Jōhiryō

**Jōhiryō** [契映量, lit. 'Enduring and Lighting the Way') is the standard name given to a sect of Kiren known for its ascetic practices that originated in the early 8th century and evolved throughout the Chisō period. It was born from an amalgamation of beliefs, philosophies, rituals, and doctrines drawn from local practices of central Kanton, combining the folk religion Kannen and the state religion Kiren. The final purpose for Jōhiryō practicitioners is to find inner peace without attachment to the outside world, and to develop the power of their instincts until they no longer experience desire of any kind. Practitioners are called *Jōhi* (契映), *Jōzō* (契僧) or sometimes *Sanzō* (山僧). Jōhiryō is practiced all over Kanton, particularly in the central and southern regions.

## History

Jōhiryō evolved alongside Kiren during the eighth century, drawing largely from the folk religion Kannen and creating a mixture of new and old beliefs and philosophies. For example, the worship of nature, especially mountains, entered Jōhiryō practice from Kannen, while the concept of achieving inner peace and relinquishing human desires was drawn from Kiren ideology. The eighth-century ascetic and mystic Sei no Junjō is widely considered to be the patriach of Jōhiryō, having first organised it as a doctrine. Practitioners are also said to be descendants of the *yawagi* monks of the early Chisō period; traveling monks who preached the teachings of Kiren to commoners.

The Namai mountain range, which stretches along the border of Tanami Prefecture and forms the boundaries of Ueno and Doyama, was historically the most significant site associated with Jōhiryō. The peak of the Namai range is Mount Tenka at an altitude of 2,120m, and there are over 70 sites for ascetic practice and meditation situated along the mountain trail. Namazata Temple, located on the summit of Mount Tenka, is considered to be the most sacred site of Jōhiryō.

In modern times, Jōhiryō is practiced in many different regions and at a large number of other mountain temples; a notable example is the Shirezata Temple located on Mount Shirezata in Kōfu Prefecture, which is considered a major site for practitioners.

## Practice

According to practitioners, Jōhiryō involves "purification ceremonies, dream interpretation, prayers and incantations, exorcism, spells, charms and ascetic practice with the intent to forsake all of one's earthly desires." Omiyū Yoyama, a scholar of the sect, describes the main worldview of Jōhiryō as:

> assuming the existence of two realms: that of the daily life, and that of a supernatural, spiritual realm which only a select few can enter. Participation in both is considered essential to living, and they are equally important in terms of ritual, as they inform each other; too little or too much of either, and the balance is upset. The mountains are seen as both sacred spaces between these worlds, places where the human soul can be at peace, and as a gateway to the state of enlightenment. These sacred spaces are *omida*, and they are highly important in Jōhiryō for maintaining peace within the spirit.
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*Omida* can be active or inactive; active *omida* or *tsu-omida* include bathing, eating, and prayer, while inactive *omida* or *tsushi-omida* would be meditation, sleeping (and therefore dreaming) and places, such as temples and mountains. Visiting and/or being in a state of *omida* is considered vital in maintaining one's spirit and working towards enlightenment. By far the most important *omida* is the mountain; sacred peaks are seen often as a symbol of ascension, strength and peace. The common mantra *shi-nagari, takurari, yoniari* ('unmoving, enlightened, at peace') describes the link between the ideal state of the human and the attributes of a mountain.

There are three main forms of mountain practice according to Yoyama:

1. Entering the mountain to visit a temple, make an offering, pray, meditate, and converse with other practitioners, usually as part of a pilgrimage.
2. Entering the mountain for a certain period of time, usually a week, as a kind of retreat during which practitioners carry out various ascetic practices, meditate, and sleep.
3. Entering the mountain for a wintertime retreat; this is the most severe and advanced form. During this time the practitioner becomes 'dormant' and does almost nothing except chant mantras, sleep and meditate. This state is thought to strengthen one's spiritual powers and, after a considerable length of time, bring about enlightenment.

### Asceticism

Ascetic practice in Jōhiryō is called *taishi* (退生, lit. 'rejection of life'), and usually involves extended periods of starvation, coldness and social isolation, along with performing certain rituals such as *zukeba* and *jinjō*.

*Zukeba* (坠払, 'cliff-walking') is performed on the sides of mountain cliffs or steep ravines, and resembles abseiling; monks, especially those who are young and green, are tied to each other by ropes, and lowered beneath the edge of the cliff. They then begin to 'walk' down the cliff at a horizontal angle until they reach the ground. Throughout this ritual, the young monks will meditate in order to calm their minds and develop inner peace. *Jinjō* (芩契, 'endurance') is performed by experienced monks. It is a broad term for a number of different rituals such as fire-walking, swimming in boiling water, and walking on knives. *Tōhei* (止舜, 'fasting') is the name for a period of around eight days during which the monk eats nothing, drinks only a small amount of water, and sitting and sleeping only outside whilst wearing very little.