On paying for and Freeing Turtles and Being Rewarded Immediately and Saved by Them
“Dhyana Master Gusai came from Paekche. When that country was invaded, an ancestor of the governor of Mitani district in Bingo province was put in charge of reinforcements and sent to Paekche. At that time the present governor’s ancestor vowed that he would build a temple to dedicate to the deities of heaven and earth if he came home safely. Eventually, he escaped harm. Thereupon, he invited Dhyana Master Gusai to return to Japan with him. Mitani-dera is the temple that was founded by this master, and both monks and laymen felt awe and reverence at its sight.
Once in going to the capital to exchangehis belongings for gold and paints, the master reached the port of Naniwa. He happened to see a seaman selling four big turtles, and he advised people to buy them and set them free. After that he rented a boat and boarded it with two acolytes to cross the sea. Late at night, the sailors, filled with greed, threw the acolytes into the sea near Kabanejima in Bizen, and turned to him, saying, “Quick, into the sea with you!” The monk tried to reason with them, but they would not listen. Finally, after making a vow, he sank into the water. When the water came up to his waist, he felt a stone supporting his legs. In the morning light he found that he was being carried by the turtles. They left him on the beach of Bitshu after nodding to him three times. It seems that the turtles which had been set free came back to repay his kindness.
Eventually the thieving sailors, six in all, happened to visit his temple to sell the gold and paints they had stolen from him. The patron of the temple first came out to make an estimate, and then the master appeared to see them. The thieves were petrified with terror. Out of marcy he did not punish them, but rather made a Buddha image to be consecrated in the pagoda and performed rites of dedication. Later he lived by the seaside, and preached to passersby. He passed away when he was over eighty.
Even an animal does not forget gratitude, and repays an act of kindness. How, then, could a righteous man fail to have a sense of gratitude?“
*”taniochi” o “dan’ otsu”, translation from the sanskrit danapati, it means the one who makes offerings; in Japan, the patron is an village member of influence who makes donations to the temple and controls the temple finance.
Hojo, a common Japanese Zen Buddhism practice of freeing animals
Source: Motomochi Nakamura, Kyoko; “Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition: The Nihon ryōiki of the Monk Kyōkai”, Harvard-Yenching Institute (1973)
This small Buddhist anecdote was extracted from the book ‘Miraculous Stories from the Japanece Buddhist Tradition: Nihon ryoiki of the monk Kyokai’ and is a compilation of Buddhist legends that were known at that time, in the year 787 in Japan. Compiled by a novice monk called Kyokai, still at the beginning of Buddhism in Japan. Anecdotes of this type were common among the laity and the popular people; and generally was about the merits earned and their consequences attributed to karma, and how these appeared in a miracoulous way to some people in ciertain events.
It is curious that many historic events and locations are mentioned in those popular legends, we can expect that many of those have their fundations in real events but tainted with the interpretation based in the people beliefs. Is indeed very pleasant to read these legends which depict ideas and beliefs from such a age and how the Buddhist spirit became manifest through the idiosyncrasy of the people.
As for the anecdote of the turtles, this activity called “hōjō” was recommended by the Buddhist doctrine of that time and consisted in buying fishes, birds or any captive animals with the purpose of freeing them. This notion which we can expect from a Buddhist mindset, it is a basic reality in all compasive minds whether they are buddhist or not, and as for example we have the humanist and multifaceted genius Leonardo Da Vinci, which according to some records used to buy caged birds to set them free.
Does not exist a more beautiful idea than the one that cares for others sentient beings, and it is sensible and thoughtful; his own goodness is precisely the source of his fortune.
Ryokan.
