What is Ryoumonbaku? 龍門爆とは？
Ryumonaku literary means “Dragon Gate (Toryumon) Waterfall” and found in many Zen temples. It shows us the way to be an enlightened person through the Buddhist training with Kannnon‘s wisdom.
In the 13th century, Japan adopted Zen (school) earnestly and it changed Japanese gardens. Zen wanted facilities of temple, including garden, to be a place for its practice or training and they are to be visualizations of the scriptures. Ryoumonbaku is a means to achieve the aim.
Ryoumonbaku is a name of the waterfall in Hekigenroku (『碧巌録』The Blue Cliff Record), a compilation of Zen stories in the 12th century.
In one of stories, a monk asked his master what “the enlightened” means. He replied in a poem:
- Original text: 三級浪高魚龍 痴人猶戽夜塘水
- In Japanese: 三級浪高うして、魚、龍と化す。痴人猶お戽む夜塘の水
- Translation: Fishes climb up the waterfall to became dragons but people still looking for them in the fall.
This poem is based on an old story in the Book of the Later Han in the 5th century:
- Original text: 河津一名竜門水険不通魚鼈之属莫能上 江海大魚薄集竜門下数千不得上上則為竜也
- In Japanese: 河津、一名竜門、水険しくして通ぜず、魚鼈の属能く上る莫し。江海の大魚、竜門下に薄集すること数千なるも、上るを得ず、上れば則ち竜と為るなり。
- Translation: There is a waterfall named “Dragon Gate.” If a fish climb up it, it will be a dragon. Thousands of fishes gathered to conquer it, only to fail.
The Book of the Later Han doesn’t reveal what kind of fish could overcome the fall but Taiping Guangji in the 10th century tells us the ones:
- 毎暮春之際し、有黄鯉魚逆流而上、得者便化為竜
- 毎暮春之際 有黄鯉魚逆流して上ることあり 得し者は便ち化して竜と為る
- In every late spring, yellow carps climbed up three dams and became dragons.
Dragon is a guardian of Buddhism and a deity of water. Fushimi Inari used to be a famous for the faith in Dragon (and serpent).
Due to these stories, carps climb up “Dragon gate waterfall” and become dragons. The master cited this as an example to understand the way to be enlightened.
“Fishes climb up the fall to became dragons but people still looking for them in the fall,” means the monk looking for what he think “the enlightened” somewhere (in the fall) though he (a carp) could be an enlightened person, i.e., we could be the enlightened persons thorough Zen training and with a help of Kannon.
The monk means,”You are to be a Buddha (enlightened person) . Why you try to find it in other places in stead of in yourself?”
The Ryoumonbaku is also called “Totyumon (登竜門).” The one in Zen temple usually has stones stands for three dams, a carp, and Kannon: The carp climbs up the three waterfalls to reach Kannon in order to be a dragon with her wisdom. (Kannon is a male deity but many Japanese people think he is a male one.)
The Ryumonbaku in Tenryuji temple
The Ryumonbaku in Tenryuji is a good example. In the garden belongs to Dai Hojo (大方丈), you’ll find the Ryumonbaku in the red circle.
There used to be an actual waterfall but today it is a Karesansui garden. 1, 2, and 3 in blue means the three dams.
“観音” is a Kannon-seki stone stands for Kannon and “鯉” is a Gyori-seki stone stands for a carp.
Take a close look at the lower part of the fall. There are “脇石 (Waki Ishi)” stones and “水落石 (Mizuochi Ishi. 2 and 3).” They tell us it used to be a real waterfall there because installing a Mizuochi Ishi between Wakiishis is the traditional way of making a waterfall in Japanese garden described in Sakuteiki (『作庭記』) , the oldest text book in the 11the century for garden making.
And the upper part of the fall. “観音” is a 観音石 (Kannon Seki) and “鯉” is a 鯉魚石 (Rigyoseki/ Carp stone). The carp faces the last difficulty and on the verge of reaching the Kannon’s wisdom to be a dragon.
Ryoumanbakus in other places
The most important one is in the upper garden of Saihoji temple but it doesn’t open up the gate for us because only monks could be in the garden for their training.
I guess the one to be found easily is in Kinkakuji temple. There is a small Ryumonbaku behind Shariden (Golden pavilion) though only a few people pay attention to it. This one has only one dam. You’ll find it along the pathway.
The carp figurine of Koiyama (Atomatsuri of Gion Matsuri) is becoming a dragon.
Koinobori in Tango no Sekku (A ceremony for boys) is based on this poem.
