Shirahige

白髭 White Beard

1 Source and/or Related Material

“The Origins of Mt. Hiei,” Taiheiki book 18

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Komparu

4 Synopsis

In obedience to a vision in a dream, the Emperor has sent an envoy (waki) to visit the God Shirahige (“White Beard”) at his shrine in Ōmi Province (Shiga). Once at the shrine, the envoy encounters two fishermen, one young (maetsure) and one old (maeshite). When the envoy explains the reason for his visit, the old fisherman explains the shrine’s origins. Looking for lands to spread Buddhism, Gautama Buddha flew around our world and created an island on Lake Biwa. After his death, the Buddha magically transported himself to the shore of that lake, where he told an old fisherman that he would like to make this land Buddhist. The old man complained that because Buddhism forbids all killing it would destroy his livelihood. Just then, the medicine Buddha Bhaisajyaguru appeared and pledged to become the patron of Mt. Hiei, which stands over Lake Biwa, and to defend the Buddhist teachings. The old fisherman in that story became the God Shirahige. Having hinted that he himself is Shirahige, the old fisherman suddenly disappears into the shrine altar. The God of a sub-chapel (ai) comes to retell the story in plain speech. That night, Shirahige (nochishite) appears before the imperial envoy in his true form and does a dance. A heavenly maiden (nochitsure) carrying a heavenly lantern and a dragon God (nochitsure) carrying a dragon lantern appear and offer both lanterns to Shirahige, then both dance. As morning comes, the heavenly maiden returns to the sky and the dragon to the lake. The realm is pacified by Shirahige’s divine power.