Wow Place #355: Kumano Magaibutsu, Kunisaki Peninsula, Japan
When I was a kid, one of my favorite cartoons was “Tennessee Tuxedo.” Its plot was simple: Tennessee, a penguin, and his dimwitted pal Chumley, a walrus, live in Megapolis zoo. Regularly, the duo escape over the zoo’s wall and get into all manner of trouble on the outside, only to turn, eventually, for help from the “the man with all the answers”: Phineas J. Whoopee. A bald-headed professor type with a room full of junk, Mr. Whoopee inevitably pulls out his 3-D BB (three-dimensional blackboard) and lectures our heroes about anything from physics to hot air balloons—solving whatever problem they needed solved.
Isn’t that always the way it is in adventure stories – to get answers to the biggest questions in life, you need to gain audience with a revered, all-knowing guru – often by overcoming some kind of obstacle, whether it’s hurdling a wall, penetrating a labyrinth, or more commonly, trekking to the top of a mountain. Think Brad Pitt’s character in Seven Years in Tibet climbing the Himalayas to meet the young Dalai Lama. Or Batman, hiking the peaks of Bhutan in search of the League of Shadows. Or Homer and Apu from the Simpsons, scaling the heights of Shangri-la to reach the First Kwik-E-Mart (note, it doesn’t go well for them).
In short, wisdom often resides at the top of a long climb.
It’s with a similar goal of enlightenment in mind that I begin scaling the 99 steps to the Kumano Magaibutsu. Carved directly into a natural rock wall between the 11th and 12th centuries, the Magaibutsu are two of Japan’s largest stone Buddha sculptures. About 7-8 meters (20 feet) each, the statues include a calm figure with spiral patterns on its head and another with a gentle expression, holding a sword.
Surrounded by forest, secluded, devilishly difficult to reach – these “Buddhas in the Mist” are definitely a place get some answers about the meaning of life!
But first you have to overcome those steep, brutal, 99 steps.
So why 99? This being Japan, there’s a story to it, of course! According to the official Kumano Magaibutsu tourist brochure:
“Once upon a time, a red ogre is said to have lived in this district. One day, this ogre felt an urge to taste human flesh. The ogre came to a deity named Gongen and begged him for this. The deity replied, ‘If you can make 100 stone steps in one night, your wish may come true.’ The delighted red ogre started making the stone steps from 8 in the morning.
“Just before midnight, Gongen got worried and went to see the ogre. At that moment, the red ogre was coming up the stairs with a rock for the 100th step. The deity never expected this would happen, so he decided to make the morning come earlier. That’s why, disguised as a rooster, Gongen cried out “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” The surprised ogre ran away with the last stone on his back, in fear of being killed by Gongen.”
Like so many stone steps in Japan (see Wow Place #348: Mt. Fugen-dake), this is rather difficult climb—a nearly vertical scramble over massive, un-cut boulders. Absolutely brutal. Entirely worth it!
And finally, there I am at the top, sweat streaming down my brow, face to face with the two, famed Buddhas. Emerging silently from the rock wall, they emanate peace, sacredness and wisdom. Approaching reverently (after catching my breath), I mouth my questions silently to myself, and quietly retreat — keeping a close eye out for the Red Ogre. After all, Nirvana may be attained at the top of a holy mountain, but that doesn’t mean going back down will be an easy road. In fact, as the sherpas of Mt. Everest can tell you, it’s never the ascent that kills you; it’s always the descent.
And isn’t that a good lesson for all of us wisdom seekers?!!
(Although enlightenment can sometimes be reached at the top of a mountain, the reverse can also be said to be true.
“Zen is the spirit of the valley, not the mountaintop. The only Zen you find on the top of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.” — Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.
In other words, nirvana/satori/enlightment is easy when you’re by yourself, away from it all, immersed in nature, far away from worldly distractions. But try to be equanimous here in the valley of our everyday lives, juggling the stresses of work, kids and marriage. You are you wherever you go. So yes, climb the wall, scale the mountain, challenge the red ogre. Don’t miss out on those challenges. But remember that your real practice starts and ends here at home, in the quotidien, the everyday life .
–Today’s lesson from Phineas J. Whoopee and his 3-D BB.)
(Dave Blum is the creator of Dr. Clue Treasure Hunts, www.drclue.com, a teambuilding company featuring over 150 treasure hunt locations worldwide. He has visited over 40 countries in his 60+ years of life and plans to keep traveling until he gives up the ghost. Dave lives in Northern California with his wife, Donica, and their 18-year-old Maine Coon, Ava — an indoor cat who dreams of one day escaping captivity and exploring her own neighborhood Wow Places.)