The Bells of Gion

After mentioning the children’s show in Japan, nihongo de asobo, in my last post, I found another gem worth passing along. The show features at least one meibun (名文) or “famous saying” per episode. In my last post, the quotation was the opening line from the Hojoki, but in another episode I watched recently, the quoted this famous line. This is the opening line of the famous Tales of the Heike epic:¹

祇園精舎の鐘の声
諸行無常の響きあり。

Gion shōja no kane no koe,
shogyō mujō no hibiki ari.

The line reads, based on my very amateur translation: The Bell of the Gion Monastery resounds with the sound of impermanence of all phenomena.

“Gion Monastery” or gion shōja (祇園精舎) is none other than the Jeta Grove, which was a very frequent historical sight for the Buddha to dwell in retreat with his monks. Quite a few Buddhist sutras were delivered by the Buddha here too. In East Asian Mahayana Buddhism, a legend had developed that at the Jeta Grove there was a great bell at the monastery, so this quotation from the Tales of the Heike teaches that the bell resounds with the sound of impermanence of all phenomena.

Speaking from experience, when I visited a small Jodo Shu Buddhist temple for Japanese New Year’s Eve, we took turns ringing the large outdoor bell there, for the joya no kane (除夜の鐘) service. I remember having that same feeling as the huge bell rang with a low, bittersweet sound, reminding that all good things must come to an end. It’s not exactly the legendary Great Bell of Gion Monastery (Jeta Grove), but it’s a nice reminder that Buddhism is more than just a dry philosophy. The Dharma is all around us and life is resounding with it. I believe this is something not unlike the notion of Tathāgatagarbha: the womb of the Buddha that sustains all beings through interdependence, and teaches them at the same time, leading them to awakening.

Kind of off-track here, but it’s amazing that children shows can teach such lovely literature to kids these days. We too often bemoan the next generation, but really there’s so much potential and so much we can do for them. It’s not their fault if they grow up the way they do. We feed them what they eventually become. So, in spite of all the violence and commercialism, I am happy to see shows like this. I am really happy to see my little girl growing up so fast, and becoming such a brilliant mind. I just wish I could do more for her.

P.S. This is why I also believe Buddhism in Japan is far from dead. Materialism, and post-War politics may have changed things quite a bit, but I believe that a Buddhist culture is still a Buddhist culture, and that people are trying hard to revive the beauty of this culture. Not everyone may listen, but always some will. Nevertheless, as is taught in the Lotus Sutra, eventually all beings, even the worst, will become brilliant bodhisattvas and attain awakening.

¹ If you haven’t read the Tales before, I definitely recommend Watson’s abridged translation. Quite a fun read, and roughly comparable to the Iliad, another favorite of mine.s