Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology, Budhist lore
Alternate Names: Amida Fish
Category: Fish
The Myth
Long ago, far to the southwest of the land of Shushishi, there lay an island where more than five hundred families lived by fishing. The people depended entirely on the sea, and their days were spent casting nets and hauling in their catch.
One day, an extraordinary event occurred. From the sea came countless large fish, swimming all the way onto the shore. The islanders were overjoyed and rushed to the beach, expecting a great bounty. As they gathered, they heard something strange: each fish made a sound like a human voice, repeatedly calling out, “Amida Buddha, Amida Buddha.”
The people, unfamiliar with Buddhist teachings, did not understand the meaning of the words. They simply named the creatures Amitabha Fish, after the sound they made. They soon noticed that whenever the name was spoken aloud, more fish would approach the shore. Discovering this, the islanders began chanting the name again and again, using it to lure the fish closer.
The fish did not flee. They allowed themselves to be taken and killed. When the people ate their flesh, they found it astonishingly delicious. Those who chanted the name of Amida Buddha fervently said the taste was rich and sweet, while those who chanted only weakly found the meat bitter and sharp. Entranced by the flavor, the islanders began chanting the sacred name constantly, driven by both pleasure and habit.
In time, an elder—one of the first to eat the Amitabha Fish—passed away. Three months later, he appeared on the shore riding a purple cloud, his body shining with radiant light. He spoke to the people, saying:
“After my death, I was reborn in the Pure Land. This came to pass because I delighted in the flesh of the Amitabha Fish and chanted the name of Amida Buddha. That great fish was none other than Amida Buddha himself, taking pity on our ignorance. He transformed into a fish, guided us to chant his name, and even offered his own body as food. Because of the bond formed through this act, I was reborn in the Pure Land.”
He then said that anyone who doubted his words should look upon the remains of the fish.
After the elder vanished, the people examined the discarded bones of the Amitabha Fish. They found that every bone had transformed into a lotus flower.
Filled with awe and remorse, the islanders abandoned killing and devoted themselves entirely to chanting the name of Amida Buddha. In time, each of them was reborn in the Pure Land. The island was left empty and silent, its former inhabitants gone, leaving only the shore where the sacred fish had once gathered.
Gallery
Sources
TYZ-Yokai Blog contributors. (n.d.). 狐火 (Kitsunebi). In TYZ-Yokai Blog, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1065099106.html
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