Inori no Mori祈りの杜working title

Read, reflect, pray

Kōshin purification

庚申祓かうしんのはらひ

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.

We address Sarutahiko Ōkami, heavenly ancestral kami.

Here Kōshin is linked with ‘leaving anger behind.’ The text interprets ‘awaiting the high kami’ as broadly worshiping heaven; heaven is likened to parents who grant wisdom, and worship to filial devotion. It wishes a life of blessing, abundance and peaceful enjoyment, in accord with the boundary kami’s grace.

Respectfully we welcome you and bow again.

Before Sarutahiko no Mikoto, great guardian of the way from heaven and earth’s beginning, whose name we speak with awe, we respectfully offer these words.

By command of Kamurogi and Kamuromi, imperial ancestral kami in Takamagahara, the many kami assembled at the heavenly high market and deliberated.

To have the heavenly descendant govern the fertile reed-plain land peacefully, they released him from the heavenly rock seat, parted the many-layered clouds along the roads, and sent him down.

The kami standing to welcome him at the heavenly crossroads had a nose seven shaku long and a height of more than seven hiro; the face shone brightly and the eyes, like the Yata mirror, radiated light like red ground cherries.

Welcoming the heavenly descendant, you led him to Kushifuru peak at Takachiho in Himuka, facing the morning sun and lit by evening sun, and finally settled at Sanagata in Ise beside the Isuzu River.

Revering the sun kami’s way and governing the earth beneath heaven, you are named Kuninosokotachi in this prayer.

Guarding the primal chaos of not seeing, hearing or speaking and manifesting as the time requires, you are called kami of vital energy.

Restraining and guarding against violent harm coming from the land of roots and depths, you are named the fierce kami, 怒猛神.

Granting life and blessings to living beings, you are called Ōta.

Returning divine spirit well, you are called Okitama. All these names arise according to your activities and show manifest testimony: so we praise you.

As the morning sun rises brightly, we offer fine food, sake and cloth, clap our hands and proclaim your praise. Hear us peacefully.

Guide and protect the heavenly descendant and bring peace to every direction of the land. Let [name]’s home have neither disturbance arising within nor calamity approaching from outside; protect it night and day. In the spirit of Kamunaobi and Ōnaobi, guide us upon Isuzu’s way and grant long life and blessing. Hear peacefully this prayer offered while leading forward a horse: again we respectfully speak.

Source text and reading aid

Roman letters are provided for 12 of 15 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.

天津祖(あまつみおや)猿田彦太神(さるだひこだいじん)

amatsumioya sarudahikodaijin

夫(それ)庚申(かうしん)とは怒(いかり)を去(さ)るを云(い)ふ高神待(こうしんまち)は遍(あまね)く天(てん)を祭(まつ)ることぞ則(すなは)ち智父母(ちふぼ)なれば是(これ)を祭(まつ)るを孝心(かうしん)と云(い)ふ然(しか)り福祿寛樂(ふくろくくわんらく)に住(すみ)て道祖神(だうそじん)の惠(めぐみ)に叶(かな)ふ

sore kaushintoha ikariwo saruwo ifu koushinmachiha amaneku tenwo matsurukotozo sunahachi chifubonareba korewo matsuruwo kaushinto ifu shikari fukurokukuwanrakuni sumite dausojinno megumini kanafu

○謹請(きんじやう)再拜再拜(さいはいさいはい)

○ kinjiyau saihaisaihai

掛卷(かけまく)も畏(かしこ)き天地開闢(あめつちひらけて)道祖太神(みちのおやだいじん)猿田彦命(さるたひこのみこと)の宇豆(うづ)の廣前(ひろまへ)に恐(おそれ)み恐(おそれ)みも申(まう)す

kakemakumo kashikoki ametsuchihirakete michinooyadaijin sarutahikonomikotono uzuno hiromaheni osoremi osoremimo mausu

高天原(たかまがはら)に神留座(かみとゞまりましま)す皇親(すめむつ)神漏岐(かみろぎ)神漏美(かみろみ)の尊(みこと)をもつて天(あめ)の高市(たかいち)に八百萬(やほよろづ)の神等(かみたち)を神集(かむあつめ)に集給(あつめたま)ひ神議(かむはかり)に議(はかり)給(たま)ひて

吾皇孫(わがすめみま)の尊(みこと)をもつて豐葦原(とよあしはら)の水穗(みづほ)の國(くに)を安國(やすくに)と平(たひら)けく所知食(しろしめせ)と天(あま)の磐座(いはくら)押放(おしはなち)天(あま)の八重雲(やへくも)を伊豆(いづ)の道別(ちわき)に道別(ちわき)て天降依之奉(あまくだりよさしたてまつり)し時(とき)

wagasumemimano mikotowomotsute toyoashiharano mizuhono kuniwo yasukunito tahirakeku shiroshimeseto amano ihakura oshihanachi amano yahekumowo izuno chiwakini chiwakite amakudariyosashitatematsurishi toki

天(あま)の八衢(やちまた)の衢(ちまた)に立迎座(たてむかへましま)す神(かみ)鼻(はな)の長(なが)さ七尺(なゝはた)背(せ)の長(なが)さ七尋餘(ななひろあまり)亦(また)口隱(くちかく)れ明(あか)り照(て)り眼(まなこ)は八咫(やた)の鏡(かがみ)の如(ごと)く光耀(てりかゞやく)こと赤酸醬(あかかがち)に似(に)たり

天(あま)つ神(かみ)の皇御孫(すめみま)を奉迎(むかへたてまつり)て相待(あひまつ)朝日(あさひ)の來向(きむかふ)夕日(ゆふひ)の照(てら)す日向(ひうが)の高千穗(たかちほ)の櫛觸(くしふる)の嶽(たけ)に導給(みちびきたま)ひ逐(つひ)に伊勢(いせ)の狹長田(さながた)五十鈴(いすず)の川上(かはかみ)に鎭定(しづまりさだま)り

amatsu kamino sumemimawo mukahetatematsurite ahimatsu asahino kimukafu yufuhino terasu hiugano takachihono kushifuruno takeni michibikitamahi tsuhini iseno sanagata isuzuno kahakamini shizumarisadamari

日(ひ)の神(かみ)の道(みち)を慎(つつし)み敬(うやま)ひ給(たま)ふ天下(あめがした)の地君(つちぎみ)成(なる)が故(ゆゑ)に國底立神(くにそこたちのかみ)と名(なの)り給(たま)ふ

hino kamino michiwo tsutsushimi uyamahi tamafu amegashitano tsuchigimi naruga yuweni kunisokotachinokamito nanori tamafu

不視(みざる)不聽(きかざる)不言(いはざる)混沌(こんとん)の始(はじめ)を守(まも)り時隨(ときにしたが)ひ出座(いでまし)て氣(いき)の神(かみ)と號給(なのりたま)ひ

mizaru kikazaru ihazaru kontonno hajimewo mamori tokinishitagahi idemashite ikino kamito nanoritamahi

根(ね)の國底(くにそこ)の國(くに)より荒(あら)び疎(うと)び來者(きたるもの)を降伏(したが)へ守(まも)りて怒猛神(おにかみ)と名(なの)り給(たま)ひ

neno kunisokono kuniyori arabi utobi kitarumonowo shitagahe mamorite onikamito nanori tamahi

生(いけ)る物(もの)の為(ため)には身命(みのいのち)福德(さいはひ)を授(さづ)けて太田(おほた)の神(かみ)と號給(なのりたま)ふ

ikeru monono tameniha minoinochi saihahiwo sazukete ohotano kamito nanoritamafu

能(よ)く神靈(みたましひ)を返(かへ)して興玉(おきたま)の神(かみ)と號給(なのりたま)ふ是(これ)皆(みな)自然(おのづから)の御名(みな)にして物(もの)皆(みな)證顯(しるし)有(あ)りと奉辭稱竟(たゝへことをたてまつる)

宇豆(うづ)の御食(みけ)宇豆(うづ)の神酒(みき)宇豆(うづ)の幣帛(みてぐら)を朝日(あさひ)の豐榮登(とよさかのぼり)に捧持(ささげもち)て奉(たてまつ)り稱辭竟(たたへごとをへ)平(たひら)けく安(やす)らけく知聞食(きこしめせ)と天(あま)の八平手(やひらで)を打(うち)て奉(たてまつ)る

uzuno mike uzuno miki uzuno mitegurawo asahino toyosakanoborini sasagemochite tatematsuri tatahegotowohe tahirakeku yasurakeku kikoshimeseto amano yahiradewo uchite tatematsuru

皇御孫(すめみま)の尊(みこと)を導(みちび)き守給(まもりたま)ひて天(あめ)が下(した)四方(よも)の國(くに)安(やす)く穩(おだやか)に某(なにがし)が家内(いへのうち)より起(おこ)る騷擾(さはぎ)無(な)く外(ほか)より來(きた)る災(わざはひ)無(な)く夜(よる)の守(まもり)晝(ひる)の守(まもり)神直日(じんなをひ)大直日(おほなをひ)五十鈴(いすず)の道(みち)に導(みちび)き壽(ことぶき)惠(めぐ)み幸給(さきはひたま)へと祈禱申事(いのりまうすこと)を平(たひら)けく安(やす)らけく駒率立(こまひきたて)て所聞食(きこしめせ)と慎(つつし)み慎(つつし)み恐(おそれ)み恐(おそれ)みも申(まう)す

sumemimano mikotowo michibiki mamoritamahite amega shita yomono kuni yasuku odayakani nanigashiga ihenouchiyori okoru sahagi naku hokayori kitaru wazahahi naku yoruno mamori hiruno mamori jinnawohi ohonawohi isuzuno michini michibiki kotobuki megumi sakihahitamaheto inorimausukotowo tahirakeku yasurakeku komahikitatete kikoshimeseto tsutsushimi tsutsushimi 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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