Natural Kiko of Jizo Bosatsu

There are 'natural' kiko that everyone knows. Holding up an empty hand to say hello for instance. This movement says 'have no fear... my hand is empty... I'm not carrying any weapons.'

Another natural one is to hold out our open hand to offer someone something.

Walking is a natural kiko. Walking upright or being able to maintain a completely upright posture is a human practice... one of the movements that both demonstrates our humanness and promotes it as well.

The combination of these three, by holding up our right hand and offering with our left while standing slightly on one foot (the right one, in this case) as if walking, is the inzo (seal) for Jizo Bosatsu (a saint of Daijozen-shu). When combined with the chant 'ka ka kabi sam ma ei sowa ka' we can address the conditions of traveling both through this life, and any life, in any time or space. To Repeat the ritual 7, 49, or 4900 times has quite an amazing effect.

As with all rituals our intent is very important. How often we perform it... how many times we repeat it... The consciousness, mindfulness, and passion we have when preparing, performing, and cleaning up after really begins to interact with ourselves and our environment.

There are 1000's of these kiko, and there are over 1600 of these combinations currently used in our tradition. Each one includes an inzo, like this one; which attaches to a saint or ancient master (or two); a root sound ('ka' in the case of Jizo Bostasu); this root sound becomes a short phrase (like the one mentioned above); then there may be a paragraph sized incantation; plus usually a longer chant and/or story associated with the saint.

Universal Law

Kiko is based on Universal Laws (HoDo). Hodo is made up of two kanji. The first, Ho(u), refers to many things depending on how it is used. But in this case we mean Universal Law or Natural Law. The Do(u) is the same as any Japanese Art; do(u) refers to the Chinese Tao and tells us that this is a way, method, or path to balance our world's energies known as InYo or Shadow Sunshine.

In Shingon this idea of InYo 'Shadow Sunshine', like HoDo, also has many meanings depending on how it is used (this happens a lot when there are both (kenkyo)exoteric and (mikkyo) esoteric interpretations and practices. Also different lineages passed down different aspects, depending on what was needed and what was understood by those involved). But for kiko we are primarily talking about the interplay between opposites. In the movements we combine up down, left right, front back, in out, etc.
FuSui or wind water comes in to play, as well. FuSui deals with the flow of energy in the world and how we interact with our environment. Even we, as human beings are mostly made of air and water, we are very porous creatures. In the exoteric practice of FuSui it can be a kind of geomancy, which tells us where to place things in our homes and yards. In it's esoteric form it begins from within the very core of the 'central' individual and grows outward to include the entire cosmos.

FuSui deals with the 5 elements of Shingon (the exoteric school uses 5, the esoteric teaching has a 6th)(these include: Earth, Water, Fire, & Wind; the other two vary again according to how they are being used, but they deal with the relationship between humans, our thoughts, and Heaven / Spirit / other than man and earth stuff) that doesn't fit into an English translation (or words at all for that matter) very well. FuSui also deals with the cardinal directions, and it also works with the Sun, Moons, Stars and Planets.

Sokushin Jobutsu

Kiko is based on the basic premise of Shingon Buddhism.
Shingon-shu is the school of the true sound/word.
The basic premise of this school is Sokushin Jo(u)butsu.
Sokushin Jobutsu = Attaining Buddhahood in this very life/body.
This is done through San-Mitsu.
San-Mitsu = The Practice of the 3 Mysteries.
First is the Body. We form the inzo(u) or seals with our hands and bodies, these are our positions. With our breath we move between these seals from one to another.
The second is speech/sound. It refers to our breath, and the 'shingon' or true words we read, chant, and speak.
The third is the mind, and refers to our meditation. We dwell in a meditative state throughout every heartbeat and breath.

Shugyo - Austere Training

Shugyo is another interesting word. Usually translated now as Acetic Discipline or Austere Training.

Shu = To Conduct Oneself Well.
Gyo = Going or Action
This is a refined action of mutual polishing, where the practice polishes the person and the person's action polishes the practice.

In our teaching the word is translated as 'Sweeping the dust balls from the corner.' It refers to the idea of training to find the last little bits of... 'something.' We use Kiko Renshu to polish and knead our practice which, through awareness, finds the dust balls in the corner and cleans... 'something.'

Renshu = to practice

Renshu is an interesting word we use in Kiko. In modern Japanese the word renshu is most often translated as 'practice'. In Kiko we're taught that Ren = Polish or Knead, and Shu = to Learn or Study. Together they were meant to denote a repetitive ritual, a practice we repeat the same way over and over, kneading and polishing our lives as a way to learn. The repetition itself is the practice.

Exoteric and Esoteric

In the teaching passed to me, there are both Exoteric (kenkyo) and Esoteric (mikkyo) teachings. The two together create The Teaching.

The exoteric are those that we can see and talk about. The esoteric are those we don't see and only try to talk about.

Kiko exercises of position, movement, and sound bring the esoteric to the exoteric, and join them as one. By doing kiko we bring the invisible into sight, and join them as one.

Only the exoteric portion is taught, the esoteric is 'stolen' from an adept by being in their presence. Being in an adept's presence, simply, one day we understand and this understanding is recognized. The exoteric teaching says this takes 20 years, the esoteric teaching says it takes one heartbeat, both are true.

I'm beginning to see again, why this teaching is done face to face instead of on the internet; at one point I wondered if this were the case because The Teaching was being passed well before the written word, but now I think that here we can't practice the exoteric part of the exercises and movements, even describing them is difficult. We can't talk about The Teaching, because the esoteric portion once put into words no longer really makes sense, it begins to go in circles trying to include everything; everything includes even opposites, so it makes no logical sense to call two opposites true; but in terms of The Teaching, everything must be included; the most important part of 'everything' may even be 'nothing.'

Face to Face Transmission

Kiko is part of Mikkyo training inside Esoteric Buddhism. It includes over 1600 body / hand positions; each position has a root sound, a phrase, an incantation, and a chant; and each of these is attached to a Buddha or Bodhisattva and has a variety of meanings depending on how small details are performed.

Also I've been instructed to only share it face to face and in secret. Here, on the internet, I can only share the words anyhow; and it has nothing to do with the words. Kiko is really not taught but simply passed in the presence of an adept. But it should be fun to try, don't you think?