Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own this particular translation
of the Heart Sutra - I believe that honor belongs to one Edward Conze. The
Buddhist ideas expressed here are not mine.
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~
Buddha and Kami
Chapter 1 - The Heart of Perfect Wisdom
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~
It had started when Shippo asked for a bedtime story. They were in a village, and Miru's presence had secured them shelter without need to rely on Miroku's seedier nature.
Kagome opened her mouth to start telling one of her childhood stories as best she could remember when Miru returned from cleansing herself. She sank into meditation, and Shippo and Inuyasha scampered away. In a completely different way, this woman was as scary as Kagome's glares.
"Ack." Inuyasha said.
"Just in proximity to her, I can feel my bad karma being burned away," Miroku said, basking in the feeling.
Eventually, though, she ceased, and Shippo demanded a bedtime story again.
Miru smiled at him, since Kagome seemed deep in thought. "This one does not know any fanciful stories, but there are many histories to recount," she said. "Wouldst thou wish for one?"
"Sure," Shippo said. "So long as there's no blood in it, it'll be fine."
"Alright," Miru smiled again. Then she looked off into the distance, and began to quote. "Thus have I heard at one time. The Lord dwelled at Rajagrha, on the Vulture Peak, together with a large gathering of both monks and Boddhisattvas. At that time, the Lord, after he had taught the discourse on dharma called 'deep splendor,' had entered into concentration."
Shippo wondered a bit at just what she was saying, but since her voice was soft and calming, he supposed it didn't really matter. He snuggled into Kagome.
"At that time also the holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being, coursed in the course of the deep perfection of wisdom, he looked down from on high, and he saw the five skandhas, and he surveyed them as empty in their own-being."
The people of the village, who had started to gather almost immediately after Miru had started, murmured suddenly and pulled apart, giving space to a faintly glowing being who materialized near the front of the crowd. He sat immediately, respectful, and bowed to Miru.
She bowed in turn, both to him, and to the water goddess the Inuyasha-tachi had helped before as she, too, appeared and sat.
"Thereupon the Venerable Sariputra, through the Buddha's might, said to the holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being: 'How should a son or daughter of good family train themselves if they want to course in the course of this deep perfection of wisdom?'
"The holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being, then said to the Venerable Sariputra..."
-
"... Thereupon the Lord emerged from that concentration, and he applauded the holy lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being: 'Well said, well said, son of good family! Just so, son of good family, just so should one course in the course of the deep perfection of wisdom. As you have explained it, so it is approved by all the Tathagatas.'
"Thus spoke the Lord. Enraptured the venerable Sariputra, the holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being, and those monks and those Bodhisattvas, great beings, and the whole world with its gods, men, asuras, garudas, and gandharvas rejoiced in the Lord's teaching."
Shippo was asleep, Miroku was in something like a trance, Kagome was mildly bored, Inuyasha was tense, and Sango was as properly respectful as any of the villagers.
There were many of the faintly glowing beings now, not all of them very human in appearance, crowded close to Miru as if they could soak up the good karma generated in reciting the Heart Sutra. Slowly, they drew back, bowed, and started to disappear. Among the first, however, was the water goddess, and she paused.
"I know you," she told Kagome.
"Huh? Oh. Uh, yes, your holiness."
"Oh, so?" Another one of them said, re-solidifying. "Are these those that aided you in recovering your domain, then?"
"Yes. My thanks again for your help."
"Oh, no," Miroku said smoothly. "You honor us with your presence."
The goddess smiled. "You honor us with your companion's presence. Who are you, honored one?"
"In this life, this one is known as Miru." She bowed, politely.
Emboldened, others drew nearer.
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~
In Japan, the type of Buddhism practiced is, in general, Mahayana. That doesn't say much, however, since 'Mahayana' is such a general term that the only place it isn't practiced (but another type of Buddhism is) is Sri Lanka. The names used throughout will not be the Japanese ones, but the Sanskrit ones, because (1) I can't be bothered to try and find all the Japanese versions (if they exist) and (2) since Miru now remembers her previous lives, she probably feels more comfortable in calling things by their Sanskrit (or maybe even Pali) names. Probably not Pali, though, unless it makes it easier for me to type something. Nyeah.
I will not be revealing the names of any of the gods, nor of who Miru was before she became what she is now. That would be playing with a bit too much license. Besides, I like being mysterious.
November 18th is 'Have a Nice Day' day, but since I'm not certain I'll be on before then... Have a Nice Day in advance.
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~
Buddha and Kami
Chapter 1 - The Heart of Perfect Wisdom
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~
It had started when Shippo asked for a bedtime story. They were in a village, and Miru's presence had secured them shelter without need to rely on Miroku's seedier nature.
Kagome opened her mouth to start telling one of her childhood stories as best she could remember when Miru returned from cleansing herself. She sank into meditation, and Shippo and Inuyasha scampered away. In a completely different way, this woman was as scary as Kagome's glares.
"Ack." Inuyasha said.
"Just in proximity to her, I can feel my bad karma being burned away," Miroku said, basking in the feeling.
Eventually, though, she ceased, and Shippo demanded a bedtime story again.
Miru smiled at him, since Kagome seemed deep in thought. "This one does not know any fanciful stories, but there are many histories to recount," she said. "Wouldst thou wish for one?"
"Sure," Shippo said. "So long as there's no blood in it, it'll be fine."
"Alright," Miru smiled again. Then she looked off into the distance, and began to quote. "Thus have I heard at one time. The Lord dwelled at Rajagrha, on the Vulture Peak, together with a large gathering of both monks and Boddhisattvas. At that time, the Lord, after he had taught the discourse on dharma called 'deep splendor,' had entered into concentration."
Shippo wondered a bit at just what she was saying, but since her voice was soft and calming, he supposed it didn't really matter. He snuggled into Kagome.
"At that time also the holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being, coursed in the course of the deep perfection of wisdom, he looked down from on high, and he saw the five skandhas, and he surveyed them as empty in their own-being."
The people of the village, who had started to gather almost immediately after Miru had started, murmured suddenly and pulled apart, giving space to a faintly glowing being who materialized near the front of the crowd. He sat immediately, respectful, and bowed to Miru.
She bowed in turn, both to him, and to the water goddess the Inuyasha-tachi had helped before as she, too, appeared and sat.
"Thereupon the Venerable Sariputra, through the Buddha's might, said to the holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being: 'How should a son or daughter of good family train themselves if they want to course in the course of this deep perfection of wisdom?'
"The holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being, then said to the Venerable Sariputra..."
-
"... Thereupon the Lord emerged from that concentration, and he applauded the holy lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being: 'Well said, well said, son of good family! Just so, son of good family, just so should one course in the course of the deep perfection of wisdom. As you have explained it, so it is approved by all the Tathagatas.'
"Thus spoke the Lord. Enraptured the venerable Sariputra, the holy Lord Avalokita, the Bodhisattva, the great being, and those monks and those Bodhisattvas, great beings, and the whole world with its gods, men, asuras, garudas, and gandharvas rejoiced in the Lord's teaching."
Shippo was asleep, Miroku was in something like a trance, Kagome was mildly bored, Inuyasha was tense, and Sango was as properly respectful as any of the villagers.
There were many of the faintly glowing beings now, not all of them very human in appearance, crowded close to Miru as if they could soak up the good karma generated in reciting the Heart Sutra. Slowly, they drew back, bowed, and started to disappear. Among the first, however, was the water goddess, and she paused.
"I know you," she told Kagome.
"Huh? Oh. Uh, yes, your holiness."
"Oh, so?" Another one of them said, re-solidifying. "Are these those that aided you in recovering your domain, then?"
"Yes. My thanks again for your help."
"Oh, no," Miroku said smoothly. "You honor us with your presence."
The goddess smiled. "You honor us with your companion's presence. Who are you, honored one?"
"In this life, this one is known as Miru." She bowed, politely.
Emboldened, others drew nearer.
~~~-~~~-~~~-~~~
In Japan, the type of Buddhism practiced is, in general, Mahayana. That doesn't say much, however, since 'Mahayana' is such a general term that the only place it isn't practiced (but another type of Buddhism is) is Sri Lanka. The names used throughout will not be the Japanese ones, but the Sanskrit ones, because (1) I can't be bothered to try and find all the Japanese versions (if they exist) and (2) since Miru now remembers her previous lives, she probably feels more comfortable in calling things by their Sanskrit (or maybe even Pali) names. Probably not Pali, though, unless it makes it easier for me to type something. Nyeah.
I will not be revealing the names of any of the gods, nor of who Miru was before she became what she is now. That would be playing with a bit too much license. Besides, I like being mysterious.
November 18th is 'Have a Nice Day' day, but since I'm not certain I'll be on before then... Have a Nice Day in advance.