Comments on: Urashimataro and the Undersea Palace http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/10/06/urashimataro-and-the-undersea-palace/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:44:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/10/06/urashimataro-and-the-undersea-palace/#comment-3411 Doug Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:17:06 +0000 http://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=5128#comment-3411 Hi guys, <strong>Wamae</strong> Thanks for the reminder of Nagarjuna's name. That definitely adds credence to the connection. :) <strong>Stephen</strong> My wife thinks Western fairy tales are kind of brutal, so I guess it really depends on what you grew up with. :-/ Hi guys,

Wamae Thanks for the reminder of Nagarjuna’s name. That definitely adds credence to the connection. :)

Stephen My wife thinks Western fairy tales are kind of brutal, so I guess it really depends on what you grew up with. :-/

]]> By: Stephen http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/10/06/urashimataro-and-the-undersea-palace/#comment-3408 Stephen Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:25:53 +0000 http://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=5128#comment-3408 Know what, the connection had never crossed my mind! But, now that you mention it, Naga and the dragon palace, it seems so obvious. being an old Folk story there are many variations, but the similarity with Pandora's Box was as about as far as I got. One thing that has always got me is many Folk stories have a blindingly obvious moral message. You hinted that Umashimataro's misfortune was the result of him spending three days of luxury. Still I cqan't help wondering that he was only there three days, and he decided to go back because of filial thoughts for his mother: it has always struck me as a bit harsh, especially considering it all started from a small good deed. In many ways Japanese Folk stories have often struck me as being a bit deeper and harsher than the porridge stories I got as a kid, or maybe a Japanese person may similar thoughts about many European Folk stories. The turtle is a symbol of longevity in Japan, and good luck, I wonder about it's place in the legend. Maybe I think too much, it is just a story after all: and yet one that people have felt worthy of passing down from generation to generation for such a time. Know what, the connection had never crossed my mind! But, now that you mention it, Naga and the dragon palace, it seems so obvious. being an old Folk story there are many variations, but the similarity with Pandora’s Box was as about as far as I got.
One thing that has always got me is many Folk stories have a blindingly obvious moral message. You hinted that Umashimataro’s misfortune was the result of him spending three days of luxury. Still I cqan’t help wondering that he was only there three days, and he decided to go back because of filial thoughts for his mother: it has always struck me as a bit harsh, especially considering it all started from a small good deed. In many ways Japanese Folk stories have often struck me as being a bit deeper and harsher than the porridge stories I got as a kid, or maybe a Japanese person may similar thoughts about many European Folk stories.
The turtle is a symbol of longevity in Japan, and good luck, I wonder about it’s place in the legend. Maybe I think too much, it is just a story after all: and yet one that people have felt worthy of passing down from generation to generation for such a time.

]]> By: Wamae http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2009/10/06/urashimataro-and-the-undersea-palace/#comment-3405 Wamae Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:59:28 +0000 http://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=5128#comment-3405 Good observation with the Indian naga - Chinese "dragon" connection. As you probably know, Nagarjuna (of Madhyamika fame) is rendered as 龍樹 (or 竜樹) in Chinese characters. The 龍 here meaning "dragon" marks the deliberate connection of "naga" to the Chinese concept, because a direct transliteration of the Sanskrit pronunciation of "naga" would be 那伽. Since the Chinese often tried to preserve the sound of the original Sanskrit, the use of "dragon" for "naga" suggests that they saw enough similarities between them to substitute a native concept. Neat huh?　 Good observation with the Indian naga – Chinese “dragon” connection.

As you probably know, Nagarjuna (of Madhyamika fame) is rendered as 龍樹 (or 竜樹) in Chinese characters. The 龍 here meaning “dragon” marks the deliberate connection of “naga” to the Chinese concept, because a direct transliteration of the Sanskrit pronunciation of “naga” would be 那伽.

Since the Chinese often tried to preserve the sound of the original Sanskrit, the use of “dragon” for “naga” suggests that they saw enough similarities between them to substitute a native concept.

Neat huh?　

]]>