Dairokuten

第六天 The Sixth Heaven Demon King

1 Source and/or Related Material

The Chronicle of Great Peace 12

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze

4 Synopsis

The monk Gedatsu (waki) is on a pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine. At the outer shrine, he encounters some local women (maeshite, maetsure) whom he asks about the history of the shrine. The women tell him about the significance of the nearby Mimosuso River and about the deities enshrined at Ise. They also warn him of evil influences obstructing the way of Buddhism, and with that they vanish. The deity of a lesser shrine (ai) arrives and warns Gedatsu that the Demon King Dairokuten intends to lead him astray. The monk calls together various other deities of lesser shrines to help him. As Gedatsu pays homage, the sky thunders, the earth shakes, and Dairokuten (nochishite) appears. Gedatsu composes himself in prayer, and the Shinto god Susano’o (tsure) appears. Susano’o strikes and subdues Dairokuten before disappearing into the sky.