Prayers to Kobodaishi

A crowd throngs a statue of Kobodaishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, at Toji temple on the monthly market day. Kobodaishi is depicted with a pilgrim's hat and staff, as he wandered all over Japan and established several pilgrimage routes. People pray by ringing a bell, chanting, whispering prayers, and bathing in the rising incense. Kobodaishi is believed to have great spiritual and magical powers, and though he passed away more than 1000 years ago, his corpse is believed to still be meditating in his tomb, waiting the right time to reanimate and spread Buddhism once again. Note: the umbrellas are to keep the brutal sun off, not to ward away rain.

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• Kobodaishi
• Shingon
• Toji
• Buddhist
• prayers