A preist had been leading an ascetic life and training himself as a Buddhist at a thatched hermitage in the mountain. In the winter of that year, the snow lay so deep that he had no visitors from the village below, nor did he find any means to get something to eat. Finally, he ran out of food and nearly died.
He prayed and entreated the principal image of Buddha in the temple for the mercy that Buddha gave him food in charity on which he could live, even a day longer. Being half asleep and half awake, he found a deer on the ground outside, injured by a wolf. Though he was worried and hesitated about meat eating, which was forbidden to priests, he decided to cut off some flesh, both of the legs of the deer were boiled in a pot, so he would not have to starve to death by means of eating it. He ended up eating it at last, despite the commandment that priests should not eat meat.
In the meantime, it was getting warmer and warmer, and the snow melted away. The villagers below began to climb up the mountain to visit the temple, as usual, in order to pray before the image of the Buddha. Then, they found that the legs of the wooden statue of Buddha were cut off, and many small pieces of wood were scattered in a pot. They informed the priest if this at once. Being informed of it, the priest realized that Kanin (the Merciful Goddess) sacrificed herself and acted as a substitute for him, picking up the pieces of wood so as to fix the statue. Strangely enough, the principal image of Buddha was restored to it’s original state, as it was. Two kanjis (two Chinese characters) used in the name “Nariai” of the temple means that when anyone has his wish to be completed, he will have his wish granted if only he offers a prayer and makes a vow to the principal image of Buddha at this temple.
This temple belongs to Shingon Sect of Buddhism. At present, there are many groups of Buddhism in Japan. Shingon Buddhism is one of them. It was founded in Japan by Kukai (posthumous title: Kobe Daishi) in 806 A.D., who studied esoteric Buddhism transmitted from India at Chang-an, the capital of Tang China. It’s center, at first, the Toji Temple in Kyoto, was later transferred to Mt. Koya in Wakayama Prefecture, and from there Kukai propagated Shingon esoteric Buddhism. The religious activities initiated then, centering on Mt. Koya, have continued today.
(Ref: temple pamphlet)
“The temple bell which has never been or will be struck”
In the 14th year of keichyo (1609), Kenchyo, a priest collected votive offerings of money, so that he could raise funds for the project to replace the old bell with the new one. He failed in casting the bell twice when he began campaign for the funds to it for the third time and asked for the contribution of the neighboring surroundings and villages, a housewife in a house, which was fine and looked wealthy, said “since we have many children to bring up, we can’t afford to make a donation to the temple,” and refused flatly.
On the day when the metal was casted into the bell, watch how the bell was made. Among them was the said housewife looking at it, holding her baby in her arms. By mistake, she dropped her baby into the fiery melted copper, like boiling water. When the finished bell, involving such a sad and miserable accident in the course of completion, was struck, it rang beautifully all over the mountain and the beautiful sound of the bell could be heard in the villages nearby. But when people listened eagerly, they seemed to hear the baby crying sadly for it’s mother. People felt such pity for the mother and her baby that they decided never to strike this bell since then, wishing that the baby’s soul might Rest In Peace and arrive at the blissful state.
This is the ground that this temple bell has never been or will probably never be struck forever. The name of this bell is based in the legend.
(Ref: Temple pamphlet)
Although the weather was pretty crapp, this was an amazing site and beautiful observatory. This short day trip ends with a delicious bowl of ramen and gyoza (dumplings).