Lecture Series: A Gentle Introduction to Shugen from Kotakuji-Shozenin centering on the concept of harmony between kami and buddhas' (神仏和合; shinbūtsu-shūgō) as carried on by its true successors. A first from the next generation of Shozenin.
"Founded 1,400 years ago, Mt. Haguro has a deep history as a sacred place of Shugen. The spirit of Shugen continues to live on despite its repeated rise and fall throughout history. As a system based on practice, what can be said about the unique doctrines which developed at Haguro and many other mountain sites across Japan? Here, the deputy-chief priest of Kotakuji-Shozenin will open up the world of Shugen in a gentle and easy-to-understand manner."
Contents:
— Shugendo and Haguro (Tsuruoka Ideha Cultural Museum)
— Haguro Shugen and the Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya (Heart) sūtra (Shozenin)
— Shugendo as seen through its vestments (Tsuruoka Ideha Cultural Museum)
— Talismans (ofuda) and Shugen (Tsuruoka Ideha Cultural Museum)
Dewa-Shugen Faith:
The Mountain-faith of Shugendo and the Historical Development of Dewa-Sanzan.Written by Togawa Ansho.
"Today we refer to the Three Mountains of Dewa - the root of Dewa-Shugen faith - as 'Dewa-Sanzan' (出羽三山) . In the past, however, various names were applied, such as 'The Three Mountains of Haguro' (羽黒三山; haguro-sanzan), 'The Supreme Three Mountains' (最上三山; saijo-sanzan) and 'The Inner Three Mountains (奥の三山; oku-no-sanzan).
Until around the Keicho era (1596-1615), this mountain-trinity was comprised of Haguro (羽黒山), Gassan (月山) and Hayama (葉山), with Yudono (湯殿山) being considered the 'secret inner sanctuary' (奥の院; oku-no-in). From the beginning of the Keicho era however, Yudono came to replace Hayama in this trinity following its decline.
Mt. Haguro was considered to be a village temple-complex (里宮; satōmiya) at the entrance to Gassan and Yudono, and, from around the end of the Heian period, ascetic practitioners called shugenja or yamabushi would gather to devote themselves to the mountain-faith (山岳信仰; sangaku-shinkō) of the area.
Through special forms of practice, these practitioners would abstain from grains, living instead on wild vegetables and nuts, committing themselves to fasting and practicing without rest or sleep. Through being associated with these kinds of practices, the Haguro region gradually became famous as a training ground (修行場; shugyōba) for shugenja and yamabushi.
Mt. Gassan is the highest peak of the three. At an altitude of 1980m, it is by no means the highest of Japan which span around the 3000m mark. However because Gassan is located almost in the center of Yamagata prefecture, it can be observed from almost everywhere apart from the Yonezawa basin. The summit of Gassan is rounded - almost flat - and its slopes are wide and gentle with a wide base. Because of this, it was once considered to be a typical example of an aspite-type volcano. Recently, however, it has become clear through research that it is a strato-vulcano which was formed through subsequent re-eruptions which changed its shape over time.
Mt. Yudono rises up 7km to the south from the ridgeline of Mt. Gassan to a height of 1504m and Mt. Haguro is a smaller mountain which rises to a height of 419m roughly 23km north of Gassan. These are the three mountains of Dewa-Sanzan. In Buddhism, the formulation of things into three points is termed 'i' (イ), and this arrangement is considered to hold sacred meaning. Based on this kind of thinking, the main-deity (本尊仏; honzonbūtsu) of a temple is often flanked to the left and right sides by assistants (脇士; kyōji). It is said that the overall shape of these three mountains resembles the shape of a crouched ox, with Yudono as the head, Gassan as the raised body and Haguro as the backside. For this reason it is also referred to as 'lying ox mountain' (臥牛山; gagōsan). The figure of this ox is still seen in woodblock prints which are distributed as amulets for fire-prevention. The ox reference is further reinforced through the continuous presence of snow on Gassan even in summer ,which gives the image of an ox's black and white patterning. Thanks to this snow it is said that the Shonai region never has a problem with water even in drought, and it can be said that these blessings of nature nurtured the faith which emerged out of the people living in the surroudings of these mountains...
Haguro became a place well known for shugenja with a renown that attracted figures like Ryōgen Jie-Daishi (慈恵大師), however it is unclear when yamabushi first began to settle in the area. Ryōgen (912-985) was the 18th chief abbot of Enryaku-ji in the 10th century. He is considered a restorer of the Tendai sect and is credited for reviving Enryaku-ji. In Ryogen's biography it is written that in the second year of the Jogen era (977) that Yamabushi sounded their horagai at the temple gates in honour of Ryogen's spiritual testimony and efficacy (験力; genriki). From this we can gather that at least by around the 10th century, yamabushi were active at Haguro.
Priests of the Tendai, Shingon and Hosso sects, influenced by priests like Ane (安慧 - 794-868) and Tokuitsu (徳一) (781-842), headed to the mountains of Dewa in order to engage in ascetic practices. This contributed to the basis for a style of mountain-belief which differed from those at Omine and Kumano. Further, from the end of the Heian period to the Kamakura period the power of the Omine and Kumano Shugen expanded and spread into the Tohoku region, enriching Dewa Shugen along the way. As practitioners continued to influence each other and participate in each other's practices rituals and doctrines became more defined and contrasted, and due to Haguro's strategic alliance with Kanneiji ("Enryakuji of the East) it avoided being subsumed by the Honzan and Tozan factions."
For more on Dewa-Shugen (Haguro-ha) and Dewa Sanzan see also: