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7. Not to break good manners and to accept insults from the Elders.
8. On level ground, not to have futile conversations (concerning Dharma or women)
9. Not to touch on the frivolous subjects, not to amuse with laughing at useless words or grievances.
10. When in bed, to fall asleep while using the nenju and reciting mantra)
11. Respect and obey the Veterans, Directors and Masters of Discipline, and read sutras aloud (the
yamabushi in mountain have as a practice to speak with full lungs and the texts must be
understandable)
12. Respect the regulations of the Directors and the Veterans.
13. Not to allow useless discussions. If the discussion exceeds the limits for which it is intended, one
cannot allow it.
14. On level ground not to fall asleep while largely yawning (In all Japan the yawn is very badly
perceived; a popular belief even says that the heart could flee the body by the yawn).
15. Those which put without care their sandals of straw (Yatsume-waraji, sandals with 8 eyelets) or
which leave them in disorder will be punished with exceptional drudgeries. (It is necessary to have
to go with sandals to include/understand the importance which they can have for a shugenja, even if
during modern time, the "chika tabi" in white fabric replaced the sandals of straw at many shugenja.
Kûban inside Kannen cave on
Nevertheless certain Masters as Dai Ajari Miyagi Tainen continue to carry them for their comfort and
Tomogashima island during 21 days
the adherence which they offer on the wet stones. To leave in disorder the sandals, considering the
Mizudachi-no-gyo...
number of yamabushi, it is to expose oneself to not be able to find them at the time of the
departures, since in Japan, it is habit to expose the feet when one enters buildings, even in
mountain)
16. Not to chatter while entering the mountain with the neophytes who have not practised yet.
17. Not to cut wood for oneself in a radius of 650 meters (6 Chô) around the refuge (not to impoverish
the forest around the refuge) However the collecting of the deadwood is not prohibited.

1991, Kûban at Shogoin temple

In feudal times these were read each day so the neophytes could retain them well. One neverduring Takuhatsu
reflects the tiredness, tests and drudgeries that are faced along this pilgrimage, challenges which
continue to discourage the least robust or most boastful people. In Haguro, Yamabushi living close
to the temple, during the weeks which precede the autumn pilgrimage in the mounts of Déwa-
Sanzan and with the Kotakuji monastery, meet to carry out the preparation of material of clothing
and the equipment necessary for the pilgrimage. For Muiné-iri in the Ominé mounts, they are the
monks of Shogoin who prepare in the temple of Kyoto all the material necessary. Nevertheless, the
purchase of the costume * of yamabushi (worn by ritual which is essential for all shugenja
considering its comfort and its utility) remains the responsibility of each one according to his rank
and capacities (financial).
Kûban doing morning office at
Kizoin temple, Yoshino 1994-1995
The Costume of Yamabushi
"To put on the clothing of Yamabushi, is to put on the personality of the Fudo Buddha" something
always practiced by the shugenjas. It is a tradition, very practical in the mountains which has not
changed for more than 1000 years. Traditional clothing may be seen as uncomfortable by the
majority of the foreign neophytes, at the beginning, the costume appears as a true Master who
teaches us important things in mountain.
The clothing of the yamabushi is a true Master-Teacher for the shugenjas.
To incorporate all its symbolism, the yamabushi have a meditation on the symbolism of each part
when they get dressed. A yamabushi does these as he dresses in less than 10 minutes in the
mountains. We will now list the principal articles which constitute the dress of yamabushi at the time
of the pilgrimages in mountain, in group or isolated.

1. Tokin: It is a small cap carried on the front of the cranium, which symbolically recalls the lotus on the
top of the head of Fudo and which makes it possible for the yamabushi to protect the head when
they pass under roots or trees. It can also be used of cup for drinking or to offer water to the
Buddhas in mountain, where material is always missed. Its particular form is filled of symbols that all
shugenjas must know. There exists a small black tokin, made out of plastic now, or enamelled very
hard and very light paper more comfortable and practical in mountain. It symbolizes the lotus which
is on the top of the head of the Fudou Buddha. When in town or during the ceremonies, the
yamabushi can wear another cap: Eboshi (cap of the wing of the crow) the black cap of En-No-
gyoja, which has several folds like a Swatiska and a small protuberance to return the plait coiled on
the top of the head. They can also carry the cap of brocade with broad sides to the shoulders (Nagai
-tokin, long Tokin) not very practical in mountain, it is the usual cap of the Masters of the esotericism
in particular and the whole of Mahayana in general.

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Haguro Yamabushi blowing conch

schell

2. Hangai or Ayai-kasa: It is a hat braided with fine wood slats of cypress, very light, against the rain or
the sun. Symbolically, it represents the halo of the Buddhas and Bodhisattva. It represents the
matrix of Taizokai mandala whereas the cords used as fasteners are symbolically the umbilical
cords which attach us to Mother-Nature.

Kûban's kaiho during 100 days in

Omine mounts from Sho grotto

3. Suzukake and hakama: It is a jacket and a divided skirt whose cut has not changed since the Heian
time. At the beginning it has been a lay clothing, worn by the nobles of the court of Kyoto, then by
the whole of the nobility of the caste of the warriors since the Kamakura time and by all the
yamabushi for 1000 years. It is made out of cotton for the beginners, silk for the "ritual garments" at
the time of the ceremonies with Kyoto or in flax and hemp to go in mountain. Light, quickly drying
after the dew, at the time of walk, the color is often ochre-orange, color of the egg or the amniotic
liquid. The jacket symbolizes Kongokai with its 9 parts and the trousers Taizokai with its 8 folds.

4. Yui-gesa (or Fudo-kesa, Bonten-kea or Machikon-kesa): The kesa is the large buddhist toga of the
monks, the clothing monastic designed by the Gotama Buddha starting from 9 bands of menstrual
linen bent in only one roll of material. This fabric little practises in mountain, where it would tear
easily with the rocks and the branches, was folded in only one fabric band to which one added 6
pompoms to symbolize the 6 virtues. It is a pectoral white (Shiroi ginran bonten kesa) for the monks
Couple roks inside bay of Toba,
and chestnut (Cha hiro ginran bonten kesa) for the lay practitioner, with reasons encrusted out ofwith Mt Fuji at 500 kms, inside the
gold with sheets with Ginko-Bilobab (symbol of asceticism in the Honzan school). The colornew sun..
indicates the rank: Marine blue for the lay beginners and white in the confirmed religious ascetics
who practise the difficult retreats (hara-gyô, between 100 and 1000 days). In all the Schools of
shugendô, all the yamabushi can be recognized at first glance from a distance by the Kesa worn
before even exchanging the first codes of membership of the group. Moreover there is a
brotherhood between all the schools of Shugendô: Shugen Kosyukai which gathers Shogoin,
Sanpoin, Shozenin, Kimpusenji and Tonanin, Kizoin, Sakuramotobô, Chikuriin, Ryusenji, the
sanctuaries of Nachi and Kumano, various affiliated temples of the province of Yamato (Kansai;
Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama, Osaka and Mie), of Kanto (area of Tokyo), and of Kyushu and others
without distinctions of class nor of doctrines in order to preserve and to preserve intact the teaching
and the study of Shugendô. In Shugendô Bonten-kesa is a sign of recognition and membership.
This is the collar of the Fudou Buddha.

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5. Hirataka-nenju: It is the name given to the special rosary with 108 beads employed in shugen. It
goes around the neck only in mountain, for in the natural mandala, one is not more supposed to be
in Sangha. Otherwise the yamabushi always carries it rolled up in 3 turns to the left wrist. Used as a
counting frame it makes it possible to count the number of mantra recited at the time of the jappa
(recitation of mantra in an uninterrupted way). The beads symbolize passions which one polishes all
day through perseverance and practice.

6. Hôragai: The "Conch of the Law" plays the same part as the bugle of the military formations. In
addition it moves away the dangerous animals like wild boars, the bears or the stags (formerly
wolves). It invites the men to gather, it announces the departure or the arrival to the lodging, the
beginning or the end of a rite. It can emit between 3 to 5 notes only made by setting the lips
differently. Each school of shugen has its own melody phases, which makes it possible to be
identified in the mountains without having to speak. The conch is the instrument carried by the
Indian god Vishnou, it is heard in the 3 worlds. Its form resembles the sanskrit letter BAN, symbol of
Dainichi Nyorai in Kongokai mandala. It is the monk Kukai who it first brought it back from his stay in
China. To be able to blow for hours at a time during the pilgrimage of "the entry in mountain" in
Ominé develops the breath considerably and gets incomparable mystical experiences, the major
sound of the conch reflecting on bodies pineal and pituitary brain if one learned how to blow as it is
advisable in shugendô from a Master of the art of the conch. During the years in Shôgoin, it was my
work, to learn how to blow in the conch with the apprentices young monks. Its training is long,
tiresome and painful nevertheless with a good instructor, it takes six months to control the melodies
with 3 notes, several years for the 5 notes of the Tôzan school. Like all the Masters of Conch, I
studied the 4 ways of blowing (with their melody sentences) of the 4 large schools of Shugen. And
even if the esotericism Shingon and Tendai uses the conch at the time of the processions and
parades, they are far from equally the magnificence of the art of the conch by as practiced by the
Yamabushi of Shugendô.

7. Shakujô: The wand or short stick with rings, it was invented by the Gotama Buddha to indicate the
presence of the monks in front of the residences of which they were going to make the asceticism of

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the begging. It is carried by the yamabushi with the belt in mountain to control the rhythm of the
readings of the texts and sutra like the drum.

8. Oi or enkyu: It is a portable trunk with 2, 3, or 4 feet, to be able to set it on the ground without
dirtying it. It was either the light braided bamboo or heavier enamelled wood. It was used for the
yamabushis to transport a statue of En-No-gyoja or Fudou (or others according to the particular
worship which they chose). It was kept on the back thanks to straps similar to those of a backpack.
At medieval times, the yamabushi always had this at the time of his peregrinations, all the more so
in Ominé "to reload it". But now this trunk is not used any more except for show at the time of the
processions which precedes a ceremony of Walking in Fire (Saito Goma) downtown. In the
mountain, it became cumbersome since it is necessary from now on to go very quickly! Its
dimensions are symbolic and point out certain aspects of the doctrines of Shugen.

9. Kata-bako: Literally "Box on the shoulders". It is a rectangular box, that is set on the portable trunk,
which contains the prayers to be recited to the divinities, the lists of the persons in charge and the
participants, ink, the brushes to write and paper sheets and various usual objects. The katabako
was often used as lid with the portable trunk. It was closed by a sacred knot (tama-musubi)
indicating the confidentiality of information which it contained. Like Oi, it is also not employed
anymore, but solely at the time of the parades for the ceremonies; Directors of pilgrimage now
preferring the use of the back bag, more practical for fast displacements.

10. Kongo-zuè: It is the walking stick. It is of different length and form according to the rank and the
responsibilities. Made of a simple dead branch for the neophytes who will leave it behind in the
Ominé mounts at the end of the pilgrimage; it is octagonal for Sendatsu or perfectly cylindrical for
the Directors. These 3 models are always present. Symbolically it is the Lightning-diamond which is
the Master who leads on the path of the Awakening. During feudal time its robustness when made
of oak or cypress, often transformed it into pole to carry water and wood. It measures 1m 50cm for
Sendatsu, and 1m 80cm (6 shaku) for the Directors. Sakki-Sendatsu, must use a little particular
Kongo-zué to that contained a sharp-edged spear end (Shikomi-zué) in case the passage of the
column was barred by an animal made insane, such as a female bear with cubs, or wild boars
charging because a demonic spirit has made them insane (Goryoé).

11. Hisshiki: It is a piece of goatskin, deer or bear which makes it possible to sit down in these
Japanese mountains which are permanently softened by the rain. It keeps the bottom of the back
warm and thus avoids catching chill and allows sitting down, protecting the back of the legs.
Although we are Buddhist, the Hisshiki is second in importance only after the sandals of straw in my
recommendation of items to carry in the wet mountains of Japan! This square of skin symbolizes the

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skin of the lion on which the bodhisattva Fugen sat. It symbolizes also passions which all yamabushi
must control.

12. Kyahan and Tekko: The leggings and mittens protect from the scratches, and make it possible to
make the divided skirt usable in mountain. The gaiters protect from the leeches at certain places of
the pilgrimage. There are 2 symbolic types : for the pilgrimage of spring and another model for the
autumn. If a yamabushi puts on gaiters of black colour, that means that he is involved with
"genkrabé" (contest of capacities) of "fast walk on the clouds!"

13. Hiôgi: The special fan made of wood plates of cypress is very much used to poke the flames at the
time of the ceremony of fire.

14. Shiba-uchi (Hôken): It is a sword, resembling the sword of Foudo, carried by all the yamabushi
before the abolition of the carrying of the sword in Japan, under the pretext of being used to cut
wood. It is not any more in use today but for the ritual of the Sword of Sapience in Great Ceremony
of Fire Outside (Saito Dai goma kuyo). At present in mountain, Yamabushi have their personal knife
which they use only in the event of extreme need because the presence of blade on asceticisms is
supposed to ruin the goals of these last.

15. Hachi-nawa or Kainô: These are two cords carried specific to the size which is needed to ensure
safety at the time of the dangerous passages above the chasms. It is the umbilical cord of Fudou. It
is is yellow, violet, red, chestnut or white according to the function and the rank.

16. Yatsume-waraji: They are the sandals in straw with 8 eyelets of Shugendô. Difficult to support at the
beginning because the feet are not accustomed to be treated harshily in modern times. Waraji offer
a perfect adherence in rainy weather on the slipping rock, the straw inflating water, fact statement in
Yamabushi: "the straw sandals are for the feet during practise, like the lotus’ are for the feet of the

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Buddhas". In modern times the craftsmen who made them have been lost (in old times with these
sandals one could traverse 60 kilometers), and have we have replaced the straw sandals with
sandals made from fabric which actually damage the feet on the mountain lanes!

The Magic of the Esoteric Buddhist Texts

It was in 538 that Buddhism was introduced to Japan by King Syong of Korea, as a gift to the
Emperor of Japan. The first Buddhist sutras which were in the hands of religious Japanese, the
Shamans shinto, contained formula magic (darani) as that of sutra of the Queen of Peacocks
(Kujaku kyo), then it was the turn of Hokké-kyo, then of Shomankyo, Muryojukyo, Urabonkyo,
Yuimankyo, Ninô-Hannyakyo, Yakushikyo, Dainichikyo, etc... to contain magic prayers. These
prayers were used by Shamans to make rain or by other types of Shaman to heal. Shaman and
witches that still use them to cast magic spells continue to abound in the rows of Shugendô today!
Omine Tengu, unique statue inside
Kizoin temple , Yoshino

Following Article by Prof.Miyake

One of the best ways to introduce Shugendo is to focus on mountains austerities, which are the
most important rituals in Shugendo! According to the doctrine of Shugendo, the object of mountain
austerities is to become a Buddha in one's human body. In others words, the purpose of mountain
austerities is to transform a profane man into a "sacred man" by mystic training at sacred mountain.
"Wandering in mountains can be an ascetic practice..." said the ascetic of India, Jishun Milarépa;
one of the master of Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.
We can divide mountain austerities into 3 elements: the first is the mountain as a sacred place. Not
only in Shugendo but also in all Japanese religion as a whole, mountains are considered to be
sacred places. The mountains are viewed as the dwelling place of spirit of the death and ancestors’
spirit. Tombs are built on mountains. In Japan, the procession to the place of burial is called "going
to mountains" (yamayuki). In the ancient times, the tomb of the Emperors was called mountains.
These customs are evidence that Japanese people perceive mountains as dwelling place ofIsland Tomogashima's cliff,
spirits...In particular, caves, peaks and valleys are feared as dwelling places of thesepilgrimage in Mts Katsuragi...
spirits...mountains are believed to be the "other world". A spirit of the dead has been worshipped by
his descendant during 33 years becomes a deity (kami), a protector of the family! Second element,
mountains are regarded as limited space between this world and the other world. The mountain is
an avenue to Heaven and the cave an entrance to an other world... The living beings on a mountain
have also profane and sacred characters... Third element, the mountains possess the same
character as the cosmos. Mountain is the "Axis mundis".
The keys to understanding the Shugendo as a popular folks religion are numerous. The Professor
Miyake Hitoshi, scholastic Japanese specialist of Shugendo, speaks about 13 division of
understanding. However, much of the information concerning the Shugendo rituals is hidden behind
the veil of oral and secret transmission (denju). Thus these activities have been inaccessible to
academic research through normal research methods.
13 divisions:
1. Practices in the mountains. There are 3 types of practices in mountains. The first is to "entering the
mountains" to make offerings of flowers, read of sacred texts in honour of various Buddha and
deities, based on the belief that the mountain is a sacred area like a mandala. These kinds of
practice can be "annual pilgrimage". This first type of "entering inside mountains" developed in
ceremonies performed for the second type practice inside mountains: Entering the mountains for
certain period of time... This second type of practice in mountains, all those retreats in the
mountains occur for a set period of time during which various ascetic practices are cultivated,
culminating in the transmission of the secret lore (hihô) or performance of initiations. This second
type of practice the "entering in mountains" is an essential experience for any sincere practionner of
Shugendo. The third type is the most severe, consisting of difficult ascetic retreat in the mountain
during 100 or 1000 days, during wintertime for new year period...The purpose to these difficult
practice is to acquire special spiritual powers by doing retreats in caves (yama-gomori), wandering
in mountains (kaihogyo) or practicing the meditation under waterfalls (takishugyo)...
2. consecration ceremonies (kwanjo) Shugendo, as a movement very much influenced by Esoteric
Buddhism of Vajrayana, involves a great variety of consecration ceremonies. The central and most
important consecration is called the "Sho-Kanjo". This ceremony is running every 20 years inside
the mountains at "Jinsen" hermitage in mount Omine in Japan. It is performed on the assumption of
the shugendo practionner has passed through the "10 realms" of existence, from hell to Buddha

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