Muroji -
Kannon in the Lair of the Dragon

Mt. Muro, deep in the countryside of southern Nara prefecture, is a sacred mountain, a place ordinary mortals in the past were not allowed to enter. The River Muro flows here, a tributary of the River Uda, and when following it upstream, the traveler enters a land of strange rocks and weird crags. This dramatic scenery was created by ancient volcanic eruptions and subsequent erosion. There are grottos where dragon spirits are believed to hide, sheer rock walls, cascading waterfalls and clear splashing streams. The vegetation in this glen is dense and dark. Even today, it is a spiritual scenery where ancient deities seem to lurk and one is not surprised to hear that the area was believed to possess mystical powers of healing.

The temple built at the foot of Mt. Muro has been infused with something of the awesomeness of the landscape it sits in. At the end of the Nara Period, the Crown Prince, who later became the Emperor Kammu, fell ill and prayers for his life were addressed to the dragon spirit in the Muro area. They proved effective, and the recovered Prince ordered Kenkyo, a priest from Kofukuji, to establish a temple here.

Apparently, also afterwards the dragon spirit of Muro performed useful activities (such as bringing rain in times of drought) and was honored as a water deity who protected the state. It was Kenkyo's successor, the monk Shuen (771-835) who established a full temple, with a complete garan layout. Shuen also came from Kofukuji and had moreover studied with Saicho, the founder of Tendai Buddhism. Muroji became a temple where various types of Buddhism mingled in their common admiration for these mountains, and where monks from different temples could practice austerities together.

In Shuen's late years, a monk from the Tendai bastion Mt. Hiei, Enshu, came to Muroji, as did another monk, Shintai, from the Shingon basis Mt. Koya. Thus, although the temple continued a long relationship with the Hosso-temple Kofukuji, at the same time it was also heavily influenced by these esoteric sects, leading to a complicated history. Shingon won: in 1308 besides the already existing Golden hall, a new Main Hall was set up, dedicated to the Shingon Kanjo ceremony. In 1688, Muroji became an exclusive Shingon temple, after its then sagging fortunes had been revived by the patronage of Keishoin, the mother of the fifth Tokugawa shogun Tsunayoshi.

The old Main Hall

Kannon in Dragon Land
Muroji takes a little effort to reach, but is one of the most rewarding temples in Japan. The surroundings are magic and it has great statues. It is the kind of setting that charges you with new energy. After the middle of the last century, the temple was made famous in Japan by the photographs of Domon Ken, collected in his Koji Junrei or "Pilgrimage to Ancient Temples," and in autumn it may get crowded with momiji admirers. But at most other times it is relatively quiet.

I am about to enter the dragon's lair for the second time. My first visit took place in the depth of winter, when the grounds were covered with heavy snow and the cold was piercing to the bone. Now I come in the heart of summer, when the hot air wraps around me like a dull blanket.

Crossing the River Muro via a vermilion bridge, I enter the temple grounds. After passing the Nio Gate, the path bends and I have to climb a steep staircase, which brings me to the heart of Muroji. The flat area at the top of the stairs harbors two of the temple's oldest halls, the Golden Hall - vintage 867 - in front of me (up another, shorter flight of stairs), and the much smaller Miroku Hall on my left. As a later addition the Shingon Main Hall stands further back, up another small staircase and you will find the five-storied pagoda again deeper in the grounds, on the path that leads to the Oku-no-In (the Inner Hall) on top of the hill. The temple has been built up the flank of the mountain on terraces.

There is a porch in front of the Main hall (a later addition) that allows me a good view of the many statues inside. The main hall is not large, but then, this is a mountain temple, built up against the slope. Center stage stands a Shaka Nyorai, a standing figure with a black face. Apparently, the statue was originally gilded, but now only the dark lacquer underneath the gold is left. Although the image is called a 'Shaka' by the temple, in reality it seems to be a Yakushi statue. Indeed, the Healing Buddha is a more common main image for a mountain temple from the late 8th century than Shaka would be. With its thick limbs and heavy folds, the statue resembles other Yakushi from the same period, such as the one in Jingoji. The mix-up may have been caused by the fact that he does not carry a medicine pot. The mandorla behind him, however, has images of the seven Yakushi.

On the very left of the row of five statues stands a beautiful Eleven-headed Kannon. With the plump cheeks and full mouth the Kannon looks like a village beauty, someone deeply rooted here in Muro. Stylistically, she resembles the Shaka/Yakushi. The statue has a beautiful lotus stand and the eleven small heads in the Kannon's crown are very well-formed.

On the very right stands a Jizo who is too small for his mandorla. Ansanji, a neighboring temple, owns a Jizo that seems to fit and moreover is in the same style as the Kannon of Muroji, so probably - for whatever reason - an exchange of statues has taken place in the past. The Yakushi is flanked by a Monju Bosatsu and another Yakushi statue. They are in a style different from the main image, so they were probably later brought here from another hall. Impressive in all cases, however, are the large painted wooden halos standing at their back. The set-up in this hall is completed by smaller statues of the Twelve Generals, attendants of the Yakushi, who stand in front of the other statues in their usual grotesque poses.

It is a wonderful place, this Golden hall, and it is only after a considerable time that I go down the verandah and walk over to the Miroku Hall. In contrast to the Golden hall, this building is home to only three statues, the Miroku, Buddha of the Future, who gave the hall its name, in the left part, a Nyoirin Kannon in the center, and a Shaka statue in the section to the right. The Miroku Bosatsu stands upright, holding a large lotus flower in one of his hands. He wears a tall crown, but the overall impression is one of sturdiness. The statue is thought to date from the early Heian period (9th c.). The Nyoirin or Wish-fulfilling Kannon has six arms and sits in the position of 'royal ease.' This is one of the most esoteric appearances of the Kannon and the statue faintly resembles the famous one in Kanshinji in Osaka.

The Miroku Hall

A Lonely Shaka
But it is the Shaka, in the section to the right, that is really wonderful. Thoughtfully, the temple authorities have placed him in front of the cabinet inside which he really belongs, so that he can be viewed the better, through a separate door of the Miroku Hall. He is lighted up by a spotlight.

This Shaka is a so-called guest Buddha, who has come from elsewhere and must himself have been the main image of a temple hall. There are no written documents about this statue, he is mentioned nowhere in the temple history. Despite this lack of background information, purely on the basis of its artistic beauty, it has been declared a national treasure, like the Shaka/Yakushi and Kannon in the Golden Hall.

The statue has been made largely from one block of kaya wood (Japanese nutmeg; others say however the statue has been made of cedar wood), except for parts of the hands and knees. To keep the large block from splitting over time, at the back the statue has been hollowed out. The opening is closed again by a lid. The Buddha was colored, but most of the pigment has worn off. Except for some faint red in the robe, the white underground paint is now visible.

The hands are in the Semui and Yogan mudras typical of Shaka. In fact, these mudras were instrumental in identifying the statue. The whole impression of this Buddha is one of stability, of sureness and warmth. This contrasts with the wide and deep folds of the robe, into which some fantasy elements have found their way, providing a pleasant and playful contrast. It is possible that the now smooth head once was covered with curls (rahotsu). On the basis of its style, the statue is thought to date from the middle of the 9th century.

The Pagoda in the forest

A Pagoda in the Forest
Legend tells that Muroji's five story pagoda was built overnight by Kukai, the founder of Shingon Buddhism. This must be a new story, from the time the temple converted to Shingon Buddhism, because Kukai was certainly not involved in the temple's founding. Unfortunately, the slender and elegant pagoda was destroyed in much less than a night: in September 1998 Typhoon 7 wrought havoc with the forest and crashed a giant tree into the pagoda's roof. There are photos of the sad destruction on Muroji's website. Fortunately, since then, the pagoda has been restored to its former splendor, with only the forest looking a bit bare if you knew the situation before the typhoon. It is one of the oldest pagodas in Japan, from the late Nara period (late 8th c.), and also famous as the smallest pagoda of the type with five stories. But this intimate scale admirably suits the mountainous setting and the pagoda blends naturally into the forest. The most beautiful sight in Muroji is to look at the pagoda from the bottom of the stone steps on which it stands.

The path continues past the pagoda to Oku-no-In, where I go to enjoy the view over the surrounding mountains. All along the way up I find stone statues and stupas, monuments that are living proof of the great age of the temple. Later, when I am back in the area of the Golden Hall, I spot a great carving of Gunjari Myo-o on a rock close to the Tenjinsha, the small shrine in the temple's grounds. There are many such small discoveries to be made in Muroji. Another discovery I keep for next time: I still have to visit the Ryuketsu Shrine, further down the main road, where the dragon's cave is. That particular cave, by the way, seems to be closed off, but I am curious to see the scenery there at the dragon's lair...

Muroji did not have the wealthy patrons the major temples in Nara and Kyoto could boast of. It stands deep in the mountains and monks came here to practise religion, not to dabble in politics. It was built of local, inexpensive materials, on a small and intimate scale to fit into the forest on Mt. Muro. It is therefore one of the best examples of the mountain temples of the early Heian period and has come down to us with magnificent statues, a beautiful Golden hall, and the magical pagoda.

Stone monuments

Enchantment
The strong Shaka is perfectly at ease in this mountain temple, deep in the woods, far from the madding crowd. Like the other statues of Muroji he is one with this enchanted environment. He will not be surprised to see dragons dancing in the pools of the River Muro, nor to hear their roars in the caves of the mountain at his back. In the evening, when all visitors have left, they may gather in front of the Miroku Hall with the other deities of Muro to listen to his preaching...