Kuji-in
Of 81 hand and finger signs, the ninja used nine. They work only with the right spiritual and religious attitude and after years of practice.
- Chapter
- 5, Mental Powers
- Sections
- 9
- Reading time
- 3 min
According to ninpō teaching, the ninja adopted nine of 81 hand and finger signs: the kuji-in 九字印. Folding the fingers correctly is not enough. A sign takes effect only with the right spiritual and religious attitude and after years of practice.
Rin – Dokko-in
Rin 臨 stands for kongō 金剛, the diamond-like lightning bolt. Its hand sign is the dokko-in, the “sign of the Tibetan vajra lightning bolt”
. Here the diamond means immense power and pure knowledge that leaves all ignorance behind. The ninja uses this sign to increase their strength, both physical and mental.
Pyō – Daikongō-in
Pyō 兵 is the physical symbol of the diamond, and so of knowledge. Its hand sign, the daikongō-in, is the “sign of the great diamond”
. With it, the ninja directs the flow of energy in the body and reaches their goal faster.
Tō – Sotojishi-in
The hand sign of tō 闘 is the sotojishi-in, the “sign of the outer lion”
. The lion is a powerful animal and, in Japan, a mythical one; in front of temples, a lion often stands on either side. Through tō, the ninja gains the ability to move in harmony with the universe.
Sha – Uchijishi-in
The outer lion is followed by the inner one: the uchijishi-in is the “sign of the inner lion”
. Sha 者 stands for the internal organs. With this sign, the ninja can heal themselves and others and creates a healthy environment all around.
Kai – Gebaku Ken-in
Kai 皆 shows a person striving to come close to God. Its hand sign is the gebaku ken-in, the “sign of the outer-bound fist”
– the same sign used in prayer. When the ninja uses it, no illusion can hold, and consciousness takes in far more. This is how the ninja learns to sense danger and recognize it before it arrives.
Jin – Naibaku Ken-in
Jin 陣 shows a person who relies entirely on the cosmic consciousness of God and trusts their intuition. Its hand sign is the naibaku ken-in, the “sign of the inner-bound fist”
. Through jin, the ninja can bring their own thought waves onto one level with those of other people, and so, it is said, read their thoughts or send them their own.
Retsu – Chiken-in
The hand sign of retsu 列 is the chiken-in 智拳印, the “sign of the fist of wisdom”
. The left index finger stands for humanity in this world, surrounded by pure knowledge. Together they represent the unity of the material and the spiritual world. Retsu allows the ninja to rule over space and time. The ninja can send their mind to other places and other times and gather knowledge there to solve a problem.
Zai – Nichirin-in
Zai 在 symbolizes the fire that destroys all impurities and lifts the spirit to a higher plane, where it becomes one with the whole universe. Its hand sign is the nichirin-in, the “sign of the sun ring”
. According to the teaching, the ninja uses zai to control the entire universe and all matter through sheer force of will.
Zen – Ongyō-in
Zen 前 symbolizes the fully enlightened one, who has seen through all things. An enlightened person can easily become a target of ridicule or envy. The ninja therefore uses this sign to place themselves under the protection of the cosmic forces. Its hand sign is the ongyō-in 隠形印, the “sign of the hidden form”
. With it, the ninja is said to become invisible to bad and base people and can vanish before the eyes of others.
