The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-05-23
JAPANESE PRAYING MACHINE.

Each of the temples has its ajoining grave.
yard, filed with tombs and monuments
characteristic Of the Japanese people and
their religious belief Near each grave.
as at Simoda, there are square posts and
boards. with the names of the dead. quota
tions from the canonical Buddhist books,
lines of poetry. moral and religious apothc-
gems. generally referring to the vanity Of
this world. and the felicity of Buddah' s
heaven in the next. There was curious
contrivance found in one the burial places,
consisting of tall post, in which an iron
wheel was inserted. The post was placed
upright. and being square, presented four
surfaces, on each of which was one or two
of the following inscriptions or prayers -
The great round mirror Of knowledge
says, wise men and fools are embarked in
the same boat whether prospercd or af
fiicted, both are rowing over the same deep
lake the gay sails lightly hang to catch
the autumnal breeze; then away they
straight enter the lustrous clouds, and be-
come partaker's of heavens knowledge" "
1.-The believing man. HANYo SHENKA.
MAN. who no longer grows old"
The believeing woman, once called
YUEENINc /: Happy was the day she left. u
Multitudes fill the graves"
To enable to enter the abodes of the
perfect, and to sympathize fully with the
men of the world, belongs to Buddha. II
is only by this one vehicle, the coffin, We
can enter Hades. There is nought like
Buddha nothing at ALL
1--WE of the human race with hearts
mind, and understandings. when We read
the volumes of Buddha, enjoy great advan
tages."
He whose prescience detects knowl
edge. says : as the floating grass is blowl
by the gentle breeze, or the glancing rip
pies Of autumn disappear when the SUI
goes down, or as the ship returns to bel
old shore, 20 is life it is smoke, . morn
ing tide.
Buddha himself earnestly desires t.
hear the name of this person, (who is bur
ied,) and wishes he may 20 to life."
He who has left humanity is now per
lected Dy Duodna name, as the WHneree
moss is by the dew"
The canon Of Buddha says, all VIII
reach the blissful land will become 30 tha
they cannot be made to transmigrate, 10
change for the worse.)
The square post upon which these in
scriptions were cut was nearly eight feet il
length, and near the centre, at a conven
lent height to be reached by the hand, wa
affixed, vertically. wheel, which movs'
readily on an axle that passed through tn
post. Two small iron rings were strun,
upon each Of three spokss Of the larg
wheel. Every one who twisted this instru
ment in passing was supposed to obtail
credit in heaven for one or more prayers Of
the post the number being graduated accor
ding to the vigor of the performers devo
ton, and the number of revolutions sfec
ted. The jingle of the small iron ring
was believed to secure the attention of th
deity to the invocation Of the devotional
and the greater the noise the more certain
Of its being listened to. This praying b.
} wheel and axle would seem to be the YER.
perfection of a cermonious religion, -
} reduces it to system Of mechanical hwi
. which. provided the apparatus u kept i
; order, result easily obeained by . littl
oil. moderate use. and occasional repain