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44 The Beginning of Heaven and Earth One day while Pappa Maruji was making his customary temple visit, a group of young children gathered around him and one asked, “What’s the reason you worship these lion-dogs?” Another child, hearing his reply, relayed it to the others: “When the eyes of the lion-dogs turn red, this world will be swallowed up by a big wave.” On hearing this, one of the children laughed his head off, saying, “What kind of silly business is this? We could easily paint them red ourselves, but it’s too dumb to think the world will be destroyed.” Thus the children went ahead and painted the eyes of the lion-dogs red. As was his custom, Pappa Maruji set out to visit the shrine the next day. When he saw the vermilion eyes of the lion-dogs a shock ran through his body. He brought out the canoe he had prepared in advance, and made his six children get into it. But because his eldest son was lame, with remorse he nevertheless left him behind. Then suddenly a huge wave shook both heaven and earth, and within a blink not a spot of dry land could be found, only the surface of the vast sea was visible as far as the eye could see. But over the surface of the sea one of the lion-dogs came running, and on its back it was carrying the lame son who had been left out of the canoe.26 In six hours’ time, when the tide withdrew, Pappa Maruji together with all of his children made themselves at home on Ariòshima where the lion-dog had also delivered the eldest son. Thousands of people drowned in that wave. They fell to a place called Benbò, a hell of the previous world. 3. The Division of Deusu’s Body for the Salvation of Humankind Those seven whose lives were saved in a timely way by boarding the canoe decided to settle down and make Ariòshima their home. But eventually they had no way to distinguish married persons from single ones. Translation 45 Thus, the practice of married women shaving off their eyebrows and blackening their teeth began at this time.27 As before, the population grew steadily but everyone who had been born and died up until this point had necessarily fallen into Benbò. Deusu felt pity and said, “Oh, anjo, look here. What can I do? How can I help them?” Deusu’s anjo answered, “Deusu, if you but divide your divine body, that is a sure way to save them.” Taking to heart the anjo’s advice, Deusu split into two, and became also the divine son, Hiiriyo-sama.28 For this purpose an anjo named San Gamuriya was then sent down to earth as a messenger of Deusu. Later, in the middle of the eighth month, San Jiwan the water official was also sent to earth and lodged in the womb of Santa Izaberuna.29 The following year, in the middle of the fifth month, when Izaberuna was fifty-three years old, she gave birth to San Jiwan. Because of the age at which Izaberuna gave birth, one round of orassho consists of fifty-three prayers.30 In the country of Roson where King Sanzen Zejusu reigned,31 a girl of humble birth by the name of Maruya also lived.32 Since her seventh year, she had set her heart and soul on the pursuit of learning.33 By age twelve she had made great strides and reflected thus: “When I consider the state of our world, I wonder how I can be saved in the world to come now that I have been born into the world of humans.” As she thought relentlessly about this, how mysterious it was when she received this heavenly oracle: if you maruya will remain single for your entire life living the ascetic life of a biruzen,34 i will quickly grant you the salvation you seek. Much amazed and rejoicing, the girl Maruya threw herself to the ground and worshiped. Because Maruya received this oracle at age twelve, this is the origin of one round of orassho consisting of twelve prayers.35 The sovereign of the Kingdom of Roson was searching his lands for a queen. Although much care went into the selection of the candidates, not a single one the king met suited his taste. But when word of the humble Maruya, a...

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