Dogra Magra (29/47)
by Hisashi Yumeno
At that moment, the young master seemed to be earnestly explaining something, pointing towards yesterday's quarry, shaking his head, and making strange gestures and movements. We weren't listening closely to his story, but I remember hearing phrases like "for the Emperor" and "for the people" repeated many times. O-Yashiro-san was also listening with wide eyes, nodding her head. However, the young master suddenly closed his mouth and stared intently at the scroll O-Yashiro-san was holding out. Then, he abruptly snatched the scroll and thrust it deep into his bosom.
O-Yashiro-san forcibly pulled it back, but in retrospect, this seemed to have been a mistake. When the young master had the scroll taken from him, he looked as if he had lost all energy, opening his mouth wide and staring intently at O-Yashiro-san's face. His expression was extremely eerie, and even O-Yashiro-san, understandably frightened, tried to pull back and stand up. Then, the young master quickly grabbed her sleeve and pulled O-Yashiro-san back down onto the tatami mat. And, still staring intently at her face, he narrowed his eyes happily and grinned.
The moment I saw that face, I shivered as if cold water had been thrown on me. O-Yashiro-san also trembled with fear and tried to break free, but the young master stood up abruptly and grabbed O-Yashiro-san's hair at the nape of her neck from behind as she was about to descend from the veranda. He then pulled her backward, dragging her face-up from the veranda onto the garden soil. And, smiling, he picked up a nearby geta and began to strike O-Yashiro-san's head with apparent pleasure. O-Yashiro-san's face quickly lost all color, her hair became disheveled, and she crawled on the ground, bleeding all over her face, letting out a death cry.
When I saw that, I felt as if my spirit had left me, and my knees buckled, but I desperately hugged my waist and returned to this house. I cried out to my wife, "Doctor, doctor," while trembling under the covers. Then, Doctor Munetika came to my house, looking bewildered, but I sent him away, saying, "It's for Mr. Oh, it's for Mr. Oh."
That's all I saw... It was truly a genuine event. I heard later that two or three young men, who heard O-yashiro-san's screams, rushed over, restrained the young master, and tied him with a thin rope. However, I heard that the young master's rampage at that time was so intense that the strength of three or five people could not possibly suppress him. The thin rope reportedly broke twice. After finally making him unable to move and tying him to the base of the tokobashira in the detached house, the young master, perhaps exhausted, fell sound asleep with a loud snore.
However, when he eventually woke up, the young master's demeanor had completely changed. Even when the police questioned him, he merely looked around blankly, giving no answers or responses, appearing indifferent. I heard that the same illness had appeared in Nogata before, and at that time, a university professor's investigation revealed that he had been given a paralyzing drug. O-yashiro-san said that nothing happened after that, so he was taken away. However, bloodline is a terrifying thing, and looking at the current situation, I believe it must be the curse of that scroll after all.
We haven't heard about the curse of this scroll for a long time, so we don't know the details, but... that scroll was apparently enshrined inside the main deity of Kisaragi-dera Temple. It is said that anyone born into the Wu family bloodline who sees it will surely lose their sanity and commit acts such as killing any woman, be it their parent, sister, or even a complete stranger. It is also said that the origin of this is recorded at that temple, but I cannot fathom how that scroll came into the young master's possession.
The current head priest of Kisaragi-dera Temple is a man named Hōrin-sama, who is said to be as renowned as Shōfuku-ji Temple in Hakata, so I believe he would know everything about such karmic connections. He is quite elderly now, with a body as thin as a crane, and eyebrows and a beard that hang down as white as snow, truly a venerable figure. If you wish, perhaps you could meet him and hear what he has to say. I will have my wife guide you...
O-Yashiro-san is now said to be in a state of semi-madness, confined to bed with a sprained ankle. Her head injury is apparently not serious, but what she says is sometimes coherent and sometimes not, making it impossible to make sense of anything. Since I'm unable to move my lower back, I haven't been able to visit her.
Some say that everything became too late because I didn't rush to Munetaka, but that's unreasonable. Munetaka told me when he came to examine my back that Omoyo-san was strangled between three and four o'clock this morning. Judging by how much the candle had burned down, it was around that time. ...The rest is as I just told you. If O-Yashiro-san were lucid, everything would be clear, but as I just said, she's saying things like hating the young master, or telling him to quickly pull himself together, and in her half-waking state, she's saying, "You alone are the pillar," so she's completely unreliable.
Not a single police officer has come to me yet. This is because the only ones who first noticed this commotion were the young live-in workers who rushed over after hearing O-Yashiro-san's shrill scream. I heard the police investigated the subsequent events in detail and then left, but I had been cautious even before that. Thinking I shouldn't be suspected, I asked Professor Munechika to keep quiet, but I had no idea who went to call Professor Munechika amidst the commotion. In the midst of all this, I was surprised when the professor unexpectedly came to visit. I won't hide anything. If possible, could you use your influence to prevent me from being called in by the police? As you can see, my legs have given out, and I'm the type of person who shivers just at the thought of talking to the police...
---
The snow, illuminated by the morning light, turns into murky water by evening and flows down into rivers and seas. Tonight, the flowers of glory arranged on silver candelabras will become dust and be buried in mud by dawn. The three realms are like patterns on waves, and a lifetime is like a rainbow in the sky. Moreover, an evil karma once formed will not unravel, and as long as we live, we will fall into the transformations of hell, appearing as screaming demons. And after death, that evil fruit will be passed down to our descendants, and the suffering of karmic retribution will continue forever. To what can that fear, that suffering, be compared?
Observing this karma here, one can investigate the principles of cause and effect, sever the roots of suffering, transform them into the aspiration for enlightenment, establish a single temple, adorn it with the Buddha's wisdom, chant prayers, and build a pure sanctuary that people can collectively revere. The origin of this auspicious beginning lies with Midoriya, a tea shop near Gion-shōja in Kyōraku, Yamashiro Province, around the Keian era. Each year, they would select famous teas from Uji, offer them to the imperial court, name them "Gyokuro," and spread their fragrance throughout the nation. The proprietor, named Tsuboemon, had one son and three daughters. The son, named Tsubotarō, was especially beloved, but he was naturally disinclined towards commerce. From a young age, he studied under Ingen Zenji of Uji and excelled academically. He also mastered Yagyū sword fighting, studied painting in the Tosa school, and adopted the Shōfū style of haiku, developing his own unique character. As he grew, he took the name Kūshō, admired nature, and had no interest in inheriting the family business. However, as he aged, he was pressured to marry due to the lack of other male heirs. He firmly refused, citing his incomplete studies, but could not avoid the conflict. Ultimately, at the request of his father, Tsuboemon, he received teachings from Master Ingen, which led to a change of heart.
"Until today, my twenty-fifth year, I have not heard the cuckoo."
With this verse posted at his family gate, he left home, became a monk, entrusted himself to a single kasa (straw hat) and a single staff, and journeyed westward for nearly a year, exploring famous places and historical sites. From the road to Nagasaki, he entered Hizen Karatsu. It was the end of April in the spring of Enpō 2, and Kūshō was twenty-six years old.
Kūhei was completely absorbed in touring and enjoying the scenic beauty of this land. He changed his name to Kōtei, inspired by Niji no Matsubara, and planned to select eight views, take up his brush, create his own woodblocks, and widely distribute them throughout the land. After staying for more than half a year, he was drawn by the full moon of late autumn and left his inn to ascend Niji no Matsubara. The ancient famous pines, standing alongside the silver waves and silver sands, revealed their forms in the clear light, as if imbued with the celestial music of a master craftsman's ink technique. After walking a ri, he passed the fishing village of Hamasaki, his interest unwaning, and continued another half ri, following the flowing frost, until he reached Ii no Misaki. Leaning against a rock, he gazed far out at the scenery of the bay, counting the shadows of geese until midnight.
At that moment, a woman appeared. She seemed to be not yet twenty-eight years old, and with her colorful sleeves fluttering, her small white feet painfully traversed the rocky shore, approaching Kōtei. Unnoticed by those around her, she clasped her hands together facing west and seemed to pray for a long time, but then, wiping away tears, she clutched both sleeves as if about to throw herself into the sea. Kōtei, startled, rushed over, embraced her, and led her to the clean sand of a nearby pine grove, asking for the details of her situation. At first, she only wept, but eventually, she began to speak.
"I am the only daughter of a certain Wu family, who lives in this place called Hamasaki, and I serve a woman known as Rokubijo. My family has prospered for generations, serving as the head of this region, but it is the way of the world for what is full to wane. Nevertheless, there are terrifying karmic ties in this world. From ancient times, the lineage of madness has never ceased in my family, and now, sadly, I am the only one left alive."
She continued, "How shall I put it, the first thing is that in my house, there is a scroll painting passed down from my ancestors, and in it, there is a nude portrait of a beautiful woman. I've heard that an ancestor of the Wu family, after losing his beloved wife, began to paint her image with all his heart, intending to capture her likeness in a painting. However, for some reason, as he looked at her deceased body, he became deranged, and before he had even completed half of the painting, she had already turned into a piece of white bone. The master's grief was immeasurable, and he eventually fell into madness. The deceased wife's younger sister, Ms. Kuregashi, nursed him in various ways, but her efforts were in vain, and she ultimately followed the same path as her sister. At that time, the younger sister, Ms. Kuregashi, was pregnant with the child of the madman and was already close to her due date, but she was overcome with the same sorrow and was about to end her life when, I hear, she barely managed to recover."
At that time, there was a guest monk named Shōkū who had come down from Kyoto to repair the Buddha statues at Kanzeon-ji Temple in Dazaifu, Chikuzen. After completing the repairs, he stopped by this area during his pilgrimage and, perhaps feeling pity upon hearing of the situation, stayed at my house. He unrolled the scroll, performed a solemn sutra recitation and memorial service before the Buddha, and then cut down a large sandalwood tree in the backyard. He selected its red heartwood and personally carved a seated statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva. He placed the scroll painting inside its body and enshrined it as the main deity in our family's Buddhist altar. From then on, the service of this Buddhist altar and the viewing of this scroll were to be performed only by the women of our family, and all other men were strictly forbidden from approaching it before he departed."
After that, a child was born to the person who harbored madness. He was a boy like a jewel, born into this world without incident, grew up, took a wife, and inherited the family name. However, following the teachings of Shōkū Shōnin, no one else was allowed near the Buddhist altar, and his wife alone was responsible for offering water, incense, and flowers, praying solely for peace in this world and a good place in the next. But perhaps because he inherited the blood of a madman, when he reached middle age, although he was blessed with children, his wife died prematurely, and he fell into madness once again.
Thereafter, among the successive generations of men, one or two individuals occasionally appeared who would fall into madness due to some obstacle. Their symptoms differed from those of ordinary people; sometimes they would try to kill women, or repeatedly engage in disturbing acts such as striking new graves of women with hoes or spades. If people tried to stop them, they would attack and injure those people, and sometimes even bite their own tongues or hang themselves to death. This terrifying phenomenon, continuing through generations, was truly the height of horror.
People who witnessed these circumstances couldn't help but be filled with fear, dread, and apprehension. Some whispered that it was a curse for a man to have seen his picture scroll, while others suspected that it was an impediment for an impure woman to approach a Buddhist statue. So strong was the aversion to forming blood ties that there were frequent worries about their family line dying out. Therefore, they tried to protect their family name by using gold and silver to find people from afar, but in recent years, even beggars speaking of their family's lineage became something that made one's tongue tremble and body shiver. Now, all blood relatives have died out, and only I remain. In particular, my two elder brothers successively fell into states of madness; the eldest brother dug up Kaiguma's grave, and the second eldest brother tried to strike me with a stone. As a result of those terrifying incidents, both of them died early. As such rumors grew, most of the family distanced themselves from me, and even those who had served for many years merely sighed when they saw me, saying nothing, leaving me in a lonely and pathetic situation.
At that time, a person named Kumoi, who held the position of chief retainer for the Karatsu domain, heard about this matter. A proposal was made for his third son, Kisaburo, to become my husband and inherit the family name. The messengers were overjoyed, exclaiming to each other, "There's no better offer than this!" However, among them, only my wet nurse, who had raised and protected me, did not look happy; she appeared downcast. When I asked her why, she sighed and said, "This is by no means a joyful matter. I overheard from someone who served in your husband's household that this Kisaburo is the son of Lord Kumoi's concubine. He is skilled in swordsmanship, but his conduct has been far from gentle since his youth. While serving in Nagasaki, he became infatuated with a courtesan, associated with bad company, ransacked dojos, and forcibly borrowed from teahouses, committing all sorts of outrages until he lost his place. It seems he secretly returned home at that time, but no one in the household was willing to accept him as a son-in-law; he was detested like a snake or a caterpillar. Nevertheless, upon hearing of our family's circumstances, this proposal came about. However, I hear that the true intention is a scheme to seize our family's possessions through the chief retainer's authority once the matter is settled. Though it is fate, and though we are powerless, thinking of the sorrow of what lies ahead, my eyes blur, my heart feels as if it will vanish, and tears flow. I, too, was distraught and didn't know what to do, but being frail, I was helpless. While I was worrying and grieving, the autumn harvest ended, and things settled down a bit. This very evening, that Kumoi Kisaburo unexpectedly arrived at our house, alone, without attendants, and not even wearing a haori and hakama.
Everyone ran around wondering what had happened, and without time to prepare sake or snacks, we invited him to the inner parlor. I also tidied my makeup and went to the seat, but I was surprised to see him. One side of his face was burned and festering, like a lump of clay, and the other side had torn eyebrows, white eyes, and a crooked mouth, truly like a demon. Furthermore, I don't know how he was called, but the alcohol went to his head, and I trembled at his frightful appearance. I somehow endured, and with an uneasy heart, I was pouring sake when he took my hand. At that moment, I instinctively pulled my hand away, and the sake in the cup spilled onto his lap. Then, he suddenly became violent from drink, and he pushed away the wet nurse who tried to restrain me. I took that opportunity to escape and finally made it here, but there was no way to escape the misfortunes that had continued in my family, or the misfortunes of my own body, and I was only thinking of dying, but I was stopped like this. I wondered if I would just become a nun and go on a pilgrimage, and though I don't know who you are, I just prostrated myself in the sand and prayed in a hushed voice, asking for your mercy to teach me the way.
After listening to her story, Kotei thought for a while, then helped the maiden up and said, "Very well, I have a way. Please don't lament so much now. First, let's unroll that illustrated scroll and reveal your karma." As he said this and was about to lead the six beautiful women away, a fierce warrior, like a half-faced demon, appeared from the shadow of a pine tree and, without a word, attacked Kotei. Kotei turned his body with the sharp edge of his Zen training, letting the sword cut through empty air, and shouted loudly. At that moment, the warrior, holding his white blade, swam through the air, ran a few steps, then stumbled off the edge of the cliff and fell into the moonlit sea, disappearing with a spray of water.
Thus, Kotei, accompanied by the six beauties, arrived at the Wu family's residence. Together with the family members, he collected the wet nurse's remains, personally performed the funeral rites, and cautioned against speaking of it to others. Then, he entered the Buddhist room, dismissed everyone, and retrieved the picture scroll from the body of the principal image, Maitreya Buddha. He respectfully bowed to it and unrolled it. Inside, there were depictions of the beauties' bodies decaying and pus oozing out, which made his hair stand on end. Kotei sat before the Buddha, calmed his spirit, and entered a state of samadhi for over ten days. On the morning of the last day of the eleventh month of Enpō 2, he suddenly opened his eyes and said:
"There is nothing superior to the Nembutsu for dispelling the delusions of ordinary mortals. Namu Amida, Namu Amidabutsu, Namu Amida, Namu Amidabutsu."
Kotei chanted loudly three times, then threw the picture scroll before him into the brazier. In an instant, it vanished into a wisp of smoke.
Thus, Kotei calmed his mind and gathered the family, saying, "By my spiritual power, I have been able to sever the evil karma of the Wu family. I will enshrine these ashes in the Buddha statue and offer prayers for all spirits of the three realms. And I will return to secular life, marry into this house, and wish for future prosperity. If any of you have thoughts, please share them." However, not a single person offered an opinion. Everyone feared the reproach of the Kokuroi Kumoi family.
Kotei understood their feelings. That very day, he thanked the family, sealed the house and warehouses, and erected a wooden plaque that read, "Returned to the public authority. Wu Heita." He loaded only the gold, silver, and calligraphic works onto four carts, making tall piles, and had strong men transport them. He himself carried the Maitreya Buddha statue on his back, kept the Wu family's genealogy in his bosom, and led the six beauties by the hand. They departed Hamasaki at dawn the next day. As they headed east, on the first day of the twelfth month of Enpō 2, amidst falling snow, the long journey, named after the six beauties, shone beautifully like a silver screen.
A short distance further, as the eastern sky began to redden, he heard human voices approaching from behind. Kotei turned around to see twenty or thirty constables drawing near. Among them was Kumoi Kisaburo, who had fallen into the sea. How he had revived was a mystery, but he was now wearing a white headband, small armor, a jinbaori, and field hakama, and was approaching with a naginata. "Evil monk, don't move!" he shouted. "I had thought you were a secret inspector for the Grand Shogunate and had held back my blade out of deference, but upon investigating your true identity under藩命, I discovered you are a brazen and lawless individual who, disguised as an artist, surveyed the terrain of the castle town, and disguised as a monk, traveled through various provinces, deceiving virtuous families to steal money and goods, and kidnapping children to make them disappear. There is no escape now. You are a lawless person who steals from our domain. Capture him without mercy!" he yelled, and the constables also shouted in unison, kicking up snow as they pressed forward.
On one side was a high cliff, and on the other, a precipice overlooked the sea. Behind him were the vulnerable women and horses. It seemed impossible to escape, but Kotei showed no sign of panic. He handed the Buddha statue he was carrying on his back to the horseman, who then gave it to the six beautiful women who had brushed off the snow. He gripped his familiar bamboo staff, adjusted his clothes, and quietly turned back and stepped forward, rolling his rosary beads between his fingers. The constables were surprised and stood frozen at his demeanor.
At that moment, Kotei bowed politely to the large group, cleared his throat, and said, "It is truly a great effort for you to have come such a long way. I am deeply impressed by the clarity of your domain's governance, to have such a large group see off such an unworthy person as myself. Since you have shown such kindness, if you would be so kind as to escort me a little further, to the territory of Chikuzen over there, my duty would be completed without delay, unnecessary killing would be avoided, and it would not bring shame upon your domain. I would appreciate your reply regarding this matter." He smiled pleasantly.
Everyone was momentarily stunned. Then, Kumoi Kisaburo's face turned crimson, and he roared, "What words came out of your mouth!" He yelled, "Today, you won't even be a rust on my sword. There's only one opponent. I don't care if I cut down anyone but the woman!" He shouted, raising his sword. The constables eagerly responded, but Kotei calmly held his bamboo staff in his left hand, disarmed one person with his bare hands, then knocked away other blades, cutting down surrounding weapons to clear a path.
Taken aback by the unexpected skill of the traveling monk, the constables stood with their arms crossed. Kumoi Kisaburo could not bear it and shouted, "You impertinent monk!" He drew his sword and attacked, but Kotei threw the sword aside and lightly switched his grip on the bamboo staff. He approached Kisaburo's deadly blade, not missing a single moment of opportunity, and calmly dealt with him. Kisaburo, unable to withstand the pressure, turned pale, gasping for breath with cold sweat running down his face.
Kotei smiled at the sight and pressed him, "Kisaburo, have you already attained enlightenment? The sharp sword of Amitabha is the spirit of this bamboo staff. The immovable bond is the breath of this kindness. No matter how excellent a sword, a sword that does not transcend the boundary of reality and illusion, life and death, is inferior to this single piece of bamboo staff. The inexplicable before your eyes is such. If you doubt, cast aside your sword, turn your evil heart, and enter the Buddhist path. Otherwise, I shall entrust myself to the principle of 'one death, many lives,' cut your body into two, and remove the disgrace from the Karatsu domain. Now is the boundary of life and death. It is the fleeting moment that divides hell and heaven."
Kisaburo was disturbed by these words, his face lost its color, and he stared at Kotei with bloodshot eyes. But he mustered his courage again, raised his great sword, and attacked. Kotei parried it and struck Kisaburo between the eyebrows with his bamboo staff. Kisaburo reeled back, dizzy, and as Kotei leaped into the void he had created with a sideways sweep, he reached for the hilt of the small sword at his waist. Before Kotei could finish saying, "Now, I leave it to your desire," Kisaburo raised his great sword, arched backward like a Buddha, and blood gushed from his right shoulder, staining the snow as he breathed his last.