Tokaku

The Tokaku is a mythical concept that blends the impossible—often symbolizing things that defy reality or common sense.

In Volume 6 of “Saijin”, alongside references to supernatural omens such as horses with horns, horned dogs, and dancing sparrows, there is mention of a large turtle with hair and a rabbit with horns. This phenomenon was seen as a sign of impending chaos in ancient times.

The phrase “glans rabbit horn”—a combination of horned rabbits and hairy turtles—became a metaphor for things that do not exist in the real world. A similar expression, “Karuma Kaku,” follows the same logic, citing white crows and horned horses as other examples of impossible beings.

In Buddhism, the imagery of turtles with hair and rabbits with horns is frequently used to convey the idea of emptiness—the notion that certain things are inherently unreal and unverifiable. This concept appears in various texts, such as “Otemology”, which lists Tokaku as an example of an invalid existence, and “Kushin,” which includes the phrase “Yuga is a tarex of Kamehaira”, further reinforcing the idea that these entities symbolize illusory existence.