止觀院藂篠中山王垂迹事
The Account of the Manifestation of the Mountain King in the Bamboo Thicket, at the Shikan-In [Temple on Mount Hiei]
(JPN: Shikan’in Zōzōchū Sannō )
ATTRIBUTION
Translated into English by Rev. Jikai 慈海 Tyler Dehn デイーン
©Translation by Jikai Tyler Dehn @ The Saichō Repository 最澄典藏 Project, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Available at: [insert URL of specific text page].
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Text Overview:
The present short text recounts the tale behind the two clumps of bamboo planted in front of the Konpon Chūdō Hall on Mount Hiei. It recounts how Master Saichō came upon a bamboo grove on Mount Tiantai, which he felt represented the assent of the Mountain’s Deity to the establishment of the Tiantai School of Buddhism on its slopes. It then recounts how he vowed to take cuttings from this grove back to Mount Hiei in Japan, so that the Deity of Mount Tiantai might also be present there, alongside the Mountain Deity of Mount Hiei.
This bamboo grove was later implanted in many locations, and has continued on Mount Hiei into the present:
The two bamboo cuttings are present in the courtyard of the Konpon Chūdō on either side of the path c. 1600 A.D.
The two bamboo cuttings as they look today.
Commemorative Plaque in front of bamboo cuttings.
Aerial photograph looking down on the bamboo cutting groves in the courtyard.
TEXT:
| ENGLISH | UNPUNCTUATED TEXT | PUNCTUATED TEXT |
|---|---|---|
| The Memorial Verse to the Gods of the Konpon Chūdō [Hall], (recorded by Sange [Daishi Saichō]) says: “In this bamboo thicket the Dharma is skilfully transmitted (i.e. with upāya), for the deity [of the mountain] manifested [in this] provisional form, to [cause] sentient beings to prosper for ten thousand generations.” On the back [of the Memorial Verse] it says: “In the Oral Transmission it says: “During Dengyō Daishi’s time in Tang [China, when he] arrived at Mount Tiantai [he] went to the Yuanzong Yuan [Temple]. [And there, he] saw a thicket of bamboo trees [whereupon he] made a vow saying: “I will cut two stalks [of bamboo from here] and take them back home [with me, to] plant in the courtyard in front of the Shikan-In [Temple on Mount Hiei].” ”” This in found in Oral Transmission. | 根本中堂神祇祭文曰（山家御記）。 藂篠竹林中。方便法傳來。神明垂權迹。人間萬世興。 （裏書云。口決曰。傳教大師在唐之時。入天台山。詣圓宗院。見藂篠之竹林。誓曰切二技以歸朝。生止觀院庭前。有口決）。 | 《根本中堂神祇祭文》曰 (山家御記): “藂篠竹林中，方便法傳來，神明垂權迹，人間萬世興。 (裏書云: “口決曰: “傳教大師在唐之時，入天台山，詣圓宗院。見藂篠之竹林，誓曰: “切二技以歸朝，生止觀院庭前。” ”” 有口決)。 |
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