Thank you for choosing our tour at Asakusa and Ueno Park on March 9. We welcomed 31 people from U.S.A., Germany, Canada, Netherland, Singapore, United Kingdom, Spain,India, New Zealand and Philippines. I hope all of you enjoyed and shared interesting conversations with us during the tour. As promised, group photos and snapshots are attached to remember the fun times we had.
At Hozomon Gate of Senso-ji Temple, there are two magnificent Nio statues standing as a pair. The Nio statues are guardian deities that protect Buddhism from external enemies and evil spirits. These statues are also known as the Agyo statue and Ungyo statue.
The Agyo statue has its mouth open, while the Ungyo statuehas its mouth closed. The terms “A” (阿) and “Un” (吽) originate from Sanskrit, a language closely related to Buddhism. The sound “A”is the first letter in Sanskrit and represents the first sound one makes when opening their mouth, symbolizing the beginning of the universe. On the other hand, “Un” is the last letter in Sanskrit and represents the final sound made when closing the mouth, symbolizing the end of the universe. Together, “A” and “Un”represent the concept of the beginning and the end of the universe, as well as the cycle of life from birth to death.
The sounds “A” and “Un”also has the meaning of breathing. The sound “A” symbolizes exhaling, while the sound “Un” symbolizes inhaling. Additionally, A-un implies a paired relationship. The representative example of this concept is the phrase “A-un no kokyu”. It refers to a perfect sense of harmony or coordination between two or more people when they work together. It is used to describe situations which people can understand each other’s thoughts or movements without exchanging words, such as in sports or work.
The concept of “A” and “Un” is not only seen in Nio statues at temples but also in Komainu (guardian dogs) at Shinto shrines. Additionally, the postures of the Nio statues also have symbolic meanings. The Agyo statue stands in an aggressive posture symbolizing the act of warding off external enemies, while the Ungyo statue stands in a defensive posture representing the protection of Buddhism. From this point of view, there is a view that the standing posture of Nio statues has influenced the basic posture of Shorinji kenpo, a Japanese martial art.
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(posted by Kuma)