The Smallest Sutra in the World小石に経を書く
Long ago, near Kiyomizu-zaka, there emerged a custom whereby pilgrims would gather pebbles on which they copied, one by one, the individual characters of a sutra, a verse of Buddhist scripture. Then they would wash the stones, as they prayed for the souls of the deceased.
The temple hall where this custom was practiced exists to this day, and is known by the name Kyokaku-do, "the hall where sutras are written."
May I trouble you for a moment, good monk?
As we all know, far too many lives were lost in the plague that of late ravaged this city, and I wondered if there might be some way I could honor the dead. The only problem is I don't know the first thing about the Buddha or the sutras or any of that...
...Kyokaku-do Hall, you say? And it's a place where one can pray for the souls of the dead?
Well, this was a fortuitous encounter indeed! Since it's just round the corner, I'll go and visit it right away. Good day to you, sir!
ああ、お坊様。ちょっといいですかい？ ご存じのとおり、ようやく流行り病が収まったけど 多くの人が死んじまったでしょ？ 亡くなった人たちのために、 俺にできることはねぇもんかと思ってましてね。 恥ずかしい話なんですが、俺は仏様とかお経とか、 何にもわかんねぇもんで…。 …へぇ、この近くに死者の霊魂を弔う場所が あるんですかい。 なになに…「きょうかくどう」？ ああ、「経書堂」ですか。 そいつはいいことを聞きました。 とりあえず行ってみますわ。
This must be the place the monk mentioned! Kyokaku-do Hall... Now, if I'm not very much mistaken, that must mean "the hall where you write sutras". Yes, that would make sense...
Ah, what a pity I never learned to read or write! Even looking at a roll of scripture is enough to make my eyes glaze over. Hm, maybe this is no place for the likes of me.
Sorry to bother you, but one of your fellow monks told me that this was a place where I might pray for the souls who lost their lives in the plague.
...I'll need to write a sutra? I see... Hm, just my luck!
By the way, what are all these pebbles piled up here for?
...Is that right? And you're meant to just write one character on each stone? Well, that sounds manageable! I'd never be able to spell out a whole sutra in one go, but maybe if I copied it one character at a time...
Well, there's no harm in giving it a go! Just need to focus...
...Mother, Father, if you're watching over me right now, know that I have done all I can to honor your passing. You don't need to worry about me. I'll keep facing life's challenges, one step at a time.
- Where
- Kiyomizu-zaka Slope district
- Map
- Eastern Kyoto
- Region
- Eastern Kyoto
- Hand in to
- Lady Murasaki, Yasaka Shrine
Previous: The Nine Stages of Decay
Next: A Stony Resolve
All 36 Lion Dog locations