Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Tenmangū prayer

天滿宮祝文てんまんぐうしゆくもん

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

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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 Tenman Tenjin, whose name we speak with awe, we offer these words.

Respectfully we reflect that you assisted the emperor’s government, became an example for the realm, guarded the country and lovingly nurtured its people.

Your loyalty stood alongside sun and moon; your compassionate blessings equaled heaven and earth.

As the great forebear of learning and literature, presiding over poetry, your lofty virtue is recorded in writing and transmitted for ages, from Japan to lands beyond the sea.

Through your blessings, high and low, old and young read and write, earn their livelihood and manage their households. We look up with reverence to this profound kindness.

As today’s morning sun rises brightly, we offer pure food, sake and precious cloth. Hear peacefully the wishes we pray.

May the imperial throne endure without end alongside heaven, earth, sun and moon; may the realm be peaceful, its people prosper, learning and teaching continue, and study reach fulfillment.

Hear us as a divine horse raises its ears; protect and bless us by night and day. With reverence, we proclaim your praise.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 7 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.

掛卷(かけまく)も畏(かしこ)き天滿天神(あまみつあめのかみ)の廣前(ひろまへ)に白(まう)さく

kakemakumo kashikoki amamitsuamenokamino hiromaheni mausaku

恭惟(つゝしくおもんみれば)帝道(みかど)を輔佐(たすけまつ)り四海(よものくに)に儀刑(のりと)し邦家(くにいへ)を守護(まも)り萬民(おほんたから)を撫育座(やしなひましま)して

忠誠(まめやかなると)は日月(ひつき)と並(なら)び仁恩(うつくしみのめぐみ)は天地(あめつち)と齊座(ひとしくましま)し

mameyakanarutoha hitsukito narabi utsukushiminomegumiha ametsuchito hitoshikumashimashi

又(また)文道(ふみのみち)の大祖(おやから)詩歌(からうたやまとうた)の本主(もとつぬし)に座(ましまし)て高德(たかきさはひ)葦原(あしはら)の中國(なかつくに)より海隔(うみへだつ)る異國々(あだしくにぐに)まで鳥(とり)の跡(あと)久(ひさし)くと正木(まさき)の葛(かづら)永傳(ながくつたは)り

mata fuminomichino oyakara karautayamatoutano mototsunushini mashimashite takakisahahi ashiharano nakatsukuniyori umihedatsuru adashikunigunimade torino ato hisashikuto masakino kazura nagakutsutahari

貴(たか)きも賤(いや)しきも老(おひたる)も若(わか)きも皆(みな)恩賴(みたまのふゆ)を蒙(かんぶ)りて誦文(ふみよみ)能書業(ものかくわざ)を為(な)し世(よ)を渡(わた)らひ家(いへ)を治(しらす)る厚(あつ)き御惠(みめぐみ)深(ふか)き御恩(うつくしみ)を仰(あふ)ぎ尊(たふと)み奉(まつ)りて

takakimo iyashikimo ohitarumo wakakimo mina mitamanofuyuwo kanburite fumiyomi monokakuwazawo nashi yowo watarahi ihewo shirasuru atsuki mimegumi fukaki utsukushimiwo afugi tafutomi matsurite

今日(けふ)の朝日(あさひ)の豐榮登(とよさかのぼり)に由貴(ゆき)の御饌(みけ)御酒(みき)宇豆(うづ)の御幣(みてぐら)を捧(ささげまつり)祈申事(いのりまうすこと)の由(よし)を平(たひら)けく安(やす)らけく聞食(きこしめし)て

kefuno asahino toyosakanoborini yukino mike miki uzuno mitegurawo sasagematsuri inorimausukotono yoshiwo tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeshite

天津日嗣(あまつひつぎ)は天地日月(あめつちひつき)と無疆(かぎりなく)天下(あめのした)泰平(たひらか)に萬民(おほんたから)富榮(とみさか)へて文教(ふみのをしへ)永久(ながくひさしく)學術(まなびのわざ)成就(なら)んことを言祝(ことほぎ)願(ねぎたてまつる)

amatsuhitsugiha ametsuchihitsukito kagirinaku amenoshita tahirakani ohontakara tomisakahete fuminowoshihe nagakuhisashiku manabinowaza narankotowo kotohogi negitatematsuru

神(かみ)の御馬(みうま)の耳(みみ)の彌高(いやたか)に聞食(きこしめし)て夜(よる)の守(まもり)日(ひる)の護(まもり)に守(まも)り幸給(さいはひたま)へと稱辭竟奉(たたへごとをへまつ)ると恐(おそれ)み恐(おそれ)みも申(まう)す

kamino miumano mimino iyatakani kikoshimeshite yoruno mamori hiruno mamorini mamori saihahitamaheto tatahegotowohematsuruto osoremi osoremimo mausu

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.

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