Kuji-in (Nine Syllable Seals)
Intro
Kuji-in (九字印), "Nine Syllable Seals," is a specialized form of Buddhist meditation. It is derived from the Diamond Universe Nine Assemblies mandala of Shingon Buddhism. It is also used by other Buddhist sects, especially in Japan; some Taoists and practitioners of Shinto, Korean Shamanism, and Chinese traditional religion; and in folk-magic throughout East Asia.
Technically the word "Kuji-in" refers only to the hand postures (mudra) and their related incantations (mantra). The related practice of making nine cuts--five horizontal and four vertical, alternating--in the air with the finger or on paper with a brush is known as "kuji kiri," nine syllable cuts. In Japanese folk-magic and Onmyodo, the nine cuts are often made over writing or a picture, to gain control of the object named or pictured. Thus, a sailor wishing to be protected from drowning might write them over the kanji for "sea" or "water".
The Kuji-in practice symbolizes that all the forces of the universe are united against evil; because of this, it was often used by the common people for luck when traveling, especially in the mountains.
The Mantra And Mudra
In Japanese, the nine syllables are: Rin (臨), Hei (兵), Tou (闘), Sha (者), Kai (皆), Jin (陣), Retsu (列), Zai (在), Zen (前). If the nine cuts are then made, as is sometimes done, the syllable Kou (行) is sometimes spoken.
Note that the syllables are shortened forms, and there are also longer, Sanskrit mantra that go with the same mudra.
The hand postures are as follows:
臨: Hands together, fingers interlocked. The middle fingers are raised and pressed together.
兵: Hands together, fingers interlocked. Index finger and thumb raised and pressed together, middle fingers cross over index fingers and their tips are pressed together.
鬪: Hands together, fingers interlocked. Ring and pinky fingers are raised. Ring finger pressed against other ring finger, pinky against other pinky, but both sets of ring and pinky fingers are separated to form a V shape or bird beak.
者: Hands together, fingers interlocked. Index finger and thumb raised, like making a "gun" out of the fingers.
皆: Hands together, fingers interlocked.
陳: Hands together, fingers interlocked, with the fingertips inside.
列: The vajra mudra. Right hand in an upward-pointing fist, index finger raised. Left hand grips index finger, and thumb is pressed onto right index's nail.
在: Hands spread out in front, with thumb and index finger touching.
前: Hands form a circle, thumbs on top and fingers on the bottom, right hand overlapping left up to the knuckles.
The Meanings In Shinto
Each word is translated to the following meaning for Shinto.
Rin: To face.
Pyou, Hei, Hyou: (Also used as Hei) The soldier.
Tou: To fight.
Sha: The man (or the people); a foe
Kai: The all, or the whole effect, or whole effort.
Jin: In Formation, or position in camp or to prepare.
Retsu: To move in column or a row, in a line; or marching, or to focus.
Zai: To appear, or to exist to make yourself known, or create existence.
Zen: To be in front. or show up in front.
Kuji-in is used as part of a ritual in Shinto [[1]] is used to purify a person with a waterfall.
The Meanings In Buddhism
Rin, to confront
Pyou, Hei, Hyou to soldier on
To, to Battle with
Sha, Against One/Person
Kai, With everyone/entire/group
Jin, The formation
Retsu, In a row
Zai, To Presence
Zen, To move Forward
There as many as 81 variations to the Kuji-in in certain sects of Buddhism in Japan, to say nothing of other mudra that are also used.
The Use In Onmyoudo
In the Japanese Taoist magical art called Onmyoudo, the kuji-in are known as the Doman, or Seal of Doson, after Ashiya Doson, the great rival of the legendary Onmyouji Abe no Seimei. Together with the Seman, or seal of Seimei (the pentagram, in Asia a diagram of the relations of the five elements), the Doman makes up the Doman-Seman, considered the fundamentals of Onmyoudo.
The nine syllables are used to make a yang spell, especially to ward off demons, while the tenth is spoken, without the slashes or any other mudra, to turn it into a yin spell (even numbers are yin in Onmyou numerology, while odd are yang). Supposedly, Doson could use the 9 syllables to control his shikigami at a distance, even using them as assassins.
Ninjutsu meanings
While the kuji-in have no unique relation to ninjutsu, the ninja traditions are steeped in esoteric Buddhist beliefs, especially Mikkyo. The kuji-in are used in a number of their meditations, both those related simply to their religious practice and those dealing with their martial arts; in some ways, they are used similarly to the Taoist ideas in Chinese internal martial arts (some of the ideas of Chinese internal arts are, however, incorporated in many Japanese arts, including ninjutsu and jujutsu). Some web pages claim the following interpretations:
Rin - Strength
Pyou, Hyou - Channel
Tou - Harmony
Sha - Healing
Kai - Sense of Danger
Jin or Chin -Reading of thoughts.
Retsu - Control space and time.
Zai - sky or elements control.
Zen - enlightenment.
The kuji-in are a tool to be used in meditation, and are frequently over-simplified in popular culture as being a form of magic. This misrepresentation, along with the misuse of the mudra and mantra, has been further popularized by Dead or Alive and certain neo-ninja.
Article from Wikipedia