Read, reflect, pray
Great purification of the ten treasures
十種太祓
A text in the 1911 Shintō Ōharai Zenshū anthology. It is presented as a historical reading, not the current ritual of every shrine or temple.
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.
The kami dwelling in Takamagahara made ten sacred treasures, bestowed them upon Amateru Kuniteru Hiko Hoakari Kushitama Nigihayahi no Mikoto, and instructed him:
‘Take these treasures down to the earthly land and govern its people peacefully. If the people or any living creatures are ill, set the treasures upon the boards of the storehouse, perform a spirit-pacifying rite and shake the treasures.’
The ritual words are the ten heavenly stems—甲・乙・丙・丁・戊・己・庚・辛・壬・癸—then one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten: ‘Make the jewels sound; shake them gently to and fro.’
Receiving the ancestral kami’s instruction that ‘with such prayer even the dead will live again,’ he rode the heavenly rock boat down to Takerugamine at Kawakami in Kawachi, then moved to Shiraniwa’s Takaniwa at the foot of Mount Haio in Yamato and enshrined the treasures.
Called Isonokami Ōkami, he established the service of reciting the sacred word ‘furube’ with these treasures for all things, generation after generation.
They are revered as Furu-no-Mitama and worshiped at the Mononobe shrine, where imperial sons, great clan leaders and ministers respectfully serve in awe of their power. The primal treasures generating all things are Okitsu-kagami, Hetsu-kagami, Yatsuka-no-Tsurugi, Ikutama, Makaru-kaeshi-no-Tama, Tarutama, Chigaeshi-no-Tama, Hebi-no-Hire, Hachi-no-Hire and Kusagusa-no-Mono-no-Hire, honored as ten kami.
Recite the ten stems 甲・乙・丙・丁・戊・己・庚・辛・壬・癸 and the numbers one through ten, sounding the jewels and shaking them gently to and fro.
Hear peacefully these words offered through this tradition. Protect us as an unshakable rock, granting long life and flourishing descendants. We ask the protection of the kami’s wondrous power.
Source text and reading aid
Roman letters are provided for 3 of 8 lines. Readings not fully supplied in the source are left without Roman letters.
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.
高天原に神留座す皇神等鋳顕給ふ十種瑞津の宝を以て、天照国照彦天火明櫛玉饒速日尊に授給ふ事誨て曰く。
汝此瑞津の宝を以て中津国に天降り、蒼生を鎮納よ、蒼生及万物の病疾の辞あらば、神宝を以て御倉板に鎮置て、魂魄鎮祭を為て、瑞津宝を布留部。
imashi konomizuno takarawo motsute nakatsukunini amakudari, aohitokusawo shizumeosameyo, aohitokusaoyobiyorozunomonono yamahino kotoaraba, kantakarawo motsute mikuraitani shizumeosamete, mitamashizukamatsuriwo nashite, mizunotakarawo furube.
其神祝の詞に曰く、甲乙丙丁戊己庚辛壬癸、一二三四五六七八九十、瓊音、布留部由良由良。
如此祈所為ば、死共更蘇生と誨給ふ天神の御祖御詔を稟給ひ、天磐船に乗りて河内国河上の哮峯に天降座て、大和国排尾の山の麓、白庭の高庭に遷座て鎮斎奉給ふ。
kaku inorite seba, makaru tomo saraniikinamuto woshihetamafu amanokamino mioya mikotonoriwo kaketamahi, amenoihafuneni norite kahachinokunikahakamino ikarugamineni amakudarimashite, yamatonokunisahino yamano fumoto, shiranihano takanihani utsushimashite itsukimatsuri tatematsuritamafu.
号て石神大神と申奉り、代々神宝を以て万物の為に布留部の神辞を以て司と為し給ふ。
故に布留御魂神と尊敬し奉り、皇子大連大臣、其神武きを以て斎に仕奉給ふ物部の神社、天下万物聚類、化出し大元の神宝は、所謂、瀛都鏡、辺都鏡、八握剣、生玉、死反玉、足玉、道反玉、蛇比礼、蜂比礼、品品物比礼、更十種神。
甲乙丙丁戊己庚辛壬癸、一二三四五六七八九十、瓊音、布留部由良由良加之奉る。
事の由縁を以て平けく所聞食と、命長遠子孫繁栄と、常磐堅盤に護給ひ幸給ひ、加持し奉る神通神妙神力。
kotono yoshiwo motsute tahirakeku kikoshimeseto, inochinagaku shisonhan'eito, tokihakakihani mamoritamahi saihahitamahi, kajishi tatematsuru jinzuushinmeushinriki.
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 (1)
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.