Kunisada - Kannon Reigenki - No. 4

Kunisada and Hiroshige II  

Araki, No. 4 of the Chichibu Pilgrimage Route, from the series Miracles of Kannon (Kannon reigenki)

Inscription: 

Araki Tange lives here. Araki Tange is a wise and greedy man with an evil mind. He does not understand the principles of cause and effect, and so he has never been blessed with solitude, but has only committed evil deeds. But one day he stands alone in front of the Junrei gate, and asks for his hand. If he does not do this, he will be raped. He will disturb my slumber and give me his hand, and I will stand up to express my gratitude. He snatched Junrei's ladle and said, "This is what I have in my hand," and struck him, but Junrei didn't say a word and said, "If you don't give charity, you can settle it with words, and it is cruel to hit someone who does not have enough in his hand." Tange became even angrier, and said, "Our country is a divine country, and even a single grain of rice is a treasure of the gods, so why should you, a Buddhist, give charity to me? Get away now." He attacked Junrei, saying, "Those who speak unrighteous things are of the gods' nature, and I am one of them." "But there is no reason for the Emperor, who reveres the gods, to strike me down. Isn't there anyone who is the father and mother of the people? If I don't receive charity, I will starve and die. The Buddha preached that self and others are equal." He continued to criticize Tange for his own gain one by one, but he rose up without a word and came to have a deep faith in Kannon Bodhisattva, becoming a great virtuous man. This is an incredible miracle."

Mantei Oga-shi

Condition: Good, not backed, dirt on faces as shown.

Publisher: Yamadaya Shôjirô 

Date: 1858

https://collections.mfa.org/objects/190553