Where does our strength come from?
In the tumult of battle do we truly fight alone, our own resourcefulness and skill as our only shield from death? Maybe, however, we can rely on power from outside ourselves. Might we channel the energy of a fearsome deity, receive the favor of the gods, or learn the ways of battle from a mysterious, mountain-dwelling creature? Throughout history, peoples of the world have wondered about supernatural forces, and how those forces might influence their lives. Ultimately, questions of power of the "self" and power of the "other" give a richness to the human experience. Our religious traditions, mythologies, and folklore seek to both answer these questions and give us advice on how to proceed accordingly.
In the painting above, the warrior monk Benkei and Minamoto no Yoshitsune are locked in combat. The legend goes that Benkei, seeking to take the swords of a thousand warriors, ambushed the young Yoshitsune at the Gojo Bridge. However, Yoshitsune, known as Ushiwakamaru during his youth, was too nimble for Benkei. With each attack he managed to maneuver just out of Benkei's reach. Yoshitsune had a secret to his battle skills, however. He had been trained in combat by a tengu, a powerful mountain demon. Eventually, Benkei gave up trying to defeat Yoshitsune and vowed from that day forward to follow him as his faithful retainer.
Japan has a unique and storied history, littered with fantastical characters and their remarkable deeds. While the lines of historical fact and folklore are often blurred, their stories nevertheless reveal how the power of self (jiriki) and power from the outside (tariki) work to influence our lives. The Heike Monogatari, Japan's famous chronicle of the Genpei War, details the life of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. An interesting example of power from within and power from outside, Yoshitsune's story suggests that perhaps the most compelling characters don't solely rely on one or the other but instead channel power from both sources.
This website is devoted to the questions surrounding jiriki and tariki. Using the story of Minamoto no Yoshitsune as a foundation, I hope to better illuminate how these forces shape the warrior's life and ultimate fate.
-ようこそ
Header Image: Utagawa Kuniyoshi's Ushiwaka overcoming Benkei at the Gojo Bridge
In the painting above, the warrior monk Benkei and Minamoto no Yoshitsune are locked in combat. The legend goes that Benkei, seeking to take the swords of a thousand warriors, ambushed the young Yoshitsune at the Gojo Bridge. However, Yoshitsune, known as Ushiwakamaru during his youth, was too nimble for Benkei. With each attack he managed to maneuver just out of Benkei's reach. Yoshitsune had a secret to his battle skills, however. He had been trained in combat by a tengu, a powerful mountain demon. Eventually, Benkei gave up trying to defeat Yoshitsune and vowed from that day forward to follow him as his faithful retainer.
Japan has a unique and storied history, littered with fantastical characters and their remarkable deeds. While the lines of historical fact and folklore are often blurred, their stories nevertheless reveal how the power of self (jiriki) and power from the outside (tariki) work to influence our lives. The Heike Monogatari, Japan's famous chronicle of the Genpei War, details the life of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. An interesting example of power from within and power from outside, Yoshitsune's story suggests that perhaps the most compelling characters don't solely rely on one or the other but instead channel power from both sources.
This website is devoted to the questions surrounding jiriki and tariki. Using the story of Minamoto no Yoshitsune as a foundation, I hope to better illuminate how these forces shape the warrior's life and ultimate fate.
-ようこそ
Header Image: Utagawa Kuniyoshi's Ushiwaka overcoming Benkei at the Gojo Bridge