Honda Chikaatsu
Honda Chikaatsu (本田親徳) (January 13, 1822 – April 9, 1889) was a Japanese Shinto religious teacher and writer. He was head of Miwa Shrine (神神社) in present-day Shizuoka Prefecture. Honda is known for devising the meditation and spirit possession techniques chinkon (鎮魂) and kishin (帰神). He produced several writings in Japanese and literary Chinese during the 1870s and 1880s.
Quotes
[edit]- The original texts of Honda's writings can be found in: Suzuki, Shigemichi 鈴木重道 (ed.). 1976. Honda Chikaatsu zenshū 本田親徳全集. Kawaguchi: Sangabō 山雅房. (in Japanese)
- The English translations below are from:
- Staemmler, Birgit (2009). Chinkon kishin: Mediated Spirit Possession in Japanese New Religions. Münster: LIT Verlag. ISBN 978-3-8258-6899-4.
- Namiki, Eiko (並木英子) (2019). "Honda Chikaatsu’s Spiritual Learning as a Means of Bringing Blessings and Guiding the Nation". Journal of Religion in Japan 7 (3): 276–305. ISSN 2211-8330. DOI:10.1163/22118349-00703004.
Kinmon Hirayama daikyōsei kakka 謹問平山大教正閣下 (1874)
[edit]- 必ずや霊魂の其物体に憑依するの神法有りて、確乎として動す可らざるを信ず。
- I firmly and unfalteringly believe that there is certainly a divine method through which a soul takes possession of some material body.
- Suzuki (1976), p. 92 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
- I firmly and unfalteringly believe that there is certainly a divine method through which a soul takes possession of some material body.
Michi no taigen 道之大原 (1883)
[edit]- 萬物之中也者。
- 有形之中也。
- 其中可測矣。
- 神界之中也者。
- 無形之中也。
- 其中不可測矣。
- 勿混語。
- Among the myriad things,
- Are those that have form.
- Within them, things can be measured.
- Among the realm of the spirits,
- Is that which is formless.
- Within it, things cannot be measured.
- Do not confuse these two.
- Section 2 (Wikiquote translation)
- 人心也者大精神之分派。
- 故無生無死。
- The human heart is a branch of the Great Spirit.
- Therefore, it has no birth and no death.
- Section 5 (Wikiquote translation)
- 大精神之爲體也。
- 至大無外
- 至小無內。
- 若無所在。
- 若無不所在。
- 聖眼不能視之。
- 賢口不能語之。
- As for the essence of the Great Spirit:
- It is so great that it has no exterior,
- And so small that it has no interior.
- It seems to be nowhere.
- Yet it seems to be everywhere.
- The eyes of saints cannot see it.
- The mouths of wise men cannot speak of it.
- Section 8 (Wikiquote translation)
- 死生一理。
- 何爲二之。
- Life and death are one principle.
- Why make them two?
- Section 17 (Wikiquote translation)
- 天降生民有一生而無再生。
- 是乃天命。
- Heaven bestows life upon people; there is one life and no rebirth.
- This is the decree of Heaven.
- Section 18 (Wikiquote translation)
Nankojiki 難古事記 (1883)
[edit]- 親德拾は歳皇史を拝読し、此の神法の今時に廃絶したるを慨歎し、岩窟に求め草庵に尋ね、終に三拾五歳にして神懸三十六法あることを覚悟り、夫れより幽冥に正し現事に徴し、古事記日本紀の真奥を知り、古先達の説々悉く皆謬解たるを知り弁へたりき。
- Commentaries to the Kojiki and the ancient histories have all been erroneous because Motoori, Hirata and all such other renowned masters have not comprehended this matter of spirit possession. [I,] Chikaatsu at the age of eighteen worshipfully read the Imperial histories, and came to lament that this divine method had ceased to be carried out. I thus went seeking for it in stone grottoes and grass huts, and at the age of 35 came to understand that there are 36 methods of spirit possession. Since then I have rectified matters by consulting the arcane realm and testing things in relation to present things. I have come to know the true profound meaning of the Kojiki, and to realize that the theories of my predecessors are all erroneous.
- Nankojiki (VI), in Suzuki (1976), p. 224 (Namiki 2019, trans.)
- Commentaries to the Kojiki and the ancient histories have all been erroneous because Motoori, Hirata and all such other renowned masters have not comprehended this matter of spirit possession. [I,] Chikaatsu at the age of eighteen worshipfully read the Imperial histories, and came to lament that this divine method had ceased to be carried out. I thus went seeking for it in stone grottoes and grass huts, and at the age of 35 came to understand that there are 36 methods of spirit possession. Since then I have rectified matters by consulting the arcane realm and testing things in relation to present things. I have come to know the true profound meaning of the Kojiki, and to realize that the theories of my predecessors are all erroneous.
- 神懸三拾六法と云ふは神達に上中下の品位あり。而して有形無形之差別あり。亦自感法他感法神感法あり。三法合せて二百九十八法なる。亦た妖魅界亦邪神界とも云ふありて、神界に准じて十は法ある故に正邪合せて三拾六法と成る。
- 太卜と神懸の両法は世界無比の霊法にして、乃ち神国と云ふ所以抑々此にあるか否。
- The 36 methods of spirit possession are due to the upper, middle and lower grades of the deities. And there is the distinction between [deities] with and without form. Besides, there are the method inspired from within, the method inspired from without and the divinely inspired method. Adding these three methods up there are 2 times 9, that is 18 methods. And there is the World of the Obscure and Bewitching, which is also called World of False Deities. Because it has 18 methods just like the Divine World, with true and false combined there are 36 methods. [...]
- The two methods of divination and spirit possession are spiritual methods unparalleled anywhere in the world. Is it not in the first place because of this that one calls [Japan] a divine country?
- Nankojiki (VI: 153), in Suzuki (1976), pp. 224-5 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
Chinkon-hō 鎮魂法 (1887)
[edit]- 次に
- 三産霊神を一心に祈里幽山貫徹の加持を冥中に行ふ。
- 但玉石に鎮むるは前以て其目方見置く可し。
- Next, pray to the three musubi with all your mind, and for no one to see perform the prayer ritual of piercing misty mountains; provided that one calms [the deities] with a ritual stone, one should place it just in sight of one’s eyes.
- Suzuki (1976), p. 364 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
Reigakushō 霊学抄 (1880s)
[edit]- 一、天地の真象を観察して真神の体を思考す可し。
- 一、万有の運化の毫差無きを以て真神の力を思考す可し。
- 一、活物の心性を覚悟して真神の霊魂を思考す可し。
- Observing the true shapes of earth and sky one should think of the true god’s body.
- Through the ever unfaltering movements of all things one should think of the true god’s energy.
- Realising the mentality of the living beings one should think of the true god’s spirit.
- Suzuki (1976), p. 370 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
- 帰神の法を幽斎の法といふ。神界に感合するの道は至尊至貴、濫に語る可き者に非ず。吾朝古典往々其実績を載すと雖も、中世祭祀の道衰へ其術を失ふ既に久し。神法に依り其古に復す。是即ち玄理の窮極、皇祖の以て皇孫に伝へし治国の大本にして祭祀の蘊奥なり。
- 蓋し幽斎の法たる至厳至重、深く戒慎し其人に非れば行ふ可らざる者あり。濫に伝ふ可らざる意玆に存す。
- 然りと雖も其精神萬難に撓まず。自ら彊めて止まされば竟に能く其妙境に達する事を得ん。後の此伝を受くる者厥れ之を諒せよ。幽冥に通ずるの道唯其れ專修に在り。
- The method of kishin is called the method of the imperceptible ceremony. It is the most noble and most precious ceremony of all ways of attaining unity with the divine world and not something to be talked about without good reason. Its positive achievements were occasionally recorded in our imperial court’s classics, but it is already a long time ago that during the middle ages the way of religious services fell into decay and this technique was lost. Depending on divine methods I have restored it in its ancient [state]. Precisely this is the ultimate truth, it is the secret depth of religious services which were transmitted from the Imperial Ancestor to the Imperial Grandchild as the basis of ruling the country and sustaining peace on earth.
- (Alternative translation of the above paragraph from Namiki 2019: "Ways of connecting with the realm of the deities are most honorable and noble, and are not to be spoken of carelessly. The ancient classics of our court do attest to them, yet during medieval times the ways of ceremony and worship declined, and the techniques have long since been lost. Relying on the methods of the deities, I now restore things to the way they were in ancient times. This is the apex of the mysterious principle. [These ways of connecting with the realm of the deities] are great fundamentals for governing the nation that the Imperial ancestors transmitted to the Imperial descendants and are the profoundest essence of ceremony and worship.")
- Anyone who is not deeply cautious about this most majestic and most weighty method of imperceptible ceremony is not someone who should practise it at all. And this is why it should not be transmitted without good reason.
- In spite of this, this [imperceptible ceremony] does not yield to myriads of mental difficulties. When one makes an effort striving to overcome these [difficulties], at long last one should be able to reach its mysterious ground. Those who receive this method from now on must practise it with sincerity. From all ways of communicating with the world beyond, I have specialised in only this one.
- Suzuki (1976), p. 372 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
- 一、身体衣服を清潔にす可し。
- 二、幽邃の地閑静の家を撰む可し。
- 三、身体を整へ瞑目静座す可し。
- 四、一切の妄想を除去す可し。
- 五、感覚を蕩尽し意念を断滅す可し。
- 六、心神を清澄にして感触の為に擾れざるを務む可し。
- 七、一意に吾霊魂の天御中主大神の御許に至る事を黙念すべし。
- 右七章は自修の要を明らかにす。
- (Staemmler 2009, trans.):
- 1. One should clean and purify one’s body and clothing.
- 2. One should select a sequestered place or a quiet and secluded house.
- 3. One should prepare one’s body and sit down on one’s heels with one’s eyes closed.
- 4. One should absolutely eliminate all distracting thoughts.
- 5. One should fully employ one’s senses and extinguish thoughts and volition.
- 6. Having made one’s mind pure and serene one should strive to not disturb it through sensations [from without].
- 7. One should concentrate and pray silently that one’s soul may reach the realm of the great deity Ame no Minakanushi.
- These seven clauses illustrate the main points for practising it by oneself.
- (Namiki 2019, trans.):
- 1. Your body and clothing must be clean.
- 2. Select [for your practice] a secluded place and a quiet house.
- 3. Correct your posture, close your eyes and sit still.
- 4. Eliminate all deluded thoughts.
- 5. Clear your senses and stop your thoughts.
- 6. Make the spirit of your heart clear, and make sure not to get disturbed by your senses.
- 7. Single-mindedly and quietly think of your soul reaching the presence of Great Deity Ame-no-Minakanushi.
- Suzuki (1976), p. 373
- 幽斎は宇宙の主宰に感合し親しく八百万神に接す。其の修し得るに至ては至大無外、至小無内、無遠近、無大小、無広狭、無明暗、過去と現在と未来とを問はず一も通ぜざるは無し。是即ち惟神の妙法。
- The imperceptible ceremony is for unity with the universe’s ruler and for coming into close contact with the eight hundred myriads of deities. What one may attain through practising this is that which is largest with nothing outside of it, which is smallest with nothing inside of it, which is not near or far, not big or small, not wide or narrow, not bright or dark. Whether past, present or future, there will not be one thing one cannot grasp. Precisely this is the mysterious way of the deities.
- Suzuki (1976), p. 373 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
- The imperceptible ceremony is for unity with the universe’s ruler and for coming into close contact with the eight hundred myriads of deities. What one may attain through practising this is that which is largest with nothing outside of it, which is smallest with nothing inside of it, which is not near or far, not big or small, not wide or narrow, not bright or dark. Whether past, present or future, there will not be one thing one cannot grasp. Precisely this is the mysterious way of the deities.
- 常に服膺すべき者あり。玆に其概を挙ぐ。
- 一、霊魂は神界の賦与にして即ち分霊なれば、自ら之を尊重し妖魅等の為に誑かさる、事勿れ。
- 二、正邪理非の分別を明かにす可し。
- 三、常に神典を誦読し神徳を記憶す可し。
- 四、幽冥に正神界と妖魅界と在る事を了得す可し。
- 五、正神に百八十一の階級あり、妖魅亦之に同じ。
- 六、正神界と邪神界とは正邪の別尊卑の差あり、其異る亦天淵の違あるを知る可し。
- 七、精神正しければ即ち正神に感合し、邪なれば即ち邪神に感合す。精神の正邪賢愚は直に幽冥に応ず。最も戒慎すべし。
- 以上はその概を掲ぐと雖も、幽冥の事たる深遠霊妙、其至処は之を言ふ能はざる者あり。唯其人の修業に存す。
- There are things one should always bear in mind. I give an outline here:
- 1. Because one’s soul is an endowment from the divine world and is thus fraction of the divine soul, one should honour it and must not abuse it for anything obscure and bewitching.
- 2. One should be aware of the differences between good and evil, right and wrong.
- 3. One should always read the divine scriptures and remember the divine virtue.
- 4. One should be conscious of the fact that within the world beyond there is the World of True Deities and the World of the Obscure and Bewitching.
- 5. The World of True Deities consists of 181 levels, the World of the Obscure and Bewitching likewise.
- 6. Between the World of True Deities and the World of False Deities there lie the distinction between true and false and the difference between honourable and despicable. One should know that they are non-identical and that there is all the difference in the world between them.
- 7. If one’s mind is true, one achieves unity just with true deities; if it is false, one achieves unity just with false deities. Whether the mind is true or false, quick-witted or foolish is directly reflected in the world beyond. One should be extremely cautious.
- [In these clauses] above I have given an outline, but things related to the world beyond are profound and mysterious. It is impossible to say where they might extend to. This may be known only through a person’s religious exercises.
- Suzuki (1976), pp. 373-4 (Staemmler 2009, trans.)
