ASK  OZUNU

• THE GREAT BODHISATTVA SPEAKS •


— Q: WHO WERE ZENKI AND GOKI? —
A: HUSBAND & WIFE DEMONS, DISCIPLES OF OZUNU
In the first year of Emperor Tenmu (672 CE), when Ozunu was age 39, he encountered a man and woman demon. The demon husband's name was "Sekigan" (or "Shakugan"; "Red-Eyes"), and the wife's was "Koukou"[?] ("Yellow-Mouth," a term meaning "young and immature"). They practiced ascetics and had emerged from the Ikoma mountains — on the border of Nara and Osaka — to serve the Ascetic En.

That's one story, but others involve more direct action from Ozunu in putting an end to the couple's reign of terror.

 

CAPTURE STORY #1:
The Kidnapping of Onihiko

Red-Eyes and Yellow-Mouth had five demon children: Kiichi ("Demon One"), Kiji ("Demon Next"), Kijo ("Demon Assist"), Kiko ("Demon Tiger"), and Onihiko ("Demon Boy"). These five children represented the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water.

(NOTE: The children's names may have instead been: Kiguma ["Demon Bear"], Kijou ["Demon Above"], Kitsugu ["Demon Heir"], Kijo ["Demon Assist," same as above], and Kidou ["Demon Child"], because these are the surnames which were adopted by the descendants of Zenki.)

It can never be known how many thousands of people the couple killed. Ozunu, who was doing ascetic practices on Mount Minoo (at least one source gives the reading "Mount Kimen"), put a curse on their child, Onihiko, and hid him in a cavern until at length the two demons agreed to aid him.

Ozunu said, "If you obey my commands from now on, I will return the child to you." The two demons vowed to obey him, and they declared, "We will not eat humans anymore. If we become hungry, we will eat even the chestnuts of the mountain if we must."

At that time, Fudou Myou-ou was in the sky. Fudou Myou-ou is most important of the Buddhist Five Great Kings; his function is to carry out the wishes of the Great Buddha. Ozunu said, "If you should disobey me, he will certainly punish you," and then he returned Onihiko.

 

CAPTURE STORY #2
A Haircut on the Mountains

Ozunu initially captured the thieving couple on Mount Onitori ("Demon-Capture," so named for this legend) on the Nara side of Ikoma. They had to be dragged by the hair on their heads to Mount Kougiri ("Hair-Cut," so named for what it's said Ozunu did to them there) on the Osaka side, and the legend goes that they lost their ability to "god-travel."

In honor of these events, Kakurin-ji Temple was built on Mount Onitori, and Jikou-ji Temple was erected on Mount Kougiri.

Proof of the legend and an image of Ozunu are stored in Jikou-ji Temple's Founding Hall. It seems that Ozunu did not carry a shakujou (khakkhara) staff, but a sword, which he used to cut the demons' hair.

 

THE DISCIPLES OF OZUNU
Salvation and New Names

Red-Eyes and Yellow-Mouth regretted their sins, and so they asked for Ozunu's help and became his disciples. Ozunu gave them four verses in praise of Buddha, which have the power to grant salvation and raise up an enlightened heart. By regularly reciting the verses, the two demons were able to become humans.

At this time, the demons changed their names. Red-Eyes was given the name "Zenki" ("Front Demon"), and Yellow-Eyes was given the name "Goki" ("Behind Demon").

As Zenki and Goki were already established as a married couple, they were seen as the yin and the yang. The husband Zenki, as a man, represented the yang pinciple. Because the yang advances in the front, Zenki, who stood at the front, was given the kanji "front" by Ozunu. Since the yin principle was associated with being withdrawn, Ozunu gave the wife the kanji "behind," as in "close behind," for her name.

True to their names, Zenki would stand in front of Ozunu and use an axe to cut a path while Goki would express obedience by following behind their master.

The set of demons used by Ozunu — Zenki, Goki, and their five children — became the yin, yang, and the five elements which he made use of through magic and seals.

During the Edo era, in 1672 CE, the Buddhist priest [???] wrote a summary of these events in Selections from the Heart of Shugen. The husband became associated with the Diamond Realm mandala (which contains the gods of wisdom), and the wife became associated with the Womb Realm mandala (which contains the gods of logic). Ozunu declared, "Zendouki performs his tasks with wisdom, and Myoudouki performs hers with logic."

Depending on the biography, Zenki's and Goki's names differ. In Secret Collection of Shugen Main Tenets, they are "Chidouki" ("Wise Child Demon") and "Zendouki" ("[Buddhist] Zen Child Demon"). In The True Narrative of Enno Gyouja, they are "Zendouki" ("Virtuous Child Demon") and "Myoudouki" ("Miraculous Child Demon").

It is also said that Ozunu came to call them "Righteous Learning" and "Righteous Wisdom."


Their human names are believed to have been Otomaru and Wakamaru.

 

ADDITIONAL LEGENDS
The Tree Spirit / Kurama Tengu

In 1854 CE, the priest [???] of the Ushikubo family of Yoshino, who claimed descent from Zenki, scribed the family history. In this history, Zenki's name is the same as the god of the Katsuragi mountains. Zenki was written as "Komi" ("Tree Spirit," "Kodama"), and Zenki's parents were written as "Fumi" ("Father Spirit") and "Bomi" ("Mother Spirit").

In the Noh performance, "Kurama Tengu" ("The Long-nosed Goblin of Kurama"), Zenki is a tengu ("long-nosed goblin"). Written in the Muromachi era (1392–1573), the song tells the tale of the Great Tengu who taught the secrets of the art of war to Ushiwakamaru and made a promise of future protection.

"The High Priest dwells in the valley of the Kurama interior, as seasons pass like a visiting monk," says the protagonist, a mountain priest, as he enters on stage. "The High Priest dwells in the valley of the Kurama interior, and with the passage of years, he becomes the Great Tengu," he says, taking on the form of a Tengu. As Ushiwakamaru is the only one who takes pity on him and shows him kindness, the Great Tengu gives him knowledge and a vision of the defeat of his enemy, the Taira.

The mountain of Kurama is among the Oomine mountain range.

 

REPRESENTATIONS IN ART
Red Demon, Blue Demon

An oft-found image of Ozunu shows the husband Zenki carrying an axe. The axe rips through the world of the disillusioned, and his left fist destroys the evil creatures. He is a red demon whose tightly closed mouth has the meaning of growling in the Diamond Realm, and his hair stands up in the shape of flames.

The wife Goki carries a jar filled with akamizu (sacred water; "Concealing Attendant Water" or "Logic/Truth Water of Great Mercy"). She bears a case filled with seeds (chestnuts?) on her back, and sometimes she is depicted holding the benevolent Awesome Healing seal in her right hand while she holds the water jar in her left. She is a blue demon whose mouth is open in a flattering shape. Her hair is smoothed down like a veil.


Sources:

  • "Kurama Tengu." Trans. Taisa M. T. Enja no Hitokoto. 2001. Kamakura Noh-Butai. 16 Mar. 2003 <http://www.nohbutai.com/kuramatengu.htm>.
  • "Mutou 8." Trans. Taisa M. T. Yuuran Wakusei. 15 Mar. 2003 <http://ho-ho-ho-.hp.infoseek.co.jp/mutou003.html>.
  • "Oni no Kuni." Trans. Taisa M. T. Shosai. Mono no Kai no Kan: Kannai no Goannai. 16 Mar. 2003 <http://home9.highway.ne.jp/LARK/novel/history/oni.htm>.
  • Turner, Patricia, and Charles Russell Coulter. Dictionary of Ancient Deities. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.
  • "Yougo Setsumei: Chimei." Trans. Taisa M. T. Karasu. 16 Oct. 2001. Blood gets in your eyes. 11 Mar. 2003 <http://www18.u-page.so-net.ne.jp/rd5/minato/k_yougo2.htm>.
  • "Yougo Setsumei: Meishou nado." Trans. Taisa M. T. Karasu. 16 Oct. 2001. Blood gets in your eyes. 14 Mar. 2003 <http://www18.u-page.so-net.ne.jp/rd5/minato/k_yougo1.htm>.

Image Sources:
  • Enno Gyouja Fan Kurabu. 13 Mar. 2003 <http://www.ayus.net/enno/>.
  • "Fujii Darani Sukemaru." Gensen: Shirarezaru Nawa Kanyaku homepage. Aug. 1996. Digital Apes Inc. 16 Mar. 2003 <http://www.apes.co.jp/wakan/html/html2/fuziida2.html>.
  • Kouyou, Momiji. "Dorogawa (Kouhen) Ryuusen-ji ~ Menbudou Shounyuudou." Aug. 1996. Kouyoutei homepage. 16 Mar. 2003 <http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Hanamizuki/5101/dorogawa2/dorogawa2-0825.html>.
  • Toyota, Toki. "Fuji-san to En no Gyouja." Atezuppo 19 Jan. 2003. Touge to Hana to Jizou-san to.... 16 Mar. 2003 <http://tokipro.cool.ne.jp/atezuppo/zupoback/zuppo090/zuppo090.html>.
  • Toyota, Toki. "Nara Yama Kamigadake Tozanguchi - Dorogawa Shuuraku - Ryuusen-ji no Densetsu." Atezuppo 20 Jul. 2002. Touge to Hana to Jizou-san to.... 16 Mar. 2003 <http://tokipro.cool.ne.jp/atezuppo/zupoback/zuppo078/zuppo078.html>.

 

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