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OF A MIRROR AND A BELL
Eight centuries ago； the priests of Mugenyama； in the province of Totomi
（1）； wanted a big bell for their temple； and they asked the women of their
parish to help them by contributing old bronze mirrors for bell…metal。
＇Even to…day； in the courts of certain Japanese temples； you may see heaps
of old bronze mirrors contributed for such a purpose。 The largest
collection of this kind that I ever saw was in the court of a temple of the
Jodo sect； at Hakata； in Kyushu： the mirrors had been given for the making
of a bronze statue of Amida； thirty…three feet high。＇
There was at that time a young woman； a farmer's wife； living at
Mugenyama； who presented her mirror to the temple； to be used for
bell…metal。 But afterwards she much regretted her mirror。 She remembered
things that her mother had told her about it； and she remembered that it
had belonged； not only to her mother but to her mother's mother and
grandmother； and she remembered some happy smiles which it had reflected。
Of course； if she could have offered the priests a certain sum of money in
place of the mirror； she could have asked them to give back her heirloom。
But she had not the money necessary。 Whenever she went to the temple； she
saw her mirror lying in the court…yard； behind a railing； among hundreds of
other mirrors heaped there together。 She knew it by the Sho…Chiku…Bai in
relief on the back of it； those three fortunate emblems of Pine； Bamboo；
and Plumflower； which delighted her baby…eyes when her mother first showed
her the mirror。 She longed for some chance to steal the mirror； and hide
it； that she might thereafter treasure it always。 But the chance did not
come； and she became very unhappy； felt as if she had foolishly given
away a part of her life。 She thought about the old saying that a mirror is
the Soul of a Woman （a saying mystically expressed； by the Chinese
character for Soul； upon the backs of many bronze mirrors）； and she
feared that it was true in weirder ways than she had before imagined。 But
she could not dare to speak of her pain to anybody。
Now； when all the mirrors contributed for the Mugenyama bell had been sent
to the foundry； the bell…founders discovered that there was one mirror
among them which would not melt。 Again and again they tried to melt it； but
it resisted all their efforts。 Evidently the woman who had given that
mirror to the temple must have regretted the giving。 She had not presented
her offering with all her heart； and therefore her selfish soul； remaining
attached to the mirror； kept it hard and cold in the midst of the furnace。
Of course everybody heard of the matter； and everybody soon knew whose
mirror it was that would not melt。 And because of this public exposure of
her secret fault； the poor woman became very much ashamed and very angry。
And as she could not bear the shame； she drowned herself； after having
written a farewell letter containing these words：
〃When I am dead； it will not be difficult to melt the mirror and to cast
the bell。 But； to the person who breaks that bell by ringing it； great
wealth will be given by the ghost of me。〃
You must know that the last wish or promise of anybody who dies in
anger； or performs suicide in anger； is generally supposed to possess a
supernatural force。 After the dead woman's mirror had been melted； and the
bell had been successfully cast； people remembered the words of that
letter。 They felt sure that the spirit of the writer would give wealth to
the breaker of the bell； and； as soon as the bell had been suspended in the
court of the temple； they went in multitude to ring it。 With all their
might and main they swung the ringing…beam； but the bell proved to be a
good bell； and it bravely withstood their assaults。 Nevertheless； the
people were not easily discouraged。 Day after day； at all hours； they
continued to ring the bell furiously； caring nothing whatever for the
protests of the priests。 So the ringing became an affliction； and the
priests could not endure it； and they got rid of the bell by rolling it
down the hill into a swamp。 The swamp was deep； and swallowed it up； and
that was the end of the bell。 Only its legend remains； and in that legend
it is called the Mugen…Kane； or Bell of Mugen。
* * *
Now there are queer old Japanese beliefs in the magical efficacy of a
certain mental operation implied； though not described； by the verb
nazoraeru。 The word itself cannot be adequately rendered by any English
word； for it is used in relation to many kinds of mimetic magic； as well as
in relation to the performance of many religious acts of faith。 Common
meanings of nazoraeru； according to dictionaries； are 〃to imitate；〃 〃to
compare；〃 〃to liken；〃 but the esoteric meaning is to substitute； in
imagination； one object or action for another； so as to bring about some
magical or miraculous result。
For example： you cannot afford to build a Buddhist temple； but you can
easily lay a pebble before the image of the Buddha； with the same pious
feeling that would prompt you to build a temple if you were rich enough to
build one。 The merit of so offering the pebble becomes equal； or almost
equal； to the merit of erecting a temple。。。 You cannot read the six
thousand seven hundred and seventy…one volumes of the Buddhist texts； but
you can make a revolving library； containing them； turn round； by pushing
it like a windlass。 and if you push with an earnest wish that you could
read the six thousand seven hundred and seventy…one volumes； you will
acquire the same merit has the reading of them would enable you to gain。。。
So much will perhaps suffice to explain the religious meanings of
nazoraeru。
The magical meanings could not all be explained without a great variety of
examples； but； for present purposes； the following will serve。 If you
should make a little man of straw； for the same reason that Sister Helen
made a little man of wax； and nail it； with nails not less than five
inches long； to some tree in a temple…grove at the Hour of the Ox （2）；
and if the person； imaginatively represented by that little straw man；
should die thereafter in atrocious agony； that would illustrate one
signification of nazoraeru。。。 Or； let us suppose that a robber has entered
your house during the night； and carried away your valuables。 If you can
discover the footprints of that robber in your garden； and then promptly
burn a very large moxa on each of them； the soles of the feet of the robber
will become inflamed； and will allow him no rest until he returns； of his
own accord； to put himself at your mercy。 That is another kind of mimetic
magic expressed by the term nazoraeru。 And a third kind is illustrated by
various legends of the Mugen…Kane。
After the bell had been rolled into the swamp； there was； of course； no
more chance of ringing it in such wise as to brea