The Dry Bed of the River of SoulsUnder the earth there is the Sai-no-Kawara, or "the Dry Bed of the River of Souls." This is the place where all children go after death, children and those who have never married. Here the little ones play with the smiling Jizō, and here it is that they build small towers of stones, for there are many in this river-bed. The mothers of these children, in the world above them, also pile up stones around the images of Jizō, for these little towers represent prayers ; they are charms against the oni, or wicked spirits. Sometimes in the Dry Bed of the River of Souls the oni for a moment gain a temporary victory, and knock down the little towers which the ghosts of children have built with so much laughter. When such a misfortune takes place the laughter ceases, and the little ones fly to Jizō for protection. He hides them in his long sleeves, and with his sacred staff drives away the red-eyed oni.
The place where the souls of children dwell is a shadowy and grey world of dim hills and vales through which the Sai-no-Kawara winds its way. All the children are clad in short white garments, and if occasionally the evil spirits frighten them there is always Jizō to dry their tears, always one who sends them back to their ghostly games again.
The Legend of the Humming of the Sai-no-Kawaraчитать дальше
"Not of this world is the story of sorrow.
The story of the Sai-no-Kawara,
At the roots of the Mountain of Shide ; —
Not of this world is the tale; yet 'tis most pitiful to hear.
For together in the Sai-no-Kawara are assembled
Children of tender age in multitude, —
Infants but two or three years old,
Infants of four or five, infants of less than ten :
In the Sai-no-Kawara are they gathered together.
And the voice of their longing for their parents,
The voice of their crying for their mothers and their fathers —
Is never as the voice of the crying of children in this world,
But a crying so pitiful to hear
That the sound of it would pierce through flesh and bone.
And sorrowful indeed the task which they perform, —
Gathering the stones of the bed of the river,
Therewith to heap the tower of prayers.
Saying prayers for the happiness of father, they heap the first tower ;
Saying prayers for the happiness of mother, they heap the second tower ;
Saying prayers for their brothers, their sisters, and all whom they loved at home, they heap the third tower.
Such, by day, are their pitiful diversions.
But ever as the sun begins to sink below the horizon,
Then do the Oni, the demons of the hells, appear,
And say to them, — ' What is this that you do here ?
Lo ! your parents still living in the Shaba-world
Take no thought of pious offering or holy work :
They do nought but mourn for you from the morning unto the evening.
Oh ! how pitiful ! alas ! how unmerciful !
Verily the cause of the pains that you suffer
Is only the mourning, the lamentation of your parents.'
And saying also, ' Blame never us ! '
The demons cast down the heaped-up towers.
They dash their stones down with their clubs of iron.
But lo ! the teacher Jizō appears.
All gently he comes, and says to the weeping infants : —
Be not afraid, dears ! be never fearful !
Poor little souls, your lives were brief indeed !
Too soon you were forced to make the weary journey to the Meido,
The long journey to the region of the dead !
Trust to me ! I am your father and mother in the Meido,
Father of all children in the region of the dead.'
And he folds the skirt of his shining robe about them ;
So graciously takes he pity on the infants.
To those who cannot walk he stretches forth his strong shakujō
And he pets the little ones, caresses them, takes them to his loving bosom.
So graciously he takes pity on the infants.
Namu Amida Butsu ! "
Цит. по Davis, F. Handland "Myths and legends of Japan". New York: Thomas Y. Crowell company, 1912. Pp. 106-108