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I was told the official English translation ended up being [divine flame, open] when [divine('s) hearth, open] was right there. Not only is the latter more accurate, it also connects to the root of the name of Sukuna's domain expansion - 복마어주자 (伏魔御廚子). The choice of Kanji is not just randomly thrown in thereㅋㅎ

The Kanji for Sukuna's fire-based technique is 竈 which is used to refer to a traditional Japanese wood or charcoal fueled cooking stove. They are called Kamado (かまど) and were originally invented in China, but spread to Japan through Korea during the Kofun period. Since it was introduced from Korea, the word Kamado itself finds root in the Korean word Gama (가마), which means a Buttumak (부뚜막, Hearth).

[megyulmi]

[최종결전에 돌입한 주술회전!] -> [Jujutsu Kaisen has began its final round]

[megyulmi]

➠ Binding vow and invoking Fudō in Pure Land Buddhism:

I have been seeing posts on the nature of binding vows since Chapter 258, so I decided to share my notes on it in hopes they could be of use to a fellow reader.

Considering Akutami Gege’s consistency in incorporating practices and beliefs of different Buddhist schools into the storyline, personally, performing a binding vow reminds me of the process of invoking Fudō, as well as Amitābha’s ‘Primal Vow’. Here, I am specifically addressing the vows made with oneself as I believe they are significantly different from the vows made with others.

Fudō is an esoteric Buddhist deity for rebirth (from Pure Land worship). He was invoked by reciting his incantation as a deathbed practice to attain proper mindfulness at death allowing rebirth into the Pure Land, particularly Miroku’s Heaven, from the late Heian into the Kamakura period. He is a manifestation of the cosmic Buddha Dainichi (大日, Mahāvairocana) sent to assist Buddhist practitioners and to arrest those who would impede the Buddhist path. Fudō was most popular among the nobility for his efficacy in propitious birth, restoration of health and resurrection from death, and the subjugation of adversaries.

He is associated with the ‘Mantra of Compassionate Help’, which helps remove the hindrances at death. The mantra loosely translates as “Homage to the All-Encompassing Vajra, the Manifestation of Great Wrath. Eliminate [all hindrances].”

There are different instances of invoking Fudō. The first one is, invoking him for Miroku’s Heaven. It is related to Sōō, a monk of the Tendai school. According to the legend, while Sōō was performing ascetic practices before a waterfall on the Katsuragawa river, he prayed to Fudō to take him to Miroku’s Heaven. Fudō did indeed carry Sōō to Miroku’s Heaven, but when they arrived at the gate to the inner palace, Sōō was not allowed in because he could not yet recite the Lotus Sutra from memory. But when Sōō later recited the Lotus Sutra before the image of Fudō at his temple, he was able to gain entry.

The second one is invoking Fudō at Death. According to the court diary Chūyūki (中右記) by Fujiwara no Munetada (藤原宗忠), Emperor Horikawa on his death bed, “first chanted the titles of the larger Hannya and Lotus sutras, as well as the august name of the venerable Fudō; then chanted the august names of Śākya[muni] and [A]mida and faced the west.”

There is another story, according to which there was a sculpture of Fudō in Nara that used to appear to a nun at Higashiyama in Kyoto because she recited Fudō’s Mantra of Compassionate Help twenty-one times every day praying for proper mindfulness at death. In the time of death, when she became seriously ill, she put her hands together to form Fudō’s mudra and seated properly, her breath stopped, and without sickness, she came to the end with proper mindfulness. Here it is noteworthy that she was a member of the Ungoji nenbutsu group.

Additionally, it is useful to look into the concept of ‘Primal Vow or Fundamental Vow (本願, hongan)’, which in Japanese Pure Land Buddhism is the 18th vow that is part of a series of 48 vows that Amitābha made in the Infinite Life Sutra that in certain aspects (depending on the school) can be connected with invoking Fudō.

Nenbutsu is the invocation ‘namu amida butsu’ (南無阿弥陀仏, ‘I take my refuge in the Buddha Amitābha’) chanted in the hope of rebirth into Amida's Pure Land. It is important to note that Nenbutsu were not only directed to Amitābha but other Buddhas as well. Myōe, a famous priest of the Kegon school, is known to have invoked Fudō on his deathbed seeking rebirth in Miroku’s Heaven. It is said that at the time of Myōe’s death, “two or three times he intoned the invocation Namu Miroku Bosatsu, raising his hands in prayer and devoutly reciting the nenbutsu.”

The sutra reads: “If, when I attain Buddhahood, sentient beings in the lands of the ten quarters who sincerely and joyfully entrust themselves to me, desire to be born in my land, and call my Name, even ten times, should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.”

In the sutra, we see clearly what Amitābha’s ‘exchange’ is: “If they should not be born there, may I not attain perfect Enlightenment.” The vow is made at the risk of not being able to attain Enlightenment. Personally, it directly relates to the binding vow made with oneself in JJK: give up something, gain something; or, break the binding vow, lose what you have gained. Nanami is the easiest example to understand in this regard. His binding vow limits the amount of cursed energy he can access to about 80-90% while on the clock. Once his normal shift ends and he begins working overtime, Nanami’s cursed energy increases and by invoking Overtime, he is able to utilise 110-120% of his maximum power. He gains something while giving up something in exchange, and if he were to break the vow, he would lose what he has gained.

The practice itself is complex and depending on the accounts (and the schools) can be different, but personally, I can see how it could relate to the concept of binding vows made with oneself in JJK. In exchange for ‘devotion’, one can invoke the help of Fudō, who by landing his strength can help the invoker overcome the hindrance or the adversity they are facing. When summed up in this simple way, it does resonate with the concept of the binding vow made with oneself. Although the conditions naturally have to be completely different (i.e. what ‘devotion’ entails in JJK terms).

It might offer us a bit of perspective on why Sukuna seems the most efficient (well-versed) in performing the binding vow as well. We see from the examples I provided that invoking Fudō requires the knowledge of certain sutras and a long period of practice. Sukuna, coming from the Heian period (assuming that binding vows were more common like the practice of invoking Fudō that declined over time and is almost extinct in the modern day), would have been able to accumulate such knowledge and would be more familiar with the process of invoking it than your average modern-day sorcerer. He may as well have an understanding of ‘incantations’ that might otherwise not have survived the time.

Considering Akutami Gege’s incorporation of Buddhist practices, personally, it might not be too far off that he might have drawn inspiration from combining the two when creating the concept of binding vows.

[megyulmi]

????

[megyulmi]

I was procrastinating and somehow ended up thinking about [大毘盧遮那成仏神変加持経(Daibirushana jōbutsu jinpen kaji kyō, Mahāvairocana Tantra)], one of the two central texts of Shingon Buddhist school (which Akutami Gege has employed throughout the manga, particularly, in regards to Sukuna's character) and remembered how it directly relates to some of the points I made in the initial post about 'non-duality' and Awakening.

According to the sutra, the state of Enlightenment is seen as naturally inherent to the mind and is viewed as the perceptual sphere of non-duality, where all false distinctions between a perceiving subject and perceived objects are lifted and the true state of things (non-duality) is revealed. To achieve this vision of non-duality, it is necessary to recognise one's own mind as you can only know the inherent natural state of the mind by eliminating the split between a perceiving subject and perceived objects. Which in itself means to recognise the emptiness that is the absence of the imaginary split.

The sutra says that all things can be accomplished once 'non-dual union with emptiness' is attained. However, ultimately even emptiness needs to be transcended to the extent that it is the expanse of the mind of Buddha, Buddhic Awareness and Buddha-realms, all of which know of no beginning and no arising, meaning that one must transcend emptiness with the emptiness of emptiness, when it is seen that the mind is primordially unborn and unarisen.

The sutra establishes that the Emptiness is not mere inert nothingness but is precisely the unlocalised locus (point or space) where the source of Enlightement resides. In Megumi's case this can be interpreted as the abyss his soul has been submerged in. He is in the depths of this dark emptiness, but he has yet to recognise (has forgotten in his grief) that this dark emptiness is the very source of his Awakening (here I mean Awakening in the terms of JJK). Once he faces the emptiness as it is - an emptiness (or the darkness as it is - a darkness) he will be able to see where within him this unlocalised locus is.

Additionally, Emptiness in Buddhism usually means the flow of causation and result, the arising of causes and conditions, but in this sutra, Mahāvairocana Buddha declares himself to be separate from all causes and conditions and without defect - truly mighty:

[I who am mighty have been renowned as the Great Hero. I directly realised that there is no arising, and abandoned the perceptual range of words; I became free from all faults, and separated from causes and conditions.]

As I mentioned Megumi is currently in the depths of this emptiness, but struggling to find non-dual union with it, but once he finds peace with it, he will be able to see how to utilise this 'emptiness' to understand the natural state of his mind and he will find Awakening (again, in the terms of JJK). And once he finds Awakening, he will know how all things can be accomplished i.e. he will have a true understanding of his Shadow, that unknown part of him, he has never been able to fully confront before.

Fushiguro Megumi, Shadow seen through the lens of Zen Buddhism:

[wherever there is light, there is shadow; wherever there is length, there is shortness; wherever there is white, there is black. just like these, as the self-nature of things can not exist alone, they are called non-substantial. - buddha]

➠ Megumi & the illusion of I and not I:

Within Zen philosophy, shadows are often interpreted as elements of mystery, the unknown, and impermanence, and represent the veiled aspects of existence that transcend human understanding. Much like impermanence, they are ever-shifting and constantly changing, mirroring the transient nature of life itself. At the same time, shadows are inseparable from light and their interplay reflects the interconnections and interdependencies of all things.

It is no different when it comes to a self. The shadow is not separate from a self, it is the very idea of a self.

It is important to note that Buddhism rejects the notion that the self is a permanently existing unchanging individual entity and sees the concept of self, ego, as a product of consciousness, which arises in a sentient being as part of the process of living i.e. consciousness itself is, at any moment in time, dependent on many things that are always changing, and consciousness itself is always changing, hence so too does the conceived self (when I use the term ‘self’ from here on, I am referring to the ‘conceived self’).

Another important thing to note is that Buddhism transcends dualistic concepts such as ‘Good vs. Evil’. It is the heart of Buddhism that Enlightenment sets one free from such false dichotomies, and from the cycle of suffering altogether.

However, when the Shadow, the unknown self, is not integrated into the self as a whole, one fails to recognise the non-dual nature of existence and may end up with a sense of ‘Goodness’ or ‘Rightness’. You separate the world as you separate the self, to attain gain from defining yourself and the world in a dualistic way. We see Megumi separate the world as such, the Good and the Bad or the Right and the Wrong. He integrates his entire sense of justice into the concept that helps him navigate the world in the most convenient way for him. He does not confront himself nor his ideals (although, he starts to, when he crosses paths with Yuuji, who does not truly fit his perceived idea of ‘Goodness’, but he justifies it, by laying the blame not only on Yuuji, but upon himself). Throughout the manga, it is clear that Megumi fears his Shadow (and the potential that lies in facing it), because he is afraid of what might peer back at him from the dark if he stands face to face with that part of his self (i.e. what if his perceived notions are wrong altogether).

However, what Megumi fails to recognise is that he loses his true sense of self by diving the world into ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’, and therefore, struggles to place himself in either of the categories. Tsumiki is good, so she must live a life free of suffering (or fairly). Yuuji is good, so he deserves to live. Where is Megumi’s place on that scale of ‘good’ and ‘bad’? He is not as good as his sister, he is not as kind as Yuuji, so of what value is his life? But on the other hand, he is not as bad as for example, Sukuna is, so his life cannot be completely worthless. Instead of seeing reality and accepting it for what it is, Megumi clings to his conceived idea of how the world (or people) is ‘supposed’ to be and it leaves him in a stalemate. He stays standing where he is, because he cannot imagine himself standing anywhere else.

In that same sense, he separates himself from his Shadow. For Megumi the Shadows are not a truly innate part of himself (an essence of being), but merely a Technique. A way for him to protect his perceived ‘Good/Right’ from ‘Bad/Wrong’ and because he cannot fit himself in either of the categories (not good enough or not bad enough), he cannot see himself as anything other than a tool. The world he has to navigate feeds onto his notions. In a way, Megumi has always been a tool, within the world of sorcery or outside of it, on an interpersonal level (but this depends on how one regards his relationships with Tsumiki and Gojo for example) and so, he continues to regard himself and his technique as such.

Megumi struggles to see beyond what is conscious, but the Shadow is what lies beyond his consciousness. Therefore, he has a hard time understanding himself and his technique on an innate level, because he can only see that which is conscious, the rest remains hidden in the Shadow, influencing his behaviour, creating reactive patterns within him, and distorting his perception of reality.

There is a concept called Non-dual Awareness in Buddhism, which refers to an awareness that transcends firm distinctions between oneself and the rest of existence. This is what we see Megumi struggle to cultivate throughout the manga when it comes to his technique (and sense of self). In a state of non-dual awareness, one understands that one is inseparable from the entire process of reality. Imagine you are standing in front of an ocean, looking at a single wave, is the wave still an ocean? The wave may have its own distinct properties, but it is also still clearly the ocean, i.e. it is both itself and the ocean at the same time. Such is the case with human beings. We are our individual selves, but we are also continuous with the particles that constitute everything in the known universe. Undertanding such, Buddhists see that selves are fuzzy and cannot be neatly defined. There is no objective boundary at which I end and the rest of reality begins.

➠ liberation:

How can Megumi reconcile with his Shadow, that unknown self?

The process of liberation within Buddhism is largely a process of gradually embodying the truths of non-duality and no-self, while learning to let go of your individual preferences, desires, expectations, and attachments. Through this process, we come to participate more fully and compassionately in our world, let go of fear, and accept the endless ebb and flow of all things. We resist nothing.

The way to liberation is to become an observer, a witness of your own mind. For Megumi to embrace his ‘full self’, he must embrace the impermanence of life (and therefore, self). And I believe where Akutami is leading him through all his suffering is that path of awakening, where Megumi is the Shadows and the Shadows are him.

To be continued...

[Disclaimer: This is only a personal opinion as just another reader. Additionally, English is not my native language and I have never read JJK in English, so certain terminologies I use may not be the correct equivalent of the English language.]

[megyulmi]

➠ Sukuna and Kōjin (荒神):

After this post on Sukuna’s fire-based technique, I have been thinking about 조왕신 (Jowangshin, 竈王神, the goddess of fire and the hearth in Korean shamanism), because [竈] can be associated with three meanings: 1. 부엌; 2. 부엌 귀신 (鬼神); 3. 조왕신 (竈王神).

And remembered that Jowangshin’s Japanese counterpart is Kōjin (荒神), the God in charge of the fire, the hearth and the kitchen. He is sometimes called Kamadogami (竃神), literally the God of the Stove, and here is also what he looks like:

And a very interesting detail is that Kōjin represents violent forces that are turned toward the betterment of humankind.

I did mention Kōjin as Kamadogami in this post about Sukuna as well, but I do not know why I did not make the connection until I thought of Jowangshin.

[megyulmi]

fun fact: it was in the heian era that they began using kamado-style vessels for cooking dishes made from skewered meats and vegetables that are grilled over charcoal.

The Kanji for Sukuna's fire-based technique is 竈 which is used to refer to a traditional Japanese wood or charcoal fueled cooking stove. They are called Kamado (かまど) and were originally invented in China, but spread to Japan through Korea during the Kofun period. Since it was introduced from Korea, the word Kamado itself finds root in the Korean word Gama (가마), which means a Buttumak (부뚜막, Hearth).

[megyulmi]

The Kanji for Sukuna's fire-based technique is 竈 which is used to refer to a traditional Japanese wood or charcoal fueled cooking stove. They are called Kamado (かまど) and were originally invented in China, but spread to Japan through Korea during the Kofun period. Since it was introduced from Korea, the word Kamado itself finds root in the Korean word Gama (가마), which means a Buttumak (부뚜막, Hearth).

[megyulmi]

➠ Sukuna, the ‘shunned’ child and the demonisation and worship of ‘unwanted’ children in Japanese folklore:

[long read. trigger warning: referenced folktales and practices depict themes of infanticide, religious rituals and child exorcism, demonisation and worship of children, ableism, suicide, implied sa, and period-typical outdated social views. they are not a representation of my personal beliefs. please read with caution.]

New revelations of Sukuna’s past in Chapter 257 made me look deeper into some of the tales and customs from Japanese folklore about children deemed ‘abominable’ in the eyes of society that I had previously noted down and I decided to share as I think they could offer a better insight into Sukuna as a character and what might have inspired Akutami Gege’s depiction of him.

It would be better to start with a bit of the social background of Japanese folklore. I will use the Emishi (an ancient ethnic group of people who lived in parts of Honshū, especially in the Tōhoku region) as an example, the oral tales of whom later blended with Shintō and Buddhist religious concepts and heavily influenced Japanese folklore. It is believed that many of their tales were shaped by the region’s difficult history of natural disasters, famines, and geographic isolation. In the Tōhoku region, infanticide was sometimes used as a form of ‘birth control’ due to repeated famines. The bodies of ‘unwanted children’ were often disposed of in rivers or lakes.

Another important source of such folklore is the city of Tōno in Iwate prefecture, known particularly for Kappa, tales of which could offer a good basis for the beginning of my intended analysis.

Kappa, a green, amphibious, child-like creature with a yellow beak for a mouth and a turtle shell on its back is one of the most popular Yōkai from Japanese folklore. Some researchers say that the darker aspects of Kappa tales in Tōhoku may be an echo of the region’s tragic history of famines and the high rates of infant mortality caused by a harsh climate, natural disasters, and the tax system that was paid in rice. Similarly, many people in Tōno (which is part of the Tōhoku region) believe that tragic history is one of the origins of the stories of Kappa. The Kappa of Tōno specifically are said to be red in colour rather than green, which may allude to the Japanese word for infant - akachan, which derives from aka, the word for red. From this perspective, Kappa are creatures born out of social challenges and disasters. They may not seem all too relevant to Sukuna, but the need to mention them will come up in the later part.

Moving on, at the beginning I mentioned that ‘unwanted children’ were often disposed of in the rivers and lakes, which is also found in the Japanese creation myth. I discussed the variations of the myth in this post about Sukuna previously (you do not need to read it for the moment, but please note that it has many variations), but somehow I did not mention their first ‘inadequate’ child. According to the myth, before they had Kagutsuchi, Izanagi and Izanami had a child as a result of their first attempt at a union, but the child, known as Hiruko (‘Leech Child’), was born deformed. The mistake was attributed to a ritual error on the part of Izanami, who, as a woman, should never have spoken first (i.e. initiated the union). Considering the child inadequate for a diety, they set him adrift in a boat in hopes he would die at the sea. This myth reflects how women and children who were born ‘different’ or seen unable to serve their ‘purpose’ were treated.

Continuing from the myth, Chapter 257 made me think of the tale of Katako, in which the protagonist is born half-human and half-oni. What is Sukuna’s true nature we cannot know for certain. We know he was a human once, but we do not know enough of his past to assume if there was more to him (how and why he as a human might have come to be called the King of Curses will be explained in the later part), but the tale still has the potential to give us insight into Sukuna and his mother’s relationship. The tale has various versions with different endings, but it generally could be summarised as follows:

[A long time ago, a man encountered a man-eating ogre (from here on referred to as oni) while working in the field. He told the oni how much he loved mochi (rice cake), jokingly adding that he could even trade his wife for it. Taking his casual banter seriously, the oni treated him to mochi. The man ate his favourite food to his fill and happily went home only to find that the oni had taken his wife in exchange for the treat. The man searched everywhere and finally found his wife on the island where the oni lived. The man and his wife managed to come back home with Katako (meaning ‘Half-Child’), a child born of his wife and the oni on the island. However, Katako was always ostracised by his human peers (in another version, it is said that he had an insatiable appetite for eating humans). At ten years old, tired of being ridiculed, he asked his mother ‘to cut the oni part of him into pieces’ when he died, and then committed suicide.]

In the tale, Katako’s relationship with his mother seems to be of trust. He is cast out of society by humans and despite his mother being one as well, he does not harbour hate for her, he trusts her enough to leave his final wish upon her. We do not know much about Sukuna’s relationship with his mother, but the manner he referred to her in the last chapter makes it seem that he also harbours no hostility toward her. This tale also shows how children deemed ‘different’ were treated.

In past ages, children, being considered closer to the gods and the Other World, also played the part of intermediary between humans and the gods in Japanese society. This task of mediation between two separate worlds fell to them because they were regarded as incomplete persons (until the age of seven it was considered uncertain whether they would live or return to the Other World: a belief related to the challenges indicated at the beginning). While considered sacred beings different in nature from adults, they were at the same time looked down upon and referred to as kodomo (where ~domo has a negative/belittling connotation), gaki (hungry ghost or demon; brat), or jari (lit. gravel).

Back in the day, people referred to the killing off of ‘unwanted children’ (mabiki or ‘culling’, a common old slang for infanticide) as ‘sending a child back’, and a dead child was given a special non-Buddhist funeral. The various rituals surrounding birth and the child’s upbringing were intended, through communication with the Other World, to transform the child into an earthly being. This aspect of the ritual made me think of Sukuna’s mask and how that part of his face resembles a burn scar (note: i am aware the nature of his ‘mask’ is still not clear and whether it is really one) in some of the official illustrations. It is known that rituals of purification included fire and water magic. Exorcism of demons, aversion of disasters, and other rituals for the removal of pollution were frequent. A katashiro (paper cut in the shape of a man) symbolising the disaster would be burned or floated down the river as well. Personally, I see the possibility of Sukuna’s scar (if it really happens to be one) being from one of such rituals.

Continuing, there is a term - Goryō used to refer to the spirits of those who had died violently (e.g. by murder or execution) and have become gods. It also included those who had died untimely deaths and therefore had been unable to fulfil their purpose in this world. Some notable gods such as Hachiman, Tenjin, and Tenno were once considered powerful Goryō. Great natural disasters and social unrest were attributed to them; rituals designed to appease them were performed, and a cult of such worship evolved. It was (usually) as a result of belief in Goryō that particular individuals came to be worshipped as gods. At times when public unrest threatened the social order, elements estranged or excluded from the ‘normal system/order’ were assigned the status of Goryō and worshipped as such. The cult was intended to purify and renew society. Manga has given us a similar glimpse of Sukuna’s past, where despite being feared (and despised), people were ready to serve him (and pray in his name) for their own well-being. I think Akutami intended to echo this very aspect of society through the scene.

I mentioned that children were considered closer to the gods and the Other World, but not all children were treated equally. One version of the origin of Kamadogami in the Tōhoku region is that he was an ‘ugly child’ from the Dragon Palace who had been killed and was thereafter worshipped at household hearths. Zashikiwarashi, who often inhabits old houses and is said to bring good fortune while he remains, is another household god in the shape of a child or, in another version, the spirit of an unwanted child who, having been killed off, became the guardian god of houses. I mentioned Hiruko at the beginning as well, who was set afloat on the boat in the sea. Despite that, he is in some Shintō shrines identified with Ebisu, the patron of fishermen and tradesmen. Their worship was for the purposes indicated in the previous abstract, to avoid their wrath. Sukuna has not been ‘killed off’ like these children were, but such worship shows us the general psyche of the public.

I indicated that socially inferior and rebellious beings were treated similarly in the previous part. The character Dō of Dōji (童子, meaning child) once meant ‘slave’, tattooed on the forehead, and was closely linked to notions of personal status. It signified one who was not a complete person and also one who had not yet been initiated, in other words, one who did not belong to the order of this world, one who was in this world but not of it. They were despised, feared, and avoided by ordinary people for their strange appearance and magical powers. In some cases they even formed separate ‘child’ villages (dōji mura), calling themselves ‘descendants of oni (demons)’. Since they played the role of demons during the rituals, they were shunned by the nobility as if they were real demons. Could this somehow connect to Sukuna’s title? I do believe there is a possibility this could have inspired his being as the King of Curses.

The ‘ugly child’ who appears in the story of the origin of Kamadogami has parallels in Yokenai, Untoku, Hyotoku, and Hanatarekozo, children who brought good fortune and prosperity to the house in return for offerings to the Watery World of kadomatsu (pine-branch gate decorations for the New Year) and firewood. But despite that, their ‘ugliness’ and names were used as an indication that these children did not belong to this world. It is important to note that socially inferior and rebellious beings were treated in the same manner (here is where the point connects to Sukuna, continued from the next part in depth). Such children were often associated with the colour red. For example, Zashikiwarashi is described as red-haired and red-faced. Kintaro, Shutendoji, and other children born in unusual circumstances (but may not have been considered an ‘ugly child’) and brought up in the mountain wilderness are also said to have had red bodies and were endowed with superhuman strength. I also mentioned that Kappa from Tōno were depicted as red. We see Sukuna often associated with the colour red, particularly, his eyes are red. I believe the above-mentioned could be the reason for that.

Personally, what we know of Sukuna and his past seems to echo these folktales and practices as the foundation of his character. He was a ‘Demon’ for being an ‘abominable’ child, but he was worshipped for this same reason as well. Whether he was born that way after eating his twin in the womb or something happened to him later in life cannot be known yet, but it is clear his ‘abominable’ appearance could have warranted the same treatment from society. It could also explain Kenjaku’s ‘fascination’ with him as a being. We do not know what relationship they had or how exactly they came to know each other, but there is clearly a reason why a being such as Sukuna would ‘work’ with them. We do not know much about Kenjaku either, but it could be possible that they (Kenjaku) once were either (1) one of those ‘priests’ who performed exorcism to purify ‘demon’ children or (2) someone who offered such children refuge (perhaps and more likely, for their own personal gain). It would also relate to the variations of Ryomen Sukuna’s story that inspired Akutami Gege.

[Disclaimer: This post does not intend to demonise Shintoism or Buddhism, but to tell folklore and practices for analytical purposes. Additionally, English is not my native language and this is only a personal interpretation as just another reader that I am sharing in case someone finds it interesting or can use the information for better analysis.]

[megyulmi]

A lover paints Spring in the image of a beloved’s face. or, chapter three of stsg post-break up/getting back together fic with itafushi, turning pages (the narrow road to the deep north).

[megyulmi]

Additionally, (besides how Sukuna phrased it) I believe Itadori Jin was not the first reincarnation of Sukuna’s twin based on this panel, where Sukuna and Uraume compare Yuuji to someone from the past.

Depending on the Buddhist school, how long rebirth takes can vary from being immediate (Theravada Buddhism) to up to 49 days (Tibetan Buddhism). So, unless the conditions for Rebirth are different in JJK, his twin should have been reborn within a similar timeframe.

➠ Chapter 257 and Rebirth:

This chapter officially introduced the concept of Rebirth (환생, in which the actions of a sentient being lead to a new existence after death) into the plot of the manga. We can say it has been hinted at before through Jogo and Yuuji’s words for example, but the Rebirth of the soul of Sukuna’s twin officially confirmed it. We do not know the conditions of Rebirth in the world of JJK yet, but it implies the existence of Samsāra (윤회전생) which is the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth, and it made me think of this illustration:

This illustration is based on the Kalachakra Mandala, which represents the wheel of our lives, and the time we have in this world to make peace with ourselves and achieve Enlightement (freedom from Samsāra). Kalachakra literally translates to ‘cycle of time’ (Kala meaning ‘time’ and Chakra meaning ‘cycle’). It means that everything in nature happens in the ‘cycle of time’.

These four characters being the centre of the above-indicated illustration is not random. Each one of them is in some way bound by the concept of Rebirth (Reincarnation). Chapter 257 gave us a good perspective on how Yuuji, Sukuna and Kenjaku are bound to it (and each other as well), which, considering the ties of the other three, may make it seem like Gojo is out of the equation.

Personally, there could be two interpretations of why Gojo is part of it (besides the simplest explanation that these four are central to the storyline):

1. As Tengen has implied themself before, Tengen, the Star Plasma Vessel, and the Six Eyes are all connected by fate. Through Tengen, we also learn that Kenjaku lost twice to a sorcerer with the Six Eyes, and after the second time taking no chances killed both the Star Plasma Vessel and the Six Eyes less than a month after they were born. We know that there has been a connection between Tengen, Kenjaku and the Six Eyes throughout time. Gojo could be part of the illustration to indicate the recurring existence of the Six Eyes, bound to Tengen’s existence whose relationship with Kenjaku we do not clearly understand yet, but has been as continuous.

Or

2. Drawing on the confirmation that the concept of Rebirth exists in the world of JJK, Gojo being part of this illustration could imply that perhaps the soul of Sukuna’s twin is not the only character who has been Reborn (note: we do not know yet whether Itadori Jin was his twin’s first reincarnation or he died and was reborn multiple times before (however, the way Sukuna says it implies the latter)). We do not know yet what the conditions for Rebirth are (or if they are the same as in Buddhism) or whether the Reborn soul retains anything of their past life, so it is difficult to make the assumption, but it opens up the possibility of Gojo being reincarnation as well, i.e. the Six Eyes are the same soul.

Regardless, the existence of the concept of Rebirth has opened many different (and interesting) possibilities.

[megyulmi]

➠ Chapter 257 and Rebirth:

This chapter officially introduced the concept of Rebirth (환생, in which the actions of a sentient being lead to a new existence after death) into the plot of the manga. We can say it has been hinted at before through Jogo and Yuuji’s words for example, but the Rebirth of the soul of Sukuna’s twin officially confirmed it. We do not know the conditions of Rebirth in the world of JJK yet, but it implies the existence of Samsāra (윤회전생) which is the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth, and it made me think of this illustration:

This illustration is based on the Kalachakra Mandala, which represents the wheel of our lives, and the time we have in this world to make peace with ourselves and achieve Enlightement (freedom from Samsāra). Kalachakra literally translates to ‘cycle of time’ (Kala meaning ‘time’ and Chakra meaning ‘cycle’). It means that everything in nature happens in the ‘cycle of time’.

These four characters being the centre of the above-indicated illustration is not random. Each one of them is in some way bound by the concept of Rebirth (Reincarnation). Chapter 257 gave us a good perspective on how Yuuji, Sukuna and Kenjaku are bound to it (and each other as well), which, considering the ties of the other three, may make it seem like Gojo is out of the equation.

Personally, there could be two interpretations of why Gojo is part of it (besides the simplest explanation that these four are central to the storyline):

1. As Tengen has implied themself before, Tengen, the Star Plasma Vessel, and the Six Eyes are all connected by fate. Through Tengen, we also learn that Kenjaku lost twice to a sorcerer with the Six Eyes, and after the second time taking no chances killed both the Star Plasma Vessel and the Six Eyes less than a month after they were born. We know that there has been a connection between Tengen, Kenjaku and the Six Eyes throughout time. Gojo could be part of the illustration to indicate the recurring existence of the Six Eyes, bound to Tengen’s existence whose relationship with Kenjaku we do not clearly understand yet, but has been as continuous.

Or

2. Drawing on the confirmation that the concept of Rebirth exists in the world of JJK, Gojo being part of this illustration could imply that perhaps the soul of Sukuna’s twin is not the only character who has been Reborn (note: we do not know yet whether Itadori Jin was his twin’s first reincarnation or he died and was reborn multiple times before (however, the way Sukuna says it implies the latter)). We do not know yet what the conditions for Rebirth are (or if they are the same as in Buddhism) or whether the Reborn soul retains anything of their past life, so it is difficult to make the assumption, but it opens up the possibility of Gojo being reincarnation as well, i.e. the Six Eyes are the same soul.

Regardless, the existence of the concept of Rebirth has opened many different (and interesting) possibilities.

Edit: additional note

[megyulmi]

haunted house uquiz by streetlighthalo

[megyulmi]

[megyulmi]

“Spring 200-“

[megyulmi]

I like this layout better

[megyulmi]

mgyj dump