181 



§ 3. Dragons living in ponds or lakes, mostly near Buddhist shrines. 



In the history of Shitenno-ji, the "Monastery of the Four 

 Deva-kings", the Buddhist monastery built by Shotoku Taishi 

 at Namba (the present Osaka), we read that in the compound 

 of one of the buildings of this monastery, called Keiden-in, there 

 was a deep pond, named Koryochi ', in which a blue dragon was 

 supposed to live ^ 



At a distance of 36 cho from the temple of Hakusan Gongen, 

 "The Manifestation of Mount Hakusan" (the Buddhist name of 

 the ancient Shinto god of this holy mountain, which lies on the 

 frontiers of Mino, Hida, Echizen and Kaga provinces) there was, 

 according to the Kojidan^ (1210— 1220 A. D.), a sacred pond 

 called Mikuriya no ike, or "August Kitchen Pond". All the 

 Dragon-kings were said to assemble there and to prepare their 

 food (-jifc^, kuyo, food for offerings). Human beings could not 

 approach it, for as soon as they had the audacity of doing so, 

 a violent thunderstorm burst forth and killed the culprits *. Yet 

 two holy men prayed to Hakusan Gongen to allow them to scoop a 

 little water out of this pond. Another priest, who heard this, stayed 

 for thirty seven days in the temple, continually repeating the 

 same prayer. Then he went to the bank of the pond and earnestly 

 practised the kuyo-hd or "food-offering-method". The sky was 

 clear and there was no thunder or rain to drive him away. No 

 sooner, however, did he scoop a little water into a pitcher, than 

 his mind became confused and he felt as if he were dying. Yet 

 he was able to return home after having concentrated his thoughts.. 

 Sick people who drank this water or rubbed themselves with it, 

 were sure to be cured by the power of Buddha's Law. 



The Uji shui monogatari^ (1213 — 1218) contains a tale about 

 a young Buddhist priest who lived in the Nara period (719—784) 

 and made the following practical joke. On the bank of the Sarusawa 

 pond (near the Kofuku temple) he put up a placard, announcing 

 that on a special day and hour a dragon would arise from the 



2 Fuso ryakki, Ch. Ill, p. 495. 



3 Cb. V, K.T.K. Vol. XV, p. ii9. 



5 Ch.' XI, K.T.K. Vol. XVII, p. 225. See above, p. 171, note 6. 



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