24Apr10: Chris McCabe
隠れた山寺へ
Journey to the Hidden Mountain Temple
平成１８年から２０年まで三豊市の豊中中学校でＡＬＴとして勤め、毎日本山寺の前にある道を通って通勤したが、その２年間一度も境内には入らなかった。平成２２年４月２４日の外国人のための四国八十八ヶ所遍路体験で初めてこのお寺を訪ね、国宝である本堂のきれいな屋根と空に聳える五重塔を見ると「早く来ればよかったのに」と思った。
I worked as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) for the two years from August 2006 to August 2008 at Toyonaka Junior High School in Mitoyo City, Kagawa Prefecture. However, during that whole time, I never once set foot inside Motoyamaji despite the fact that I commuted to work everyday on the street that runs right in front of the temple. I finally took my first steps inside on April 24, 2010 during the 5th Shikoku 88 Temple Circuit Experience for Foreign Residents and Visitors, with a group of fifteen other "pilgrims." We took in the gracefully curved lines of the temple's Main Hall, which was built during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333) and is a designated National Treasure, and we peered up at the towering five-storied pagoda. The beauty of the temple made me think to myself, "Why didn't I come here sooner?"
のどけしや
五重塔を
仰ぎけり
Gazing up, up at
The temple's tall pagoda -
Awash in Spring's calm
本山寺を出発し、北へ向かった。三豊市に点在する数多くの貯水池やゆるやかに起伏する平野を通り、次第に急になる坂道を１１キロ歩いて、剣五山の麓にやってきた。山道を登り、俳句茶屋や賽の河原、金剛挙菩薩などを見ながら弥谷寺にたどり着いた。不思議に感じたのは、その山の懐に隠れているお寺は下から見えないが境内から見下ろすと三豊市全体が見えるということであった。本当にきれいな景色であった。
Our group left Motoyamaji and set off to the north. We passed Mitoyo's plentiful reservoirs and its low, rolling plains as we hiked 11 km up a path that gradually became steeper. We then reached the base of Kengozan Mountain, where we began our ascent up the steep path. On the way we saw a rest stop called the Haiku Jaya, on the walls of which were hung hundreds upon hundreds of haiku poems, written by pilgrims passing on their way through. We saw a strange piles of rocks called the "Sai no Kawara," which are said to have been made by the spirits of deceased young children in a display of respect for their parents and ancestors. We also saw the awesomely tall statue of Kongoken Bosatsu, or the bodhisattva with clasped hands, bending down to greet us as we passed by before finally arriving at Iyadaniji. I found it enchanting that, even though the temple cannot be seen from below on the approach, when you look out from its inner sanctuary, you can see the whole of Mitoyo City lying before you. It was truly a beautiful view.
懐に
隠れる寺の
春うらら
Clear, shining spring day -
Secretly hidden temple
In the mountain folds
弥谷寺の大師堂になる｢獅子の岩屋｣という洞窟で住職にお寺の歴史や文化、例えば「弥谷寺参り」という風習などについて説明していただいた。その後、弥谷寺の本堂と磨崖仏を見てから、険しい遍路みちくだりに挑戦した。路の一部が崩れ、一部が小川になっていたので降りるのが危なく感じられたが、木の枝を貫く木漏れ日はとても美しかった。海岸寺駅までの最後の６キロをゆっくりと歩き、穏やかな夕暮れの下で第５回の遍路体験はおしまいになった。
At Iyadaniji, the Daishi Hall (the hall dedicated to Kōbōdaishi Kūkai, the Buddhist monk who is credited with founding the Shikoku Pilgrimage) is built into a mountain cave called the Shishi no Iwaya - the Lion's Mouth Cave. Here the chief priest gave us an explanation of the history of the temple, as well as an introduction to some of the special customs of Iyadaniji, such as the "Iyadani Mairi," in which people bring the hair and finger nails of the deceased members of their family as offerings. After this, we hiked a little higher up to see the Main Hall and the images of the Buddha carved into the mountain wall before attempting the perilous downhill descent of the Pilgrimage Trail. Here, the path completely crumbled away at certain points and it merged with a mountain stream at others. Though it felt dangerous at times, we couldn't help but be mesmerized by the beauty of the sunlight filtering through the mountain's green trees. We made a leisurely walk of the last 6 km to Kaiganji Station, and beneath the sunset of a gentle evening sky, the 5th Henro Experience came to a close.
山裾の
林を抜ける
遍路かな
Exiting the woods
At the skirt of the mountain -
Pilgrims clad in white
クリス・マッケーブ
Chris McCabe
