Should the demons be destroyed?

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This time, in honor of Setsubun, I'll be writing about demons. Demons have been recognized as beings to be hated since ancient times, due in part to customs such as Setsubun. However, in some areas, people don't say "Oni wa soto" (out of the demons) or avoid demons, and in some areas they even shout "Oni wa uchi" (inside, in the demons). Are demons really beings that should be exterminated? I've decided to consider this from the perspective of a yokai lover, while keeping the basics in mind.

What are demons?

Oni are generally considered to be "Japanese monsters", with theories including that they are derived from "Onu" (hidden), that they are immigrants from overseas, and that they are rebellious people (people who resist authority and do not give in).peopleThere are many theories about the origin of the word "oni," such as that it is a Japanese word for demons. There are also demon-like monsters overseas, such as "ogres," "goblins," and "trolls," but the term "oni" seems to have originated in Japan.

Demon Characteristics

Demons generally have the following characteristics:

• Horns: One or two
• Clothing: Tiger print pants
• Fangs: Two sharp fangs from the lower jaw
• Colors: Red, blue, yellow, black, green (primary colors)
• Hair: Blonde curly perm
• Weapon: Iron club

It's flashy, isn't it? It's an outfit that makes you think it's from a flashy Osaka lady.

The relationship between the personality of demons and bean-throwing

Apparently, demons have different personalities depending on their color.This articleI learned about them in the following. I will list them below.

• The Red Demon (greed, desire, craving) is a symbol of the evil in humans. By throwing beans at it, the evil in one's mind is removed.
• [Blue Demon] (anger, malice, hatred, rage) will be blessed with good fortune and prosperity by throwing beans at his poor self.
• To deal with the Green Ghost (drowsy sleepiness, lethargy, drowsiness, poor health), it is good to throw beans at it while telling yourself to reflect on your unhealthy lifestyle and keep your body healthy.
• [Black demons] (doubts, complaints, and suspicious minds) throw beans to drive away their own base feelings and pray for peace.
• The Yellow Demon (who commits evil acts, is unstable, regrets, is dependent on others, and is egocentric) will be able to reflect on their selfish thoughts and make fair judgments by being hit with beans.

These seem to have their roots in the Buddhist teachings of hell, and are characteristics that are set for the prison demons. What's interesting is that while throwing beans at the demons, they also make wishes and be careful of "themselves." Apparently, in Buddhism, hell is "a painful state that one creates" and the prison demons are one's own mind that manifests it. The reason it comes from "Onu" (hiddenness) is that from a Buddhist perspective, it is something that is inside oneself (other people) and is therefore usually invisible. We've gotten a little deeper. Also, on Setsubun, we eat beans equal to the number of years one's age. This could be interpreted as meaning that the more years one gets older, the more demons one has inside oneself, so perhaps one eats beans to destroy the demons that live inside oneself? Let's delve a little deeper into the relationship between humans and demons.

Do demons originate from humans?

Some monsters, including demons, were created by humans to discriminate against or dominate other people for their own convenience. Shuten-doji of Mt. Oe is a prime example. The demons are the rebellious people, and humans are the heroes who subjugate them. This type of composition is not only found in Japan, but all over the world. In particular, when it's a composition of nature (rivers, etc.) vs. humans, dragons are often seen facing off against each other, but when it's humans vs. humans, the enemy is often depicted as an ugly demon or monster.

So far, we have looked at two major aspects of the true identity and origin of demons. One is that they are "things created by humans to discriminate against and control other people." The other is that they are "things that arise from within oneself." Both of these seem to be created by humans. And we can see that neither of them seem to have been born from yang energy. Control, discrimination, self-obsession, unhealthy living, complaints, doubts, regret, dependency, ill health, anger, and desire. Demons seem to arise from all the yin energy that humans have. Indeed, I think they are in a form that symbolizes these. People have depicted demons as objects of fear since ancient times, and I think they are embodied as "things that nest inside and outside of oneself." By the way, in Buddhism, the essence is taught as how "demons become Buddhas." There seems to be an aspect of demons as a tool to spread Buddhism.

Should demons (yin energy) be destroyed?

I have touched on the reasons why demons are born, but if we only look at this, we can only get the impression that they are the result of all kinds of "yin energy" generated by humans. If you think about it normally, you might think that the matter is resolved happily by hurling beans at the demons to destroy them (beans). But is that really the case? When it comes to demons born from rebellious people, the situation changes 180 degrees when viewed from the perspective of the dominated side, that is, the "rebellious people." They are "humans" who have been arbitrarily labeled as something of darkness and treated as terrifying demons. There must have been some people among them who had no choice but to resist in order to survive. I even wonder if the people exercising their rights were "demons" possessed by desire.

As for the demons within yourself, they are originally "yourself", so I personally don't think that just destroying them is the right answer. As the teachings of Buddhism say, the ideal is to discipline yourself and be healthy and wholesome, and I believe that even those who have undergone considerable spiritual training cannot eliminate all negative energy. That's how "tough" the demons are inside of you are. Can't stick to a diet? Are you quick to anger? Do you doubt? Don't you think that's just who you really are? In this world of information overload and doubt and negative energy swirling around, it's easier to feel at ease if you think you can't crush and eliminate them. Instead of destroying them, I would like to suggest that you "get along well" with the demons within you. Feed the demons from time to time. Acknowledge the self that doubts, and soothe the self that gets angry. Perhaps the Setsubun ceremony has been like that since ancient times, and it was not an event to destroy, but an event to face yourself with the "intention" of destroying. Perhaps if you try to eliminate them, you may become a "demon" yourself (laughs).

From a monster shop perspective

"There's a fine line between a demon and a Buddha. Be careful not to overdo anything."

Let's live a relaxed, yokai-like life. Where there is light, there is shadow. The balance of yin and yang is important!

Articles about demons

Well, this time I introduced demons as yin energy, but from next time onwards I would like to write an article introducing demons as beings that arise from people's yang energy and are revered.