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Miroku's shakujō (弥勒の錫杖)is a pilgrim's staff that Miroku often carried with him in his travels, which is imbued with low-level Buddhist/spiritual powers.

Physical description[]

It is a metal pole topped with a metal finial with two sections, each with three rings.

Powers & Abilities[]

It is effective against yōkai and other evil entities because of its sacred properties. The head of Miroku's shakujō is sharpened. He combines his staff with his Buddhist/spiritual powers in battle and often uses it as a melee weapon. It is even capable of holding off Inuyasha's Tessaiga.[2]

Trivia[]

Miroku

Miroku with his shakujō.

  • In Japan, the shakujō is used by monks, pilgrims, yamabushi, and practitioners of Shugendō (a school of Buddhism teaching spiritual practices in the mountains). A yamabushi or mountain priest may use it for magic or exorcism, as does Miroku. In the Shingon and Tendai sects, the shakujō is used as a ritual object in special ceremonies, much like the Tibetan Dorje (Lightning Bolt or Thunderbolt). The six metal rings represents the Six States of Existence—the cycle of samsara, of suffering and reincarnation. They were originally used by traveling priests to alert small creatures to keep them from accidentally being harmed by a priest when walking in the woods (this is consistent with the Buddhist teachings to kill no living creature). It was also used to frighten away dangerous snakes or beasts that the priest might have encountered. When begging, a Monk rattled this staff to announce his arrival at the door or gate of a household without breaking his vow of silence.[3] Historically, the same staff became one's grave post if one died while traveling. Thus the top of the staff is designed like a Buddhist grave post.
  • In The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass, Miroku once had Tōtōsai repair his shakujō after it broke in half during the fight against Kaguya, by her armor coils.

References[]

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