The following text is a slightly modified machine translation and may have some unnatural parts.
==Introduction==
There is a sutra that is not a formal Buddhist scripture called the Jishinkyo. The idea overlaps with Shugendo and Onmyodo, but there is something called a Shakumon that simply explains the content. "Shimahirome-Kyo (sutra)" is one of the explanations and is a creation myth. It begins with domestic production, and talks about the origin of trees, the origin of humans, the origin of five grains, and the origin of fire and water.
Shimahirome means to expand the islands.
==Jijinmoso==
There is a group of religious people called Jijin-moso(A blind monk who worships the god of the earth). It is distributed from western Japan and Kyushu to Yamaguchi and Shimane. It is roughly divided into the Gensei Horyu (Gensei-ho-style), which is based in Joju-in Temple in Fukuoka (Chikuzen), and the Jorakuin Horyu (Jorakuin-ho-style)in Kagoshima and Miyazaki (Satsuma, Okuma, Hyuga). It seems that there was also a Jijin-moso in the Iwami region of Shimane prefecture.
The Jijinmoso goes around the parishioner during Doyo (the dog days) of the four seasons, and purifies Kamado (a traditional cooking stove) and performs Kojin rituals. At that time, the Jishinkyo (Scripture to worship the god of the earth "地神経") is read. In addition, shakumon, which explains the contents in a simple manner, is also read.
There is a stage called "Shimahirome" in the Shakumon, which is a fascinating creation myth. Since the document recorded in the "Traditional Literature Material Collection 19th Jijinmoso Material Collection" is "tyokyu-ji Document", it seems to be Tyokyu-ji Temple in Obi Town, Nichinan City. So, it's a Satsuma-Hyuga-based Jorakuin Horyu Shakumon. According to Yoko Nishioka's "Traditional verse of the Jijin-moso: About Jishinkyo and Shakumon", Satsuma's Shakumon does not include "Shimahirome". In addition, it seems that there is "Shimahirome" in the text of the Jijin-moso of the Kunisaki Peninsula in Oita Prefecture.
==Synopsis==
Once upon a time, there was a country of Kiryo in Tenjiku (Tianzhu). The name of the king is the Great King of Shikoku (four countries). The Great King had four princes. The Great King called the princes and told them that there was an island called Middle-earth, and that you should go and make the island a territory.
The princes of Taro, Jiro, and Saburo took off. It was a long journey, but with no island to rest their birds' wings, they turned back.
The fourth prince of Shiro took off. He crossed 130,000 ri (ri: 4 kilometer or 650meter), but there was no island to rest his bird's wings, and when he tried to turn back, there was a crow. The crow said that if you were truly the youngest son of the Great King of Tenjiku (Tianzhu), I would tell you where the island was.
There, Prince Shiro made another 207,000 ri trip to reach the island. There were two old men on the island (old man and woman) and said, "What are you doing, Evacuate." The prince then replied that he was the youngest son of the Great King of Tianzhu, and he was convinced.
The Great King of Tenjiku (Tianzhu) sent a sutra to the news that Middle-earth was found. After planting a tree and reading the Jishinkyo for seven days and seven nights, the island expanded and 66 countries sprang up. It is called Haya-Akitsushima Island.
Then one hundred and seven people were born. Five-grain seeds were given by Tenjiku for the future of the born children.
The old man said goodbye and lay down on Iwato cave, leaving behind the whereabouts of fire and water. The fire burned with flames, and the water became the ocean.
It is said that porridge is boiled on the 15th day of the New Year to rule and serve Japan.
==Creation myth==
The feature is that the youngest child, the prince of Shiro, plays an active role.
Tale of Prince Goro , that talked about the origin of Doyo (the dog days) of the four seasons, is famous in the Shakumon of the Jishinkyo, but Shimahirome is also a creation myth along with Tale of Prince Goro. Shimahirome does not simply say that the island of Japan was born, but also explains the birth of trees, the birth of people, the origin of the five-grain seeds that live by eating them, the whereabouts of fire and water, etc. The feature is that the elements of that are packaged in one myth.
It is also the origin of the Moso (blind monk), as three of the 107 children born are disabled.
- * There is a great king in Tenjiku (Tianzhu) and there are four princes.
- * The princes take a long journey on a bird.
- * The youngest prince, Shiro, arrives at the island (Middle-earth) at the end of a long journey.
- * There are two old men on the island. Are they an old man and an old woman because they give birth to children?
- * The old man is a giant with a height of 16 jo (jo: about 3 meters).
- * The island is a solidified drip of Izanagi and Izanami's halberd.
- * When they read the Jishinkyo for seven days and seven nights, the island spreads and 66 countries spring up. Domestic production.
- * Bring tree seeds from Tenjiku and plant them. Origin of the trees.
- * It gives birth to a human species, 107 children. Izanagi Izanami spell.
- * The three are children with disabilities. Origin of the Moso (blind monk).
- * Bring the five-grain seeds from Tenjiku. Origin of the five grains.
- * Explore the whereabouts of fire and water. Origin of fire and water.
- * Boiled porridge and served.
- * To calm the Jijin (earth god) with porridge.
You can see the above motifs.
Flying birds to find the location of the island is somewhat similar to the story of Japan's destruction and rebirth in the Tosa folk religion, the Izanagi-style's Docu Saimon.
==Shimahirome==
It's a rough translation, but let's take a quick look.
Once upon a time, there was a country called Kiryo in Tenjiku (Tianzhu). The name of the king is the Great King of Shikoku (four countries). The Great King had four princes. The Great King called the princes and told them that there was an island called Middle-earth, and that you should go and make the island a territory.
The first prince, Taro, is fifteen years old. He rode the parrot's wings and headed east. He crossed 33,000 ri, but there was no island to rest parrot's wings, and he rested parrot's wings on the waves of Banri (10000 ri) and jumped back to Tenjiku (Tianzhu).
The second prince, Jiro, is thirteen years old. He rode the wings of a peacock and headed south. He crossed 55,000 ri, but there was no island to rest peacock's wings, and he rested peacock's wings on the waves of the taiga (large river) and jumped back to Tenjiku (Tianzhu).
The third prince, Saburo, is eleven years old. He rode the wings of Ojiro (white tail) and headed west. He crossed 77,000 ri, but he had no island to rest Ojiro's wings, resting Ojiro's wings on the waves of Daigo and jumping back to Tenjiku (Tianzhu).
The fourth prince, Shiro, is nine years old. He headed north on a wing called Karaben. He crossed 130,000 ri, but there was no island to rest Karaben's wings, and when he tried to rest Karaben's wings on the waves of Banri (10000ri) and jump back to Tenjiku (Tianzhu), there were crow wings offshore. So he tried to rest, but Wings got angry and told him to leave early. The prince said he was the youngest son of the Great King of Tenjiku (Tianzhu). And he said he was a messenger to go down to Middle-earth and make it a territory. He said he had crossed 130,000 ri, but he had no island to rest Karaben's wings and was about to rest Karaben's wings on the waves of Banri and return to Tenjiku (Tianzhu).
If you fly 207,000 ri to the west from here, there is an island of 166 ri to the Northwest and to the Southeast. In the olden days, it was an island made up of drips of Izanagi and Izanami halberds. Since the water is solid, it is called Awayajima island, the country of the Mizu-no-O (tail of water). The companion island is this island. There are two old men. He is a giant with a height of sixteen Jo (Jo: 3meter).
Shiro's prince rushed over 207,000 ri. There was certainly an island in the North South part of the West East. When the prince landed on the south side of the island, there were two old men (old man and old woman), and They said they were suspicious of riding on your wings. And They said I would prey on you if you didn't leave early.
The prince replied that I was the youngest son of the Great King of Tenjiku (Tianzhu) and told me to go down to Middle-earth and make the island a territory. The old man replied if you were truly the youngest son of the Great King of Shikoku. So, then, Shiro's prince opened the fan for three ken (1.8meter) and fanned it. Then, the fanned feather wind reached the gate (Mikado) of the Great King of Tianzhu.
The Great learned that the Prince of Shiro sought an island. The Great King told his vassals to take the sutras of the 75 Zen messengers as soon as possible, and sent sutras down to the island of Middle-earth's companion.
The old man said that you were truly the youngest son of the Great King of Tenjiku. And because this island is small, I told the prince to hurry up for seeds. And the old man said to expand the island and show it.
The prince told the old man to hurry up to Tenjiku (Tianzhu) and ask for the seeds of the tree. He replied that he was 33,000 years old and he was old, but he didn't know where Tenjiku (Tianzhu) was.
The prince then opened the fan for seven ken and fanned the old man. The old man was blown up by the fan's feather wind and arrived at the gate of Tenjiku.
The Great saw this and asked, hey, where did you come from?
The old man said that I was the messenger of Shiro's prince, the great king of Shikoku, and came from Middle-earth to seed the trees. He first told the Great King to give him reeds (Ashi), reeds (Yoshi), hackberry, willows, and wisteria.
The old man was given a tree seed and planted it in Middle-earth. He planted reeds (Asi) in the east, reeds (Yoshi) in the south, hackberry in the west, wisteria in the north, and branches in the center in an area of 10000go (330 square meters).
The prince said, "Now, I've finished planting the trees, but can I expand the island?"
The old man said, "I understand. You should read the Jishinkyo sutra."
The prince hurriedly went up to Tenjiku, saying, "If so," and summoned the two Hijiri (high priest) to read the Jishinkyo for seven days and seven nights. Then, 66 countries including Iyo and Sanuki came out.
The prince said, "As the old man said, the island has expanded, but this island was formed in ancient times by the dripping of the halberd of Izanagi and Izanami. I named it Awayajima or the Island of Mizu-no-O (tail of water). The current Japanese Hayakitsujima is this island. There is no human seed on this island. Give birth to human seeds."
The old man replied that he did not know the human seed because it was "as if vitality was generated, as if it sprouted."
The old men performed the spell of the old Izanagi Izanami for seven days and seven nights (In short SEX), so she became pregnant. She gave birth to 104 people.
"I heard that one hundred and seven were born, but one hundred and four are suspicious," said the prince. The old man replied, "One hundred and seven people were born, but three were born with disabilities, so I took it with pity."
The prince said, "Then the blind will be raised to Tenjiku (Tianzhu) and prayed for all sentient beings as Buddha's disciples."
The prince decided the upper, middle and lower of the born child. He was divided into heavenly people, ministers of vassals, high priest (hijiri), kokushi (provincial governor), jito (estate steward), and gunji (district governor). This is the cause.
The prince scattered the born children in 66 countries. He divided it into a wooden bear sho (manor) and a fire bear sho (manor). Genji, Heike, Fujiwara, Tachibana were split. He divided it into five properties: wood, fire, soil, metal, and water.
The prince said, "Give them the seeds of five grains for the last days of the children born by the old men."
The old man hurriedly went up to Tenjiku (Tianzhu) and asked for the seeds of the five grains. He was first given wheat rice, soybean millet azuki beans, and then forty-two grass seeds, and scattered them in 66 countries. Here, it is said that it is divided into 120 grasses, which is called Dainippon (Great Japan).
The old men said goodbye.
The prince said, Then tell me the whereabouts of fire and water for the last world of the children who gave birth to the old men.
The old men replied, "Look at the whereabouts of fire and water by breaking the Iwato Cave where I died and lay down." Then they broke the earth into seven Jo (Jo: 1.7 meters) and died and fell down. Japan moved when it appeared as a fish and moved twelve fins.
The prince broke Iwato, where he was lying down, as he taught him. Then, three golden gadfly with a length of 3 sun (3cm) came out. One went east, one went west, and took the other one to ask for the whereabouts of fire and water, and gadfly said, "Let's answer what I saw and heard in the days of the old men, The fire is in the stone. The water is in the tree. "
Then the prince broke the stone and a fire broke out. When the prince broke the tree, water came out from inside. The fire burned like a flame. The water became the Yo (remaining) sea, the Shitus (quality) sea, the Mushitsu (non quality) sea, and the sea of 9,000, and floated the ship of Hachikai (eight sea).
Ki (tree) clan's manor is aging with Yuzuruha (Daphniphyllum macropodum), and Ta (rice field) clan's manor is standing at the gate with a Aralia elata. they will welcome hackberry and make it a new year's tree (Toshigi). It is also called Taira clan to break the reeds and insert the sedges.
Boil porridge on the 15th day of the New Year to rule and serve Japan.
Build a house and boil porridge to rule and serve the Jijin (earth god).
The turtle is covered for a thousand years. The crane is covered for a thousand years. Compare it to a crane and protect it for a thousand years. Give 10,000 go (Go:180 cubic centimeters) to resemble a turtle. For the prayers of great donor, for the four seasons, for the four Doyo (the dog days), and for the Kojin of Inui (northwest). Purify the disaster of three months in the summer and pray for this. Of the 25 volumes of Jishinkyo sutra, one volume by Shimahirome is promptly read and dedicated.
Shimahirome sutra's end.
==Digression==
It is said that there is a temple in Shimane prefecture that is connected to the Gensei-horyu (style) in Chikuzen region, so maybe Shimahirome has also been read.
==References==
- * 『伝承文学資料集成 第１９輯 地神盲僧資料集』（三弥井書店, 荒木博之／編, 1997）pp.261-268
- * 西岡陽子「地神盲僧の伝承詞章――「地神経」および釈文について――」『講座日本の伝承文学 第八巻 在地伝承の世界【西日本】』（岩瀬博, 福田晃, 渡邊昭五／編, 三弥井書店, 2000）
