オン・バザラ・ダルマ・キリ・ソワカ at Sanjusangendo



    Today we visited Sanjusangendo, which was very interesting! It was so cool to see so many statues along the really long hall. I am amazed that people could make something like that at all, but especially that they did it so long ago. It was awe-inspiring and did feel like a special place, especially since it was fairly quiet and we weren’t supposed to take pictures. There were lots of details that could be written about, such as the objects the Kannon were holding in their many hands, the guardians, the meaning of so many hands, or other things. I chose to write about the chant that was written near the bigger statue in the middle of the hall.
    There were spots to light a candle or incense and pray, and there was a sign that had a chant to say in prayer. It was オン・バザラ・ダルマ・キリ・ソワカ (or oṃ vajra-dharma hrīḥ). This chant is used to pray for loved ones and for the happiness of all living beings. It sounds like it is a fairly common chant at other places too. I thought it was very nice to have something like that to think about the well-being of others.


(https://ameblo.jp/iseuranai/entry-12759296665.html)

    Kannon is a goddess of mercy and helps people in this life but also to reach the Pure Land and eventually Nirvana. I think that the prayer to her is a manifestation of the grace of divinity in that people are praying for help, denoting that there is someone who can help them and those they care about and even all living beings. So it helps people feel like there is a being that is accessible to them to help them and that that being is one who has grace/mercy and is willing to help. Furthermore, that divine being is one who is willing to help all living beings, not even just a few.

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