The Initiates' Book

The Initiates' Book is a small portion of the Tale of the Heike which was added later. "Treated as a secret text by the Ichikata-ryū -- a group of biwahōshi -- the Initiates' Chapter is believed to have originated in the late 13th century, after the Heike proper, . . ." (McCullough, 446). The book follows the life of Kenreimon-in after the events of the Genpei War and the fall of the Heike.

Episode 1: Kenreimon-in Becomes a Nun

After seeing all of her loved ones either die (by throwing themselves in the sea) or be taken away, Kenreimon-in fled. She found refuge in a ruined household in the Yoshida neighborhood, located below the eastern hills (a bit northeast of the capital). On the first day of the fifth month of the year Bunji 1 (1185), Kenreimon-in renounced the world and became a nun, offering her son's (Emperor Antoku) robe, in hopes that it might help him in his next life. Just months later, there was a great earthquake which completely ruined the place at which she sought refuge, so she moved.

Episode 1 Notes:

The entirety of the Initiates’ Book is a “secret piece” in the recitational tradition. It contains important Buddhist truths and also provides an alternative ending to the desolation of Book 12 by bringing the tale back into the Buddhist realm through the prayers and salvation of Kenreimon-in, the Taira survivor responsible for the spiritual care of her dead Taira relatives and her son, the emperor Antoku.
Kenreimon-in was the mother of the child Emperor Antoku, drowned at the battle of Dan-no-ura (Book 11, episode 9) and the daughter of the Taira hegemon Kiyomori. She is among the few Taira survivors of the war.
Kenreimon-in renounces the world just a little over a month after the Taira defeat.
Chōrakuji temple is in eastern Kyoto. For more, see: http://www.taleofgenji.org/chorakuji.html.
Lady Nii was Kenreimon-in’s mother, who, at the battle of Dan-no-ura, jumped into the sea, holding the emperor.
Kozaishō was the wife of Taira no Michimori, who drowned herself (Book 9, episode 19) following his death in battle in the battle of Ichi-no-tani.
The man who traveled to the land of the immortals is a Rip Van Winkle story from the Japanese tradition.
At the mention of the earthquake, the narrative of the Initiates’ Book is concurrent with the beginning of Book 12.

Episode 2: Kenreimon-in Moves to Ōhara

Kenreimon-in retreats to the Ohara hills outside the capital with the help of her sisters, both of whom are now better off than she is, despite her magnificent marriage. At Jakkō-in, she builds herself a small hut and absorbs herself in prayer. The narrative describes the lonely beauty of Jakkō-in and its surroundings.

Episode 2 Notes:

Jakkō-in in Ohara is not far from the capital, but is in the hills and therefore separated from the city. The original building was destroyed by arson in 2000. It has since been rebuilt. For more, see: https://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-temples-shrines/jakkoin.
The lyrical description of Ohara paints it as a desolate, isolated place, appropriate as a Buddhist retreat.
Dainagon-no-suke, the widow of Shigehira, and Awa-no-naishi xx, accompany Kenreimon-in to Jakkō-in.
Kenreimon-in here awakens to the true nature of existence, inscribing her surroundings with the spaces and ideas associated with Pure Land Buddhist belief. For the Pure Land, see: http://www.purelandbuddhism.org/.

Capital Area map from Royall Tyler's translation of the Tale of the Heike

Click on the top and bottom pictures to be taken off-site. Both websites are in Japanese, and the bottom one provides many high definition pictures of Jakko-in

Episode 3: The Cloistered Emperor’s Visit to Ōhara

Go-Shirakawa decides to visit Kenreion-in at Jakkō-in. The journey and his impressions of the place are described in lyrical detail. She is not in when he arrives, and he does not recognize the nun who greets him, who is in fact the daughter of his former nurse. Looking about the dwelling, he sees how fully immersed in the religious life she has become, and how different her current world is from her former glory. He and the men with him are all moved. Kenreimon-in returns and is embarrassed to be seen in this state, but welcomes him.

Episode 3 Notes:

The cloistered emperor, Go-Shirakawa, was Kenreimon-in’s father-in-law; he had hoped to take her into his own service when Takakura died, but she refused. Still, as we see, they maintain a shared sadness over Antoku’s death and the loss of the former glories of the capital in the new warrior world.
The Kurama road runs along the northern edge of the capital from xx.
Go-Shirakawa’s journey is a michiyuki, a travel sequence, that draws attention to each place he passes.
Yun Yuan xx. Yuan Xian was a disciple of Confucius, famous as a recluse.
For the Sutra of Cause and Effect , see: http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/shoseki/50einga.html; https://www.narahaku.go.jp/english/collection/757-0.html.
Prince Siddhārtha was the historical Buddha (the founder of Buddhism); born a prince, he renounced his position and set out to seek the truth through ascetic practice at Mount Dandaka. For more, see: https://www.ancient.eu/Siddhartha_Gautama/; http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shaka.shtml.
The Amida triad here includes Fugen and Shandao, the historical founder of Pure Land Buddhism. For more, see: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/amida.shtml; http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/fugen.shtml. The five-colored cord in the hand of the Amida figure are intended to lead the faithful to Amida.
The Lotus Sutra is the primary text of Pure Land Buddhism. For more, see: http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Lotus_Sutra.
Qingliang-shang is the holy mountain Wutaishan, in China. For more, see: http://www.cits.net/china-travel-guide/Wutaishan/overview.html.
There is also a Noh play of this episode, titled Ohara Gokō (The Imperial Visit to Ōhara), which can be found and read here: https://goo.gl/2NCk9U (credit to http://www.the-noh.com).

Episode 4: Passage through the Six Realms

Kenreimon-in casts her experiences in terms of a pilgrimage through the six Buddhist realms of reincarnation as Go-Shirakawa listens. When she finishes, he pronounces that she has achieved enlightenment in this lifetime.

Episode 4 Notes:

This is the centerpiece of the Initiates’ Book: Kenreimon-in’s description of her life as a journey through the six realms (link to essay on this page). That she is able to understand her life in these terms marks her as having achieved enlightenment, a feat rarely achieved in this life.
A kalpa is a measure of time that is infinitely long.
Five-fold decline refers to the inabilities to achieve spiritual attainments; uphold right practices; study the laws; maintain the markings of the monasticism; and the loss of the marks of the Buddha.
Indra (J. Taishakuten) and Brahma (J. Bonten) are Hindu gods incorporated into the Buddhist pantheon. For more, see: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/12-devas.shtml; http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/tenbu-top.shtml; http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/taishakuten.html.
Shakyamuni is the historical Buddha. For more, see: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/shaka.shtml.
Amida, Kannon, and Seishi comprise a very common Buddhist triad. For more, see: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/amida-raigo-triad.shtml.
Kenreimon-in’s travel through the six realms begins in the palace, where she dwelt as if in heaven (pp. 700-701). The locations mentioned are all halls in the inner palace. The elixir of Penglai was supposed to assure immortality. For more, see: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/six-states.shtml. Next, she moves to the realm of humans, where suffering and decay become apparent. The four pains are: birth, aging, sickness, and death. The eight agonies are those plus: the agony of having to part from those one loves, having to be with those one hates, the inability to obtain what one desires, and the agonies arising from body and mind. Next, without food and water, she experienced the realm of hungry ghosts, and then, when they survived like netted fish, the realm of beasts. The battle at Ichi-no-tani took her into the realm of the Ashura, who must constantly battle Indra. Finally, at the battle of Dan-no-ura, as her family died around her, she experienced the hell where sinners burn.
This narrative recounts the major events of the war described in the twelve books; here is is condensed and shaped into a pilgrimage through the six realms (A “Rokudō meguri”) that was believed to have salvific power.
Xuanzang famously made a journey to the west to bring Buddhism to China. For more, see: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Xuanzang.

Episode 5: Kenreimon-in Enters Paradise

Cloistered Emperor Gō-Shirakawa leaves, after which Kenreimon-in prays once again for the salvation of the Heike. At last, the blame is pinned on Kiyomori; the book reading, "And all of this had come to pass because the chief minister, Kiyomori, had held the realm and the four seas in the palm of his hand, without fear of the One Man above, without kindness for the people below, passing, exactly as he pleased, sentence of death, sentence of exile, in utter contempt of all the world. It was now clear beyond a doubt: The fathers' sins fall upon the sons."

Many years pass, Kenreimon-in stays devoted to calling the Name, and she continues to pray for the salvation of the Heike spirits. She finally dies and is escorted to the Pure Land by Amida and his celestial emissaries.

Episode 5 Notes:

The Ise Shrine is the most important shrine in Japan. It is dedicated to Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, progenitor and protector of the imperial line.
Hachiman is the god of war, but also the apotheosis of the legendary emperor Ojin and another protector of the imperial house.
She now prays in the direction of Amida’s Western Paradise.
As Kenreimon-in nears death, she takes hold of the cords held by the statue of Amida to help guide her to the Western Paradise.
The purple cloud appearing in the west is the sign that Amida has come to retrieve her soul. It is accompanied by music and a sweet scent.

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