The popular wisdom is that Zen Buddhism holds great influence over the samurai warriors of ancient Japan. This modern view is probably due to Zen’s influence over the cultural arts of Japan (including the martial arts) and the relationship between Takuan Soho and the founders of the Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, one of Japan’s most famous sword schools.
But an even older, and possibly more profound impact was made by esoteric Buddhism (mikkyÃ…Â?). Dainichi Nyorai is considered the paramount diety in esoteric Buddhism. MikkyÃ…Â? contains a number of rituals to call on the power of the gods including incantations (mantra), hand gestures (mudra), inscriptions etc. These were used to divine powers of protection, healing and invisibility. For warriors and commoners alike, Dainichi Nyorai was a bit too superior to approach. Thus most samurai called on him indirectly through others, two of the most popular were FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? and Marishiten.
FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â?, one of the Five Wisdom Kings
FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? (whose smiling visage is pictured above) is a scowling, muscular, blue-skinned deity with a halo of fire behind him; he carries a sword and a tying cord for binding. FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? is a slave to humanity, and although he is armed, he uses his weapons in a good way. He serves as a symbol to remind the warrior to be wary of laxity when one is disciplining oneself for whatever purpose. The fierce image of FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? scares the warrior, reminding him to stay on the self-chosen path. In case the warrior strays, FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? is armed. Yet he does not use his weapons against man, but instead uses his sword to destroy the evil surrounding the warrior, evil that would draw the warrior from the path, for example carnal desire etc. The rope is for binding evil that cannot be cut, immobilizing it so that it may not reach the warrior. FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? is most likely a manifestation of the Indian deity Shiva.
Marishiten (at left) has been depicted as a beautiful woman sitting on an open lotus, a ferocious demon perched on the back of a boar or riding a fiery chariot pulled by seven savage boars or sows, or a multi-armed woman with a different weapon in each hand standing on the back of a boar. Marishiten has obscure origins and appears to be an amalgamation of Brâhmanical, Iranian, and non-Aryan antecedents. She has filled many roles throughout Asia in her 1500 year history of being a Buddhist “goddess.” Japanese warriors would chant to Marishiten during sunrise in order to achieve victory on the battlefield. Warriors would also invoke Marishiten in other ways to attain magical powers that would assist them in battle. One martial characteristic of Marishiten included the ability to confuse the enemy, to prevent them from “seeing,”Â? effectively turning the invoker “invisible.”Â?
And you thought those Buddhists were pacifists!
I hereby would like to induct Marishiten and FudÃ…Â? MyÃ…Â?Ã…Â? into Coming Anarchy’s pantheon of war alongside Robert Kaplan and Karl von Clausewitz. Wot wot!
- BROWSE / IN TIMELINE
- « The Healthcare Debate, revisited
- » The Meddlesome Duke of York and the New Jersey-Delaware Border Dispute
COMMENTS / 4 COMMENTS
mark safranski added these pithy words on 01 Mar 06 at 4:39 amExcellent post YH.
Buddhism was also far more receptive than Christianity toward transiency of monks adopting the way for a time and then returning to the the world. Some of the ferocious warrior-monks of feudal Japan who fought Samurai actually were themselves Samurai sometimes.
Dan added these pithy words on 01 Mar 06 at 2:34 pmMark,
To what extent did the Crusades, and later post-Monarchy Montenegro, exhibit Christian warrior monks? I’ve heard “quite a lot” argued, but I’d like to know your view.
lirelou added these pithy words on 03 Mar 06 at 12:14 amChristian monks may not have been transient warriors, but of course there were Christian warrior monks. As I recall there were three military orders: The Knights Templar, the Knights Hospitalers of Saint John (?), and the Knights of Malta. Not sure if the spin-off of the Templars, the Caballeros de Santiago, were monks or not. Korea also had a tradition of warrior monks, some of whom fought the Japanese in the 1592-97 Invasions.
mark safranski added these pithy words on 03 Mar 06 at 4:43 amThe Knights of Malta and the order of St John are one and he same. The third order is the Teutonic Knights who crusaded against pagan Slavs. While quasi-monastic these were knights while the Japanese temples had fanatically disciplined monks whose military independence was suppressed only with the greatest difficulty.
The Knights of Malta still exist BTW as a semi-sovereign entity in the Vatican city, recognized by the UN as an observer.
