Goma-gyo Ritual at Suma-dera Temple: spiritual fire-ritual with Fudo-Myoo


What do you do when you have a wish and want invisible help, for example, to cure disease, to meet a new partner, to pass an entrance examination, to succeed in your work etc? Many Japanese people normally go to a shrine to pray for their wishes, which is easy to do. In addition, another way of praying for your wish exists. It is called the “Goma-gyo” ritual, and this ritual uses a fire, and through the ritual, drumming and mantra in Buddhism sound, so goma-gyo has a kind of spiritual atmosphere. It is deeper than praying in a shrine and it has a stronger spiritual power. If you want to know spiritual Japan or to pray for your wish, I recommend you participate in Goma-gyo. It will be undoubtedly one of the supreme experience of your journey in Japan.


Goma-gyo has about a thirteen-century history and it was begun by Kukai who was the founder of Koya-san. Kukai placed the importance of the Goma-gyo ritual on Fudo-Myoo. And houses to pray to Fudo-Myoo, which are called ”O-Fudo-San”, were built in every corner of Japan. My wife and I sometimes participate in goma-gyo at Suma-dera Temple in Kobe City, then I will explain the ritual through the practical way of Goma-gyo at the temple.

With Fudo-myoo


Goma-gyo is held at the Goma-house in Suma-dera Temple several times a month. In the house many Buddhist statues are set, and Fudo-myoo is the most important statue.


Participating prayers previously write their wishes on the faces of wood-sticks and gather in the Goma-house.


Three Buddhist priests perform a goma-gyo ritual. One is the main priest who controls the fire of the ritual, another is a drummer and the other is an assistant. All the participants chant mantras Introduced by the priests. I’m sorry that I can’t understand the meaning of the mantras but I chant those. Drumming adds rhythm to the ritual.


The main priest is always being close to the fire. If a normal person took the role of the main priest, he would absolutely be burnt. The main priest just does a lot of rites which were determined in detail and those are secret. The fire which is controlled by the main priest often becomes large and often becomes small with fluctuations.


The Fudo-myoo statue has four clear characteristics, which are a demon-like face with strong rage, a big red fire behind his back, a sword in his right hand and a long rounded lope in his left hand. In addition, the color of many Fudo-Myoo statues is blue, and the body-color of the Fudo-myoo in Suma Temple is blue too. The controlled fire illuminates the Fudo-myoo statue, so the Fudo-myoo statue seems to be alive.

Why is the appearance of the FudoMyoo statue different from many other Japanese Buddhist statues with kind faces? The religious sect which was originated by Kukai puts the most importance on Dainichi-Nyorai which is the origin of this cosmos. Nonetheless, Dainichi-Nyorai has transformed himself into Fudo-Myoo for the purpose of rescuing people who are suffering from much greed, anger or stupidity. At last Fudo-Myoo has had those characteristics because an only tolerant spirit can’t rescue many people deeply tainted with greed, anger or stupidity. From that point of view, Fudo-myoo may have beauty somehow.


The enthusiasm in the house is increasing by chanting mantras, drumming and the fire. The ritual lasts about an hour with a lecture by the main priest at the end, but my wife and I don’t feel it is long. And after the ritual, our kokoro which are like hearts in English become clear and light, and we forget our wishes.

The practice of unifying us with Fudo-Myoo and the fire


This time Yohnin Koike was the main priest. He is the sub-superintendent priest of Suma-dera Temple.


Priest Yohnin with a warmed face by the fire lectured about the ritual as follows without any appearance of tiredness after the severe practice;


“I have received many reports from participants that their wishes were granted. Actually, Goma-gyo has visible miraculous efficacy. But yet invisible miraculous efficacy is more important.


The importance of the ritual is to unify ourselves with Fudo-Myoo and the fire. Fudo-Myoo has a very severe appearance as you know, but severity is indispensable for our developments, because we who are easy on ourselves are prone to be rude. And the inside of his severe appearance is filled with love and mercy of Dainichi-Nyorai. And the fire means wisdom. The wisdom of Buddhism is the light for introducing people as a fire introduces people to the righteous place in the dark. Finally you will unify yourself with Fudo-Myoo and the fire of wisdom through the ritual. Moreover, you have invited Fudo-Myoo into your kokoro. That is invisible miraculous efficacy. After all, my kokoro becomes clear and light after the practice.


Through our life after the ritual we should do everything with wisdom as Fudo-myoo and we should love people around us. The more we love people around us, the more we will be loved by the people around us. It will bring happiness, chance and luck to us.”


My wife and I agreed with his lecture and we could understand the efficacy of Goma-gyo. However, how does the Fudo-myoo in my kokoro work? Priest Yonin didn’t talk about it, so I thought about it according to my experience as follows. It is said that there is another self in my kokoro. And the other me got the wisdom of the Fudo-myoo, then the other me with the power of the Fudo-myoo cuts off my greed, anger and stupidity or a lot of negative feelings toward others and society belong to me by the sword, and the other me rescues me from greed, anger and stupidity by the rope. Or Fudo-myoo in my kokoro May scald that I have to do seriously.


But yet, wait. Consciously or unconsciously, we, Japanese people, know that we have a kokoro in our bodies and we can invite Fudo-Myoo into our kokoro, and we know that the core of kokoro is the same as god. Unfortunately, we forget it in our normal lives. So then we should go to a temple and a shrine to remember.


Of course foreign people have a kokoro as well. So why not go to a temple or a shrine? Let’s participate in Goma-gyo.

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