss; but on reflection he[pg 90] saw that it would be wiser to live so long as there was anything he could do to find the jewel. he accordingly hastened to land, and informed kamatari of his dreadful misfortune.

no sooner had kamatari been told about the loss of buddha's crystal than this wise minister perceived that the dragon king of the sea had stolen it, and for that purpose had caused the storm, which had enabled him to steal the treasure unperceived.

kamatari offered a large reward to a number of fishermen he saw upon the shore of shido-no-ura if any of their number would venture into the sea and bring back the crystal. all the fishermen volunteered, but after many attempts the precious jewel still remained in the keeping of the sea king.

kamatari, much distressed, suddenly became aware of a poor woman carrying an infant in her arms. she begged the great minister that she might enter the sea and search for the crystal, and in spite of her frailty she spoke with conviction. her mother-heart seemed to lend her courage. she made her request because, if she succeeded in bringing back the crystal, she desired that as a reward kamatari should bring up her little son as a samurai in order that he might be something in life other than a humble fisherman.

it will be remembered that kamatari in his day had been ambitious for his daughter's welfare. he readily understood the poor woman's request, and solemnly promised that if she carried out her part faithfully he would gladly do his.

the woman withdrew, and taking off her upper garments, and tying a rope round her waist, into which she stuck a knife, she was prepared for her perilous journey. giving the end of the rope to a number of fishermen, she plunged into the water.

[pg 91]

at first the woman saw the dim outline of rocks, the dart of a frightened fish, and the faint gold of the sand beneath her. then she suddenly became aware of the roofs of the palace of the sea king, a great and gorgeous building of coral, relieved here and there with clusters of many-coloured seaweed. the palace was like a huge pagoda, rising tier upon tier. the woman swam nearer in order to inspect it more closely, and she perceived a bright light, more brilliant than the light of many moons, so bright that it dazzled her eyes. it was the light of buddha's crystal, placed on the pinnacle of this vast abode, and on every side of the shining jewel were guardian dragons fast asleep, appearing to watch even in their slumber!

up swam the woman, praying in her brave heart that the dragons might sleep till she was out of harm's way and in possession of the treasure. no sooner had she snatched the crystal from its resting-place than the guardians awoke; their great claws extended and their tails furiously lashed the water, and in another moment they were in hot pursuit. rather than lose the crystal, which she had won at so much peril, the woman cut a wound in her left breast and forced the jewel into the bleeding cavity, pressing her hand, without a murmur of pain, upon the poor torn flesh. when the dragons perceived that the water was murky with the woman's blood they turned back, for sea-dragons are afraid of the very sight of blood.

now the woman sharply pulled the rope, and the fishermen, sitting upon the rocks far above, drew her to land with ever-quickening speed. they gently laid her upon the shore, and found that her eyes were closed and her breast bleeding profusely. kamatari at first thought that the woman had risked her life in vain; but bending over her he noticed the wound in her breast.[pg 92] at that moment she opened her eyes, and, taking the jewel from its place of concealment, she murmured a few words about kamatari's promise, then fell back dead with a smile of peace upon her face.

kamatari took the woman's child home and looked after him with all the loving care of a father. in due time the boy grew to manhood and became a brave samurai, and at kamatari's death he, too, became a great state minister. when in later years he learnt the story of his mother's act of self-sacrifice he built a temple in the bay of shido-no-ura, in memory of one who was so brave and true. it is called shidoji, and pilgrims visit this temple and remember the nobility of a poor shell-gatherer to this day.

[1] adapted from fairy tales of old japan, by w. e. griffis.

[2] adapted from buddha's crystal, by madame yei ozaki.

[3] madame ozaki.

[4] madame ozaki.