Konpira Gongen

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{{Infobox deity

| type = Shinto

| name = Konpira Gongen

| deity_of = God of seafaring and sailors

| member_of =

| image = Image:Konpira Daigongen.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Statue of Konpira Gongen, Musée Guimet

| other_names = Konpira Daigongen (金毘羅大権現)

| script_name = Japanese

| script = 金毘羅権現

| affiliation = Acala (honji)
Ōmononushi (conflated with)
Emperor Sutoku

| cult_center = Kotohira-gū (Kotohira, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan)

| abode =

| planet =

| mantra = On Kubiraya sowaka

| equivalent1_type = Buddhist

| equivalent1 = Bhaisajyaguru

}}

Konpira Gongen (金毘羅権現) is a Japanese god of the Shugendō sect originating in the mountain Kotohira of Kagawa Prefecture. He is the god of merchant sailors. He is worshipped at {{ill|Kotohira Shrines|lt=Kotohira Shrines|ja|金刀比羅神社}}

According to legend {{ill|Konpira Gongen|simple}} came into existence when a priest at {{ill|Matsuo Temple (Kagawa Prefecture Kotohira Town)|lt=Matsuo Temple|ja|松尾寺 (香川県琴平町)}} summoned the Ganges deity {{ill|Kumbhīra|ja|宮比羅}}.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334586970_Kagawa_A_Guide_to_Sanuki_Gateway_to_Shikoku {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

{{ill|Kumbhīra|ja|宮比羅}} was said to have been present at the preaching of the Mahāsamaya Sutta.{{Cite web |title=Kumbhīra |url=https://www.palikanon.com/english/pali_names/ku/kumbhiira.htm |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=www.palikanon.com}} He is a Ganges crocodile god.{{Cite web |last=D |first=John |date=2013-06-01 |title=Hinduism 2): Kompira |url=https://www.greenshinto.com/2013/06/01/hindu-connections-2-kompira/ |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=Green Shinto |language=en-GB}}

He is identified with the first of the twelve spirit messengers emanating from Bhaisajyaguru.{{Cite book |last=FAURE |first=BERNARD |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1k3np30 |title=Rage and Ravage |date=2021-12-31 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |isbn=978-0-8248-8936-4 |doi=10.2307/j.ctv1k3np30}}{{rp|52}}

Alongside many other water deities like Watatsumi, Sumiyoshi, Munakata-sanjojin, Ebisu, and Gozu Tennō his cult became very significant in medieval times.{{rp|316}}

Overview

Yoshida Kanetomo said that Susanoo, the Shinto god of sea and storms, is the same as the Indian god Khumbīra. This god watches over Vulture Peak, a place in Buddhist mythology...{{rp|172}}

As time passed, people in Japan began to see Konpira as a guardian of their Buddhist religion. They placed Konpira in a shrine on Zōzusan mountain in Shikoku. This mountain was very important for Shugendō followers by the end of the Heian period. Shugendō is a Japanese belief that combines mountain living, Shinto, and Buddhism. On this mountain, Konpira was given a new name, Konpira Gongen...{{rp|172}}

= Associations =

Konpira is connected to gods of water, like dragons and nāga kings. These connections make him a protector of people at sea and the paths they take over the water. This is especially true for the waters inside Japan's coast. In a special part of Buddhism, people honor Konpira as one of twelve powerful spirit leaders. These leaders are linked to twelve directions and twelve animals from the Chinese calendar. Different stories match Konpira to different directions. But most often, he is linked to the north...{{rp|172}}

Sometimes Konpira is identified with gods like Ōkuninushi or Shinra Myōjin. ...{{rp|172}} But the most recent identification is with Ōmononushi. His identification with Ōmononushi may seem strange at first since Ōmononushi is a deity of mountains and snakes, while he is a water and navigatonal deity, but the logic behind it is that mountains are often used for navigation in the sea, so mountain deities help sailors.{{rp|317}}

= In Literature =

A Buddhist text "Sange yōryakki" talks about Buddha placing twelve gods on Eagle Peak. One of these gods is Konpira. Here, Konpira is seen as a very important god in Japan. He is thought to be the divine child of Susanoo no Mikoto. People believed that a monk named Saichō came back safely from China because he prayed to Susanoo...{{rp|172}}

In later books, like "Jindai no maki kaden kikigaki" by Koretari, there are more stories. They say Susanoo visited not just Japan but also China and India. These stories suggest that the Japanese gods could be versions of Indian gods. This idea turns the usual story around, with Japanese gods being seen in other countries' stories...{{rp|172}}

Kotohira Shrines

{{ill|Kotohira Shrines|ja|金刀比羅神社|simple|Kotohira shrines}} are a kind of shinto shrine in Japan. They were originally dedicated to the syncretic deity Konpira Gongen, but in the Meiji restoration due to Shinbutsu bunri they were dedicated to Ōmononushi. Their head shrine is Kotohira-gū.{{Cite web |last=SHIKOKU |first=Organization for Promotion of Tourism in |title=Kotohira-gu Shrine |url=https://shikoku-tourism.com/en/see-and-do/10078 |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Tourism SHIKOKU |language=ja}}{{Cite web |title=Kompirasan |url=https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5451.html |access-date=2023-09-18 |website=www.japan-guide.com |language=en}} They are dedicated to seafaring and protecting sailors.

They are part of the famous Inahachikonten Shrines (稲八金天神社) of the Shrine Consolidation Policy alongside Inari Shrine, Hachiman Shrine, {{ill|Kotohira Shrines|ja|金刀比羅神社|simple|Kotohira shrines}}, and Tenmangu Shrine.

= History =

According to legend {{ill|Konpira Gongen|simple}} came into existence when a priest at {{ill|Matsuo Temple (Kagawa Prefecture Kotohira Town)|lt=Matsuo Temple|ja|松尾寺 (香川県琴平町)}} summoned the Ganges deity {{ill|Kumbhīra|ja|宮比羅}}.{{Cite book |last=Faure |first=Bernard |date=2021-12-16 |title=Rage and Ravage |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/9780824889364 |doi=10.1515/9780824889364|isbn=978-0-8248-8936-4 |s2cid=245466185 }}{{rp|172}} styarting as a hostile sea monster the deity was placated and became a god of navigation.{{rp|353}} The deity is perceived as perhaps being a deification of a sea serpent called a wani.{{rp|437}}

Kotohira-gū is located close to and strongly historically associated with {{ill|Matsuo Temple (Kagawa Prefecture Kotohira Town)|lt=Matsuo Temple|ja|松尾寺 (香川県琴平町)}}{{Cite web |title=Kotohira: The Area Around the Kotohira-gu Shrine, Where the Old Townscape Remains to This Day |url=https://www.fun-japan.jp/en/articles/10547 |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=FUN! JAPAN International |language=en}}

In 1889 due to the Meiji Restoration the head temple was renamed from Konpira temple to Kotohira-gu.{{rp|437}}

=List of Kotohira Shrines=

Kotohira-gū
{{ill|Miyabiro Shrine|ja|宮比羅}}
{{ill|Ōtsuna Kotohira Shrine|ja|大綱金刀比羅神社}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Kuji City)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (久慈市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira & Ōwashi Shrine|ja|金刀比羅・大鷲神社}}
{{ill|Kotohira-gū (Tokyo Port Area)|ja|金刀比羅宮 (東京都港区)}}
{{ill|Kotohira-gū Tokyo Branch|ja|金刀比羅宮東京分社}}
{{ill|Kotohira-gū Matsuyama Branch|ja|金刀比羅宮松山分社}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Joetsu City)|ja|琴平神社 (上越市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Kohei Town)|ja|琴平神社 (古平町)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Kochi City)|ja|琴平神社 (土佐市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Kawasaki City)|ja|琴平神社 (川崎市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Tatebayashi City)|ja|琴平神社 (館林市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Kyotango City)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (京丹後市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Taito Ward)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (台東区)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Tokushima City Kawauchi Town)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (徳島市川内町)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Shin Kami Goto Town Mikka No Ura Village)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (新上五島町三日ノ浦郷)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Nemuro City)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (根室市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Naruto City)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (鳴門市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Tokushima City)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (徳島市)}}
{{ill|Kotohira Shrine (Nagareyama City)|ja|金刀比羅神社 (流山市)}}
{{ill|Konpira-gū (Tama City)|ja|金比羅宮 (多摩市)}}
{{ill|Konpira Daigongen (Kurashiki City)|ja|金毘羅大権現 (倉敷市)}}
{{ill|Bessho Kotohira Shrine|ja|別所琴平神社}}
{{ill|Miyoshi Shrine (Sapporo City)|ja|三吉神社 (札幌市)}}
{{ill|Yasui Konpira-gū|ja|安井金比羅宮}}
{{ill|Matsuo Temple (Kagawa Prefecture Kotohira Town)|ja|松尾寺 (香川県琴平町)}}
{{ill|Ryūtōzan Shrine|ja|龍頭山神社|simple}}
Sapporo Hachimangū