Jigoku Tayū Annex
Hell Courtesan as Honzon, Mirror, and Bodhisattva of the Unflinching Gaze

Hell Courtesan

Working theory: Jigoku Tayū as a liminal bodhisattva-form that can be approached through traditional means. I think she, as a person, a mythological figure, an archetype, an enlightened being, and enjoyment body of a living Bodhisattva are useful to engage with. Especially in our current timeline. Especially one like this. One like us. Also, I think she is a possible friend who just wants us to suffer less. I can dig that. Whatever model you want to use. Does not matter. Need not be.

Jigoku Tayū — the Hell Courtesan — appears in Japanese Buddhist legend as a high-ranking courtesan who gained insight into impermanence and emptiness through visions of hell and the teachings of the Zen saint, Ikkyu Zenji.

In this bit of Mahayana influenced devotional Chaos Magick, she is treated as:

  • An actual human being who, according to legend, was trafficked into sex work after the death of her father. As a person, she was a survivor, and rose the the height of her trade (Oyran). She plied in the red lantern district, the floating world, withing the city that is now Osaka. An actual human being who achieved enlightenment within her own lifetime (and had a rap battle with a Zen saint). A life that was reputed to be short. These things would still apply even if she had never existed, including her humanness. Think of it as "skillful means". This brings us to the second part.
  • A Honzon or devotional image. This is where we hit the symbolic/archetypical part. Iconography is both pretty and cool.
  • A patron of sex workers, outcasts, artists, poets, and and liminal practitioners of all sorts. And as thus a spiritual ally in the magical sense.

Nothing here is orthodox doctrine. At all. Tho in my defense I really think this is all Lotus Sutra compatable. This is a working ritual-mythos framed in respect for Mahayana ethics: compassion for all beings, no coercion, and clear consent in all realms.

Cultivation View

As a cultivation archetype, Jigoku Tayū embodies the insight that:

  • All roles are costumes. Courtesan, monk, magician, bodhisattva: all dependently arisen.
  • Hell is a teaching device. The mind manufactures hellscapes from clinging and aversion.
  • Adornment is not the enemy of emptiness. Painted face, elaborate hair, layered kimono: every ornament can become a mudrā of suchness when held lightly.

In practice, she functions as a yidam-style focus (meditation deity) for:

  • Working with shame, sexuality, and stigma without bypassing or glamorizing harm.
  • Transforming fear of punishment / hell into clarity about cause and effect.
  • Holding both desire and renunciation as movements within empty awareness.

Devotional Practice

Puja to the Bodhisattva Hell Courtesan (Jigoku Dayū)

The Enlightened One Who Embraces the World

1. Preparation (Āsana)

  • Space: Choose a quiet, clean space. This puja embraces the world as a sacred mandala, so it need not be overly ornate. A simple table or shelf will serve as your altar.
  • Image: If you have one, place an image or drawing of Ikkyu and the Hell Courtesan. If not, you can simply visualize them. A small mirror can be a powerful symbol for her teaching of self-reflection and the illusion of duality.
  • Offerings (Optional but meaningful):
    • Incense (Dhūpa): Represents the fragrance of ethical discipline permeating all realms. Pick something fancy and plesant. I also suppose you can spritz a bit of nice perfume in the air.
    • A Cup of Tea or Sake (Madya): Represents the fearless embrace of all aspects of life—the bitter and the sweet, the sacred and the profane. It symbolizes the ultimate wisdom (prajña) that transcends dualities.
    • A Flower (Puṣpa): A single, beautiful flower. Represents impermanence (anitya) and the beauty that exists within the cycle of samsara. A red camellia or chrysanthemum could be appropriate.
    • Light (Dīpa): A candle or small lamp. Represents the illuminating wisdom that sees the Buddha-nature in all beings. That includes you! It exists within us even within our own deepest hells.

Sit your butt. Or stand. Just settle down. Take three deep, slow breaths. The universe tends to respond well to 3s. Ring a bell if you have one to mark the beginning of your practice. I honestly just clap real loud.

2. Opening Invocation (Āhvāna)

(Think of it like announcing something to the world. You arent telling yourself you are doing this. You are telling reality that you are inviting in a Guest. It also lets local spirits in the area know what you are doing. Occultists usually have one or two familiar room mates. Only polite. Light the candle and incense. Offer the tea and flower with a sincere heart. )

Words:

"I open this space in honor of the timeless Dharma.
I invoke the presence of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Especially, I call upon the fierce and compassionate spirit of Ikkyu Sojun, the Crazy Cloud.
And I call upon you, Jigoku Dayū, Hell Courtesan, his student and heir.

You who walked the dusty streets of Sakai, wearing enlightenment like a fine robe.
You who knew that the Pure Land and the Hell-Realm are not two, but one.
You who taught that true liberation is found not in rejection, but in profound embrace.

I invite you to be present here now.
May your fearless wisdom illuminate this practice."

3. Praise (Stotra)

(You are welcoming a special guest. Show some enthusiasm, you invited her after all.)

"Oh, Hell Courtesan, Vessel of Ultimate Meaning,
Your body, a painted illusion, preached the Dharma of Emptiness.
Your voice, a worldly song, echoed the sublime silence of the Buddha.
In the house of desire, you manifested the deathless.

To the wealthy, you showed their poverty.
To the pious, you showed their attachment.
To the broken, you showed their inherent wholeness.
You offered your body to starving dogs showing generosity in impermanence.

Praise to you, who reveals that wisdom and compassion are not separate from the world of form!
Praise to you, who dances in the marketplace of delusion, utterly free!
Praise to you, Jigoku Dayū, Bodhisattva of the Unflinching Gaze!"

4. Contemplation & Meditation (Dhyāna)

(Sit in meditation for 5-20 minutes. What ever you can manage. You can use one of the following topic for insight. Or not. You can literally also just sit there.)

  • Contemplation on The Primal Vow of The Hell Courtesan Bodhisattva: "So long as even one sentient being suffers under the illusion of purity and impurity, flinching forward to their attachements, and flinching away from their aversions I will remain in this world and bring all who consent into my Pavillion of the Unflinching Gaze"
  • Contemplation on Impermanence: Beautiful flowers fade. A beautiful face reveals a skull. Beginning and end are illusions. There is process, and elements to the process, but a noun is a pin we stick into the process to localize "AH! It's There!".
  • Contemplation on Compassion: Compassion comes from accepting things as they are. Fleeting and delicate.Those nouns we love fall through the cracks. People and places alike. I used to think meditation on compassion was basically faking it. Here I am trying to force some feeling out of my dead heart. It's not faking it. It is cultivating it.

Next it gets extra Buddhisty.

5. Dedication of Merit (Pariṇāmanā)

(Ring the bell or clap or wiggle around a bit. Bring yourself back to right where you are. Bring your hands together at your heart. Try to cultivate sincere compassion and gratitude. When we lose those things we eat each other. Gassho.)

Words:

"By the merit of this practice, inspired by the Bodhisattva Hell Courtesan,
May all beings recognize their innate perfection, beyond judgment and fear.
May the wisdom that sees no separation flourish in this world.
May the compassion that embraces all things, without exception, be our guide.

Just as Jigoku Dayū found liberation in the midst of Samsara,
May all beings realize freedom right where they are.

The puja is complete, but the practice continues.
May all be well. May all be free."