Read, reflect, pray
Prayer to kami of learning
学神祭
An 1897 prayer to Omoikane, Sugawara, Kuebiko and others, asking to understand books and deepen learning.
English meaning and source text
English meaning
About this English rendering
This site’s English rendering of the Japanese meaning guide, aligned with this edition. It is separate from the source words for recitation and is not an official liturgy. Sacred sounds are explained where possible, not given speculative literal translations. Historical beliefs, royal authority, illness and protection claims belong to the text; they are not present-day judgments, medical advice or guarantees of results.
Before those invited to dwell upon this sacred seat, where we have established a himorogi to welcome the kami,
with reverence before Yagokoro Omoikane, Imbe, Sugawara, the masters Hakura, Okabe, Motoori and Hirata, and Kuebiko, we respectfully speak.
I, [name],
though immature and unskilled,
read the sacred writings that convey the distant age of the kami and seek their meaning.
May I understand in detail the claim that Japan, the land of abundant rice, is more excellent and precious than every other land,
the grounds upon which the emperor should govern even the universe,
and the important principles between ruler and subjects.
Cherish and show compassion to my heart as I labor and strive morning and evening toward this.
May I read and understand all books in the world, a thousand volumes or five hundred, as many as there are.
May I know the unseen world and the kami as far as knowledge permits.
May I know the world’s great and small events even without traveling there on my own feet.
May this way of the kami become ever clearer and more highly honored,
and may the light of our country Japan shine.
Holding up these offerings as a sign of respect, I humbly ask and pray.
Source text and reading aid
Roman letters are provided for every line of this source text.
How to use the Roman letters
Roman letters follow the kana displayed in this site’s Japanese reader; some readings are editorial additions documented on the Japanese page. These are a reading aid, not restored Sanskrit or a recording of a temple’s chanting. Historical spellings (such as wo, wi, we and ha used as a particle) are kept. Double vowels and repeated vowels mark the written kana; rhythm and pronunciation can differ by tradition.
You can simply read the meaning or sit quietly. No recitation is required. For a temple or shrine’s own recitation, follow that tradition’s published guidance.
本文
此の神床に神籬立てて招き奉り鎮め奉る、
kono kamutokoni himorogi tatete maneki matsuri shizume matsuru,
掛巻も畏き八意思兼神忌部神菅原神羽倉大人岡部大人本居大人平田大人久延彦神の御前をも慎み敬ひ畏み畏みも白さく、
kakemakumo kashikoki yagokoroomohikanenokami imubenokami sugaharanokami hakuranoushi wokabenoushi motoworinoushi hiratanoushi kuebikonokamino mimahewomo tsutsushimi wiyamahi kashikomi kashikomimo mawosaku,
某い、
soregashii,
をぢなく拙き身には在ど、
wojinaku tsutanaki miniha aredo,
風音の遠き神代の神典を読み窺ひ、
kazenotono tohoki kamiyono kamifumiwo yomi ukagahi,
日本の瑞穂国の万の国に勝利て尊く、
hinomotono mizuhonokunino yorozuno kunini masarite tafutoku,
皇美麻命は宇宙をも統御べき元因、
sumemimanomikotoha amenosorawomo shirosubeki motonoihare,
君臣の大義をも具に令知給へと、
kimiomino kotohariwomo tsubusani shirashimetamaheto,
朝夕に労き励む心を恤み慈しみ給ひて、
asayufuni itazuki hagemu kokorowo aharemi itsukushimi tamahite,
世に所有書と云ふ書は千巻五百巻有の尽説明し令悟得給ひて、
yoni arayuru fumito ifu fumiha chimaki ihomaki arino kotogotoku tokiakashi satorieseshimetamahite,
幽事神事も知得べき限は令知給ひて、
kakurigoto kamigotomo shiriubeki kagiriha shirashimetamahite,
足は不行ども天下の大小の事も令知給ひ、
ashiha arukanedomo amenoshitano ohokichihisakino kotomo shirashimetamahi,
此の大道の弥明に弥高に、
kono ohomichino iyaakirakani iyatakani,
吾が日本の国の光をも令耀給へと、
waga hinomotono kunino hikariwomo kagayakashimetamaheto,
礼代の幣帛捧持て恐み恐みも乞祈奉らくと白す。
wiyajirono mitegura sasagemochite kashikomi kashikomimo kohinomimatsurakuto mawosu.
Connected kami and buddhas
These connections include figures addressed, mentioned, or associated by tradition. They do not assign a universal recitation practice.
Sources and edition (2)
English explanations on this page were prepared by Inori no Mori from the cited text and its Japanese explanations. They are not an official translation or a prescribed liturgy.