Miroku Stone 弥勒石みろくいし

Site of a Heavenly Descent

In Buddhism, there are countless Buddhas. Maitraya, or Miroku in Japanese, is the Buddha of the future who currently resides in Tuṣita, the fourth of the six heavenly realms. Mairteya is expected to appear to humanity in approximately 5.6 billion years, when the teachings of the present Buddha are no longer followed.

A small, unassuming shrine on the left of the path halfway between the Gobyō-bashi and the Tōrōdō marks the location where this event is believed to take place.

Measuring the Weight of Sin

If you hear loud banging sounds as you approach the mausoleum of Kūkai, the source is likely to be this shrine which houses a stone the size and shape of a rugby ball. Though there are various legends concerning its origins, there is some credence to the theory that the smooth black stone is a meteorite.

The stone is placed on an interior deck of the shrine which is about waist high. To the rear is another raised platform. Visitors are invited to try lifting the stone from the lower to the upper deck using just one hand (inserted through a larger hole in the lattice). Men are supposed to use their weaker hand.

Those for whom the weight of sin is light will be able to perform the task, or so the legend has it. Give it a try but be careful as it is easy to get one’s fingers pinched between the stone and the metal grate on which it sits.

composite photo illustration of Miroku Shrine — Illustration of the Miroku Shrine

KoyaQuest

KoyaQuest

KoyaQuest

Miroku Stone

KoyaQuest

Miroku Stone

Miroku Stone 弥勒石みろくいし

Site of a Heavenly Descent

Measuring the Weight of Sin