KoyaQuest
Asekaki Jizō
Asekaki Jizō
Asekaki Jizō
Just beyond the Naka-no-Hashi Bridge, we find two of the so-called "Seven Wonders of Oku-no-in." The first is a "sweating" statue of the Bodhisattva Jizō (Skt: Kṣitigarbha).
The statue in stone is a black bas-relief against a lighter colored background. The contrast gives the image a wet appearance, making it seem as though it is sweating, hence the name "Asekaki" or "Sweating" Jizō.
Jizō is revered for his pledge to save all sentient beings trapped in the six realms of karmic retribution. The notion that this Jizō sweats fits in with the belief that he has willingly taken on the suffering of all people.
In Shingon practice, mantra play an important role in prayers and meditations. In fact, the word "shingon" means "mantra." The mantra associated with Jizō is on kakaka bisanmaei sowaka, and it is written on a panel on the right side of the shrine. The repetition of the "ka" sound is said to be laughter-like and an expression of supreme happiness. So, as we can see, the suffering suggested by the sweating is accompanied by a mantra of joy.
To the right of the Sweating Jizō is the Sugatami-ido, or Shape-Reflecting Well. According to an early legend, the miraculous healing powers of this well were revealed by Kūkai to a sick man in a dream. For this reason the well was known as the Kusuri-i (the Medicinal Well).
A more recent tradition, popularized in the Edo era, claims that anyone who peers into the well and fails to see his or her reflection will die within three years.
A similar curse is associated with the nearby section of the Oku-no-in Sandō. It is said that anyone who stumbles and falls on any of the 42 steps known as the Kakuban Slope will also die within three years.
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