Have you ever wondered, when visiting a temple, 'Why are there Kannon statues with many arms or angry faces, even though they are the same Kannon?'
In the Aizu region, there are many Kannon statues enshrined, such as 'Aizu Korori Three Kannon' and 'Thirty-Three Kannon Sacred Sites.' Just putting your hands together can cleanse your heart, but knowing the 'meaning of the form (design code)' that the Buddha statues hold transforms historical exploration into surprisingly academic and intellectual entertainment.
This time, let's unravel the secrets of the "Kannon (Bodhisattva)" that you may think you know but actually don't, and the uniquely diverse Buddhist figures you can encounter in Aizu.
What exactly is a "Bodhisattva"?
Buddhist statues can be broadly divided into four categories: "Nyorai (Tathagata)", "Bodhisattva", "Myōō (Wisdom Kings)", and "Ten (Heavenly Beings)".
The "Bodhisattva" to which Kannon belongs is a being who is training to become the highest rank, the "Nyorai". The model is the image of the "Buddha in his princely days", adorned with luxurious accessories and garments (heavenly attire) before attaining enlightenment.
An elite monk running around the field
Each Bodhisattva has a designated "master (Nyorai)", and Kannon's master is "Amitabha Nyorai".
While standing by Amitabha Nyorai, the elite monk who is closest to us humans is constantly running around day and night, asking, "How can I save everyone from suffering?" That is the Bodhisattva.
[Thirty-three Transformations] The ultimate customer support
The greatest feature of Kannon (Kanzeon Bodhisattva) is the overwhelming compassion to "change one's appearance to suit the other person".
The sutra called the "Kannon Sutra" states that Kannon transforms into "33 different forms" (Thirty-three manifestations) to save people, adapting to their situations. For the elderly, she appears as an elderly person; for children, as a child; and for soldiers, as a soldier. It truly is the ultimate customer support.
This is why Kannon is associated with the number "33" in places like "Sanjusangendo" and "Aizu's Thirty-three Kannon Sacred Sites".
Meet the representative "Transforming Kannon" you can encounter in Aizu!
To respond to the deep concerns of people, Kannon further transforms into forms with special abilities (Rokkanon and Nanakanon). Let's take a look at the representative forms you can actually encounter in the sacred sites of the Aizu region.
|
Types of Kannon |
The code of features and design |
Main temples you can encounter in Aizu |
|---|---|---|
|
Holy Kannon |
[Basic Form] A human-like figure with one face and two arms. In the left hand, it holds a water bottle filled with cleansing spiritual water or a lotus. |
Toritsuki Kannon (Nishi Aizu Town) |
|
Eleven-faced Kannon |
[All-Directional Radar] With 11 faces (compassion, anger, laughter, etc.) above its head, it finds suffering people in every direction. |
Nakada Kannon (Aizumisato Town) |
|
Thousand-armed Kannon |
[Infinite Rescue Tool] The strongest form that saves people without fail with a thousand hands and a thousand eyes. A rational calculation that one hand saves 25 worlds (25×40 hands = 1,000) is also made. |
Tachiki Kannon (Aizubakuhatsu Town), etc. |
|
Nyoirin Kannon |
[Thinking Kannon] In a posture with one knee up and resting its chin on its hand, pondering 'How can I save them?'. It crushes worldly desires with the 'Dharma Wheel' it holds. |
Kannonji (Kitakata City) |
|
Horse-headed Kannon |
[Angry Kannon] With a horse on its head, it devours human desires like a horse eating grass. It features a rare angry face (Fury Aspect) for Kannon. |
Gyudakuzan (Bandai Town) |
A 'connoisseur' perspective on appreciating Buddhist statues during tours!
Finally, I would like to introduce two slightly 'in-the-know' points of appreciation that will make you think, 'Oh, you really get it' when visiting a temple.
① Look for the small Buddha above the head (Kebutsu)!
Take a close look at the head of Kannon (the crown). Is there a small Buddha attached? This is called 'Kebutsu' and represents the master (superior) of that bodhisattva. The master, 'Amitabha Buddha', is seated on Kannon's head. It's like an employee badge saying, 'I am a subordinate of Amitabha Buddha.' Just knowing this reveals the connections among the Buddhist statues.
② Pay attention to the 'base' at the feet!
The base on which the Buddha is seated also has meaning.
Lotus Seat: A lotus that blooms beautifully from the mud. It symbolizes achieving enlightenment purely even in the world of worldly desires (common among Buddhas and bodhisattvas).
Shitsushitsu Seat / Iwaza: A base that resembles rough rocks. It represents a strong and unyielding will, often used for wrathful Buddhas (such as Fudo Myoo).
A journey to satisfy your intellectual curiosity in 'Buddhist City Aizu'
How was it? The number of hands and possessions of Kannon, as well as the shape of the base, all contain deep reasons and historical designs of 'wanting to save you.' Standing in front of the Buddhist statues in Aizu with this knowledge, you should hear a completely different message than before.
At 'Tabinoito', we offer tours in the [Academic Style] where guides explain the depth of Buddhist art and the historical background of the sculptors who colored the eras (such as Unkei and Kaikei) in an easy-to-understand manner.
If you have a curious mind and want to know more about the meaning of the design of Buddhist statues or experience the worldview of mandalas you saw in textbooks at an actual temple,
why not join us for an in-depth fieldwork experience in 'Buddhist City Aizu'?
