Shakyo

my 写経(Shakyo)

I have a habit of doing 写経(Shakyo) for a departed soul.

The death of my friend led me to it.

写経(Shakyo) is known as one of the ways to pray for the repose of souls in Japan.

The Buddhist sutra I write are always 般若心経(Hannya-Shingyo, the Heart Sutra). After doing it in the room where the family Buddhist altar is placed at home, I dedicate it to the temple.

If you are a beginner, it is recommended that you go to a temple that offers 写経(Shakyo) workshops to learn how to do it.

One day I'd like to organize 写経(Shakyo) workshops with users of "東風 (KOCHI)".

It's not known when 写経(Shakyo) was first practiced in Japan. According to 日本書紀(Nihon-Shoki), Japanese were already doing it in 673CE.

菅原道真(Sugawara-no-Michizane) who is one of the character of "東風 (KOCHI)" was also doing 写経(Shakyo).

Sugawara-no-Michizane's 写経(Shakyo)

The above scroll is said to be 写経(Shakyo) written by Michizane. You can see it at the 菅公歴史館(Kankou-Rekishikan, the Kankou(=Michizane) Historical Museum) of 太宰府天満宮(Dazaifu-Tenmangu).

菅公歴史館
https://www.dazaifutenmangu.or.jp/art/rekishikan

The heading of the scroll says, "妙法蓮華経序品第一". This is the first chapter of 法華経(Hokekyo, the Lotus Sutra).

It seems that there were many aristocrats who studied 法華経(Hokekyo, the Lotus Sutra) and dedicated 写経(Shakyo) to a temple in the time Michizane lived.

I'm also studying 法華経(Hokekyo, the Lotus Sutra) for myself in today's Japan.

As a side note, the black box on the right side of the image is an inkstone.

龍牙硯(Dragon's Tooth Inkstone)

This is said to be a relic of Michizane.

The sides of the inkstone are jagged and look like teeth. It's kawaii.

Youkou