The Psyche Diver Trilogy: Demon Hunters by Baku Yumemakura Page B
Authors: Baku Yumemakura
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the honor.”
“Not at all.”
“So here’s the thing,” Hosuke stroked a thick finger along his cheek, still yearning for his beard, “I hate to beat a dead horse here, but I’m not going to give you an answer until you tell me what was stolen. I have my own rules.”
“But you will accept?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then I cannot tell you.” The man was stubborn. Hosuke was all but ready to accept the job. The pay was good and he was intrigued by the fact that an A-grade Diver had become stranded, but to accept before he knew what had been stolen would be careless. A man was dead and a Diver was on the brink of being crippled. Yet, despite this, these people wanted to keep everything from the public eye. The last thing Hosuke wanted was to get caught up in some bizarre feud.
“It’s Kukai.” Biku broke his long silence. The blood drained from Enjaku’s cheeks. His face darkened like dried parchment.
“Silence!”
Biku turned to face Hosuke, impassive as though he had not heard the man’s exclamation. “Kukai: the self-mummified corpse of Kobo Daishi, his sokushinbutsu .”
“Well now!” Hosuke blurted out. Enjaku let out a wordless groan. Biku’s crimson lips curved into a smile.
4
Kobo Daishi was born more than twelve centuries ago as Kukai in the 5th year of the Houki era.
In the history of Japanese religion he was a singularly charismatic presence. It was through him that Esoteric Buddhism reached its peak, after its origins in India thousands of years earlier and its gradual transmission to the islands of the Far East.
If Saicho and his other religious contemporaries were like priceless gems, Kukai became the incandescent ball of fire that blazed at their heart. His intense dynamism transcended all previous conceptions of beauty, wisdom and religious awakening.
Esoteric Buddhism had its beginnings with the affirmation of human blood and the belief that Enlightenment was possible even while inhabiting the flesh-and-blood world of mortal existence; this was achieved via a process known as sokushinjyobutsu , whereby the practitioner was able to maintain a link with humanity. Accordingly, Esoteric Buddhism has not, from its inception, negated other religions but has considered them all as different forms of Esoteric Buddhism.
As part of his quest to seek further insight into Esoteric Buddhism, Kukai crossed to China at the age of 31, journeying aboard the same ship as a group that included Saicho, the founder of the temple at Mt. Hiei. When he entered the capital of Chang’an he was accorded the honor of receiving instruction from Master Huiguo of the Qinglong Temple. It was there that he was consecrated under the twin mandalas of the Womb and Diamond Realms. To say that he received instruction is perhaps a misnomer. Kukai’s genius was unmatched; it was as though he had simply absorbed everything Huiguo had to teach. Kukai stayed in China for close to two years. It was toward the end of his first year that he reached the Qinglong Temple and made Huiguo’s acquaintance.
“ How excellent, how excellent!” It is said that these were Huiguo’s words as he welcomed Kukai and rejoiced to have finally made his acquaintance. Esoteric Buddhism became Kukai’s flesh and blood; he poured himself into the study with an intensity that suggested he was intent on devouring Huiguo’s very soul. Huiguo passed away at the age of 60 during the December of Kukai’s consecration. Among Huiguo’s many thousands of disciples, Kukai was chosen to pen his epitaph. The only other disciple to have received instruction in both mandalas of the Womb and Diamond Realms was the high monk Yiming, who had already passed away by the time Kukai arrived in China.
At the time, China perceived Japan as backward. It was an incredible turn of events that Kukai, a student from Japan, one that was close to anonymous compared to the likes of Saicho, had not only received instruction in the two mandalas but
“Not at all.”
“So here’s the thing,” Hosuke stroked a thick finger along his cheek, still yearning for his beard, “I hate to beat a dead horse here, but I’m not going to give you an answer until you tell me what was stolen. I have my own rules.”
“But you will accept?”
“That’s not what I’m saying.”
“Then I cannot tell you.” The man was stubborn. Hosuke was all but ready to accept the job. The pay was good and he was intrigued by the fact that an A-grade Diver had become stranded, but to accept before he knew what had been stolen would be careless. A man was dead and a Diver was on the brink of being crippled. Yet, despite this, these people wanted to keep everything from the public eye. The last thing Hosuke wanted was to get caught up in some bizarre feud.
“It’s Kukai.” Biku broke his long silence. The blood drained from Enjaku’s cheeks. His face darkened like dried parchment.
“Silence!”
Biku turned to face Hosuke, impassive as though he had not heard the man’s exclamation. “Kukai: the self-mummified corpse of Kobo Daishi, his sokushinbutsu .”
“Well now!” Hosuke blurted out. Enjaku let out a wordless groan. Biku’s crimson lips curved into a smile.
4
Kobo Daishi was born more than twelve centuries ago as Kukai in the 5th year of the Houki era.
In the history of Japanese religion he was a singularly charismatic presence. It was through him that Esoteric Buddhism reached its peak, after its origins in India thousands of years earlier and its gradual transmission to the islands of the Far East.
If Saicho and his other religious contemporaries were like priceless gems, Kukai became the incandescent ball of fire that blazed at their heart. His intense dynamism transcended all previous conceptions of beauty, wisdom and religious awakening.
Esoteric Buddhism had its beginnings with the affirmation of human blood and the belief that Enlightenment was possible even while inhabiting the flesh-and-blood world of mortal existence; this was achieved via a process known as sokushinjyobutsu , whereby the practitioner was able to maintain a link with humanity. Accordingly, Esoteric Buddhism has not, from its inception, negated other religions but has considered them all as different forms of Esoteric Buddhism.
As part of his quest to seek further insight into Esoteric Buddhism, Kukai crossed to China at the age of 31, journeying aboard the same ship as a group that included Saicho, the founder of the temple at Mt. Hiei. When he entered the capital of Chang’an he was accorded the honor of receiving instruction from Master Huiguo of the Qinglong Temple. It was there that he was consecrated under the twin mandalas of the Womb and Diamond Realms. To say that he received instruction is perhaps a misnomer. Kukai’s genius was unmatched; it was as though he had simply absorbed everything Huiguo had to teach. Kukai stayed in China for close to two years. It was toward the end of his first year that he reached the Qinglong Temple and made Huiguo’s acquaintance.
“ How excellent, how excellent!” It is said that these were Huiguo’s words as he welcomed Kukai and rejoiced to have finally made his acquaintance. Esoteric Buddhism became Kukai’s flesh and blood; he poured himself into the study with an intensity that suggested he was intent on devouring Huiguo’s very soul. Huiguo passed away at the age of 60 during the December of Kukai’s consecration. Among Huiguo’s many thousands of disciples, Kukai was chosen to pen his epitaph. The only other disciple to have received instruction in both mandalas of the Womb and Diamond Realms was the high monk Yiming, who had already passed away by the time Kukai arrived in China.
At the time, China perceived Japan as backward. It was an incredible turn of events that Kukai, a student from Japan, one that was close to anonymous compared to the likes of Saicho, had not only received instruction in the two mandalas but
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