Ekai Kawaguchi – Three Years in Tibet
(By Tsem Rinpoche and Pastor Niral)
Ekai Kawaguchi was a Japanese Buddhist monk, known for his travels to Tibet and Nepal in the late 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. He described his travel to Tibet in his book “Three Years in Tibet”.
Childhood and Background
Ekai Kawaguchi was born on the 24th February 1866 and named Sadajiro. He was the eldest among five children and was Christian by birth. At the age of only 15, his direction in life turned unexpectedly after he read about the life of the Buddha. He developed a passionate urge to become a monk and decided to live by the Shojin vows. These included a strict adherence to vegetarianism, abstinence from alcohol and celibacy.
At the age of 25, he was ordained as a monk at the Gohyakku Rakunji. His name changed to Ekai Jinko which means “Ocean of Wisdom, Wide Virtue.” He became the rector of his Monastery in Tokyo but gave up the position in 1891 in order to dedicate his time to studying a large collection of Buddhist books in the Chinese language, to meditate and learning Pali in Kyoto. He lived in seclusion at the head temple of Obakusan to translate difficult classical Chinese texts of the Tripitaka into Japanese. Realising the need to refer to the original manuscripts for accurate translation, he decided to leave for Tibet in 1897.
India
It took Kawaguchi a few years before he reached his goal of traveling to Tibet. He first stayed in Darjeeling, India for several months, living with a Tibetan family to learn the Tibetan language.
Nepal
Kawaguchi had to cross either Bhutan or Nepal to reach Tibet. He chose the route through Nepal as there were many Sanskrit manuscripts to study there and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites to visit. He was also the first Japanese to enter Nepal as it was forbidden to foreigners. Kawaguchi decided to disguise himself as either a Tibetan or Chinese monk and use less frequented routes. Kawaguchi had to maintain his undercover identity during the whole trip. He travelled through Kathmandu, across high Himalayan Mountains into Tibet. He was not well equipped and had only limited information and support. But he reached his goal, Lhasa, in 1900.
During his second visit to Nepal, in March 1905, he offered a 100-volume set of the Tripitaka to the Prime Minister of Nepal. It is currently kept in Kathmandu, at the National Archives. The then Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana offered Kawaguchi various Sanskrit manuscripts in return. Kawaguchi also collected many other Sanskrit manuscripts, Buddhist scrolls, paintings, and religious objects while in Nepal.
During his third visit to Nepal, Ekai Kawaguchi advocated for the unity of Asia and Pan-Asianism in his letter to the prime minister. Nepal being the birthplace of Gautam Buddha deserved to benefit from Japanese science and technology. Kawaguchi also offered suggestions for the development of Nepal various and diverse fields, such as education, political and financial administration, industrial development and infrastructure.
During a pilgrimage to Lumbini in 1912, Ekai Kawaguchi witnessed animal sacrifices to Maya Devi, the mother of Buddha, who was mistaken by the local people to be a Hindu Deity. He requested Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana to prohibit animal sacrifices, who issued a decree prohibiting animal sacrifices at Lumbini.
Tibet
The journey from Japan to Lhasa took almost four years. He stayed at many monasteries and made pilgrimage around the sacred Mount Kailash in west Tibet. Besides being the first Japanese to visit Tibet, he also was the first foreigner who stayed for more than one year in Lhasa, the ‘forbidden city’. He studied at the Sera Monastic University in Lhasa and gained a good reputation as a doctor.
His travels are described in his book “Chibetto Rzoko Ri,” or “Three Years in Tibet”. His book is an important witness as it portrays his journey as well as the social, religious and political situation in India, Nepal and Tibet. In the 1920s he assisted the German Theravada monk Nyanatiloka, the first teacher of another pioneering traveler to Tibet, Lama Anagarika Govinda.
Upon his return to Japan, many people began to be curious about distant Tibet. He gave talks about Tibetan customs and manners but especially monastic immoderation and corruption, superstition irritated him a lot. On the other hand he had great respect for the religious and political leaders and had made many friends during his travels.
Extracts from Three Years in Tibet
Regarding Shigatze
The town before me was Shigatze, the second capital of Tibet, and the palatial building was the Tashi Lhunpo Temple. The name means ‘a glorious mass’ or ‘Mount Sumeru,’a legendary mountain mentioned in Buddhist Scriptures. The monastery owes its name to its founder, Gendun Tub, who thought that the mountain at the rear of the temple resembled Sumeru.
The Lama Superior of this temple is regarded as the second Grand Lama of Tibet, for, though he does not possess any political influence, yet with regard to the rank bestowed by the Chinese Emperor he is superior even to the Dalai Lama himself. Sometimes a kind of regency under this ‘second Grand Lama’ takes place during the interval between the Dalai Lama’s death and the enthronement of what in Tibet is believed to be his re-incarnated self.
This second Grand Lama is commonly called Panchen Rinpoche, but his real title is Kyab-kon Chen-bo, meaning ‘Great Protector,’ while his name is Lobsang Choe-ki Nima, the ‘noble-minded religious sun’. I was told he was eighteen years old, having been born in the year of “sheep,” and was believed to be an incarnation of Amida-nyorai. At the time of my visit he was away at a distant palace, so that I could not see him.
– Ekai Kawaguchi, Three Years in Tibet.
Regarding Sera Monastery
I was admitted as a student of the first class, in which priest-students varying from boys in their teens to men in the forties and fifties were studying the Buddhist catechism, according to the Tibetan fashion. Their way of studying was so interesting and active, and they were so earnest and fervent, that one would have thought they were quarrelling with one another while discussing.
The catechism is a very pleasant performance, and the ways of questioning, emphasis, and intonation are quite interesting. The catechised sits in a certain attitude, and the questioner stands up with a rosary in his left hand, and walks towards him. He stretches out his hands with the palm of the left hand downwards and that of the right hand upwards and claps them together, uttering the words, Chi ! chi tawa choe chan. Here ‘ Chi ‘ means the heart of the Bodhisattva Mañjushri and its utterance is supposed to make the questioner one with Him, whose real body is knowledge. The rest of the utterance literally means, “in that nature of the truth.” The sense of the whole is “We shall begin the discussion following the nature of Truth as it is manifested in the Universe.” Then the discussion begins in earnest according the rules of the logic of Nyaya. The first question, for instance, may be whether Buddha was human or not. Whether the answer is in the affirmative or the negative, the questioner goes on to ask; “But he was not above mortality, was he?” If he be answered in the affirmative, he will say that it could not be so, for Buddha was no more than mortal. The answerer, if bright enough, will then reply that Buddha, though himself above death, submitted himself to it in his incarnated body. He must say also that Buddha had three bodies, called in Samskrit Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya and Nirmanakaya, and in Tibetan, Choeku, Lonjoeku and Tulku. These terms mean: ‘The all pervading body consisting of the purest virtue of Truth in him’, ‘the body derived from his countless virtues, enjoying complete happiness with the light of Truth,’ and ‘the body derived from his boundless mercy and transcendental knowledge for the good of all beings.
If the catechised shows any weak point in his answers, the questioner never fails to take advantage of the opportunity, and drives him on, saying for example that Buddha was a real man born in India. Whether the answer be in the affirmative or negative, he will go on asking many questions in succession, and that with so much animation that, when he utters the words of a question, he beats time with hands and feet. The teacher always teaches the catechists that the foot must come down so strongly that the door of hell may be broken open, and that the hands must make so great a noise that the voice of knowledge may frighten the devils all over the world, by a fearless heart and a brave attitude. The object of the questions and answers is to free the mind from all worldliness, and to get into the very bottom of Truth, giving no power to the devils of hell in the mind.
– Ekai Kawaguchi, Three Years in Tibet.
Meeting with the Dalai Lama
Ekai Kawaguchi’s fame grew as he was helping many people through medicine and acupuncture. Because he was helping poor priests in the monastery, he was invited to the Royal Court for an audience with His Holiness 13th Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Rinpoche Thubten Gyatso. In his book, Kawaguchi shares his account of the audience and how it came about. He was even praised by the Court Physician, who said he would recommend Kawaguchi to become the Court Physician:
The Dalai Lama was dressed in a cloak different from that of a common priest. He had on a silk hood and a great robe called sanghati and under it a fine putuk of Tibetan wool about his waist. His under dress was what is called Lema woven of the best Chinese sheep wool. He wore a fine Papal crown on his head though he is said to be often bare-headed, with no crown at all. He held a rosary in his left hand. He was then aged twenty-six. He is about five feet eight inches high, a moderate height in Tibet.
The Dalai Lama looks very brave. His eyebrows are very high, and he is very keen-eyed. Once a Chinese phrenologist remarked that the Tibetan Pope would bring about war one day, to the great disturbance of the country, for though brave-looking, he had an unlucky face. Whether the prophesy comes true or not, he really looks the very man of whose face a phrenologist would be sure to say something. He has a very sharp and commanding voice, so that one could not but pay reverence in his presence.
– Ekai Kawaguchi, Three Years in Tibet.
Ekai Kawaguchi brought back to Japan a large collection of Tibetan scriptures. After his return he was an independent monk and lived with his brother’s family. He earned some income from the publication of his scholarly work. He was wrongly accused of being a spy in Tibet and he refused to assist the military police when they approached him. He passed away in 1945.
Three Years in Tibet – The Text
Below you can find a copy of the original version of Three Years in Tibet, authored by Ekai Kawaguchi, in which he recounts his journey to Tibet and the adventures he had. This book includes the original Japanese illustrations.
Three Years in Tibet
(download PDF)
The text above were sourced from a legitimate book-hosting service offering these texts for free download. It is made available here for purely educational, non-commercial purposes.
Three Years in Tibet – Japanese Illustrations
Ekai Kawaguchi’s book Three Years in Tibet was influential in many regards, one of them being the original Japanese illustrations that were included in the book. For most of the world, these illustrations were the first visual glimpse of life inside of Tibet. At the time Tibet was closed to all outsiders as the country adhered to a policy of self-isolation, and only a few, such as Ekai Kawaguchi were able to set foot inside its borders. Therefore the illustrations served as the earliest visual materials of what life in Tibet was like. Here are some of those illustrations.
The pictures above have been extracted from Three Years in Tibet and made available here for purely educational, non-commercial purposes.
The Kawaguchi Ekai Memorial Museum
It was in 1899 that Ekai Kawaguchi arrived in the small town of Marpha, in the Mustang District of Nepal. It was there that he lived for two years, all the while making his secret preparations to cross over the border into Tibet. The house in which he lived has been turned into a small museum showcasing some of the items he left behind. While there, it is said that he studied the sacred Kangyur and Tengyur texts housed in the small chapel of the house.
The town of Marpha was a strategic location for Ekai Kawaguchi. It was out of the way, virtually immune to raids by bandits, yet provided him with the necessities he needed to prepare for his journey into Tibet. These days the town is known for its amazing landscape, idyllic outcroppings of apple and apricot trees, and as an overnight stop for trekkers on the Annapurna Mountain Range Circuit.
Address:
Ekai Kawaguchi’s Home
Ekai Kawaguchi Memorial Trust
Marpha-1
Mustang
Nepal
A look inside the kitchen of the house in Marpha, Nepal, where Ekai Kawaguchi stayed for two years before traveling to Tibet.
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/EkaiAddition-Kitchen.mp4
The inside of the small chapel of the house, where Ekai Kawaguchi read and studied the holy Kangyur and Tengyur texts of Tibetan Buddhism
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/EkaiAddition-ShrineRoom.mp4
Spirit of Exploration
In addition to meeting royalty, politicians and personalities of the day, Ekai Kawaguchi was also acquainted with Alexandra David-Néel. She was a Belgium-French explorer, who also traveled to Tibet. Often known as the ‘first western woman to reach Lhasa’ she is also considered to have been the ‘first Buddhist in France.’ She published many books about Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, and is considered a great explorer herself. Ekai Kawaguchi and Alexandra David-Néel met each other while in the waiting room of His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama, when His Holiness was in exile in Kalimpong, India, between 1910-1913. While talking to each other, they realised that they were both keen explorers and became friends. They were only ever to meet again in person once, when Alexandra David-Néel visited Japan in 1917.
The Three Diaries
Thought to have been lost, the three hand written diaries detailing Kawaguchi’s journeys in Tibet, were found in 2004, 2005, and 2016 respectively. The last journal, found at the Tokyo home of his then 90-year-old niece, includes the account of his escape from Tibet, and his grueling 400-kilometer journey to Darjeeling, India. Interestingly, the diary contains accounts that he left out of his book Three Years In Tibet, such as details of his stay in Lhasa and the specific Buddhist teachings he received or studied at various sites in Nepal and Tibet.
However, events listed in the diaries have allowed Japanese historians to confirm the authenticity of information contained within Three Years in Tibet, which had a policy of closing its borders to outsiders at the time due to its policy of isolation. It was only after Kawaguchi returned to Japan that he dictated the story of his journey, which was published in 1904 as Three Years in Tibet. This book is known as the first book which started the travel book genre in Japan. This discovery once again reiterates the fact that Ekai Kawaguchi is considered a pioneering explorer, one of the founders of Tibetan Studies in Japan, and an great ethnologist.
Pictures of Ekai Kawaguchi
Three Years in Tibet – Various Editions
Over the years Three Years in Tibet has been published again and again by a variety of publishing companies. Below are just some examples of the editions of the book available to purchase.
Books about Ekai Kawaguchi
Ekai Kawaguchi’s legacy is apparent in the sheer number of history books that mention his life and work. He has been so influential that a number of works have been written about his impact to the world of ethnography and exploration. Below are just two such examples:
A Stranger in Tibet. Scott Berry, 1990, Kodansha International | Ekai Kawaguchi: The trespassing insider. Adhi Subedi, 1999, Mandala Book Point |
Disclaimer: All contents, images and/or videos in this post are freely available online. They are reproduced here for purely educational, non-commercial purposes only. Tsemrinpoche.com does not claim ownership on the intellectual property rights of the any of the materials reproduced in this article. Any subsisting intellectual property rights or copyrights belong to the legal over of the contents, images and/or videos.
For more interesting information:
- Kazi Dawa Samdup: a Pioneering Translator of Tibetan Buddhist Texts
- Professor Garma C.C. Chang -The Illustrious Pioneer
- Herbert Guenther – Master of Languages & Buddhism
- Alexandra David-Néel
- In the Footsteps of Joseph Rock
- Trode Khangsar – a 400 year-old Dorje Shugden Chapel in Lhasa
- BBC: Lost World of Tibet
- Nepal Pilgrimage Full Videos
- 16 Unique Places in Japan
- Nepal is the Land of Spirituality Beauty and Mystery
- Mount Kailash and More
- His Holiness the Greath Thirteenth
- I Visited the Holy Jokhang Temple Lhasa 2008
- Rapping Monks of Japan!
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He hired an IT guy, an office manager, a metabolic specialist, nutritionist and medical assistant and,
about a year later, opened up his doors — all while keeping an active cardiology
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Greetings from Canada. Thank you Rinpoche and thank you Pastor Kass for the fluency and care to detail bringing us all the captivating story of Japanese Buddhist Monk Ekai Kawaguchi. Also, thank you Pastor Patel for your contribution as well in research. I look forward to reading the account of Kawaguchi’s time in Nepal, India and Tibet. Thank you for promoting this book for the reader interested to take a closer look at the influence Kawaguchi surely had, in bringing knowledge of Tibetan culture, custom and Buddhist teachings to Japan, at a time when no outsiders could so much as glimpse at life inside Tibet. Hence, his accounts may serve as preservation for continued generations to be able to travel back to this age before so many changes in Tibet and the current world in which we live. This article has been an excellent link and resource that captures the determination and resilience Kawaguchi must have had in his travels seeking the Dharma, enduring great difficulties and hardships I am sure, may we be encouraged by his bravery. We are blessed to have his contribution of ‘Three Days in Tibet” in addition to this article. May you be well, thank you immeasurably for this.
Dear Mark S.,
Pioneers like Ekai Kawaguchi had tremendous obstacles to overcome, yet they have left a treasure for us of these times and places. These pioneers are a great inspiration for us.
Thank you very much for your kind comment.
Pastor Antoinette
Ekai Kawaguchi was a Japanese Buddhist monk, famed for his incredible journeys to Nepal and Tibet, being the first Japanese traveling to either country. Ekai Kawaguchi who’s dedication and determination in learning Buddhism was indeed a inspiration to all.He took four years to reach Tibet was not easy afterall. Travelling to remote areas in Nepal and Tibet at that time was tough .As a foreigner who could not speak the languages was another hurdle moreover to translate it to Japanese was challenging for him. He has devoted his time in Tibet to Buddhist pilgrimage and study.Incredible he even translated difficult classical Chinese texts to Japanese. He brought back to Japan a large collection of Tibetan scriptures to be translated too.He was a pioneer of Tibetan studies in Japan, and well respected by the people of Tibat,Nepal and Japan. A statue honouring the traveling monk Ekai Kawaguchi was built at Shichidou-station, Osaka in Japan.Memorial Museum was also named after him in Marpha, Nepal to commemorate him.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Antoinette Kass and Pastor Niral Patel
for sharing this inspiring article which i do enjoyed reading.
It is rejoicing news that this Japanese monk brought about the stop of animal sacrifices at Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Lumbini is also a Buddhist pilgrimage place, so it is highly inappropriate to sacrifice animals anywhere especially at Buddha’s birthplace. His spirit of discovery is never forgotten, and may his zest and energy bring about growth in Buddhism and inspire more people on the path like how he has tread it.
This article on Ekai Kawaguchi and his journey to Tibet to pursue better understanding in Buddhism is very interesting and inspiring. Although he had to go through much hardship, learning foreign languages, assuming a different personality and trekking through rough mountain terrains, he forged on until he achieved his goals. After 4 years of effort, he finally made it to being a student at the Sera Monastic University in Lhasa, Tibet. The snippets of his 3 years in Tibet was very interesting, where he described the debates, his visit to Shigatze and his meeting with the 13th Dalai Lama. I am impressed by his help in stopping animal sacrifices to Maha Devi, the mother of Buddha Shakyamuni at Lumbini. He had also helped with suggestions towards the growth of Nepal., so much so that he was commemorated in 2003 by Nepal in their postage stamp. Most importantly he had brought much of Tibetan Buddhism back to Japan and published his writings to help others.
Thank Pastor Antoinette writing this article and thank you Rinpoche for sharing it on your blog.
From the article, we can know that Ekai Kawaguchi is devotee of Tibetan. To get the original scripts of Tripitaka decided to start his journey from India to Nepal and finally reached Tibet within four years. It was not easy foreigner to get visit Tibet n Nepal.He did translate the Chines text of Tripitaka to Japanese .
Ekai Kawaguchi did come out with a book and this book is about the culture and religion about India, Nepal and Tibet.
I am sure many Japanese will get to know about Tibetan Buddhism via this book. Ekai Kawaguchi did bring back large amount of Tibetan scripture to Japan. This action is very benefit to many Japanese who is willing to know about Tibetan Buddhism.
Thanks Pastor Antoinette
Jason
Dear Jason
I agree with you. I think the fact that Ekai Kawaguchi travelled far and wide to China, Nepal and Tibet to get the precious Buddhist texts, brought them back to Japan and translated them to the japanese. What a meritorious effort. He reminds me of Marpa who go back and forth between India and Tibet to get precious Buddhist text and translate them to Tibetan language.
May his story inspired a lot of people and increase their appreciation to precious Buddhist text.
Valentina
感谢仁波切和Pastor Antoinette分享有关Ekai Kawaguchi,一位来自日本的僧人故事。从此篇博文中得到了一些启发如下:
1. 印记
Ekai Kawaguchi是在一个基督教家庭中长大的。不过,在他十五岁那年,当他阅读佛陀的生活而让他升起了的要出家为僧的念头。
2. 戒律
Ekai Kawaguchi相信佛陀的教诲“以戒为师”。因此他的决定与坚守持戒包括了持素戒、不喝酒和独身禁欲。
3. 坚定与决心
a. Ekai Kawaguchi在二十五岁那年出家为僧。他曾经在东京的寺院里为一名讲法师。但他舍弃此职位而选择专注于阅读大量的佛教书籍而从中学习汉语、禅修与巴利语。
b. 后来Ekai Kawaguchi隐居在Obakusan寺院里做经文翻译,从中国的古文翻译成日文。在翻译过程中,他意识到需要有原始手稿才能达到准确的翻译,因此在1897年,他决定离开日本去西藏。
4. 慈悲
在蓝毗尼朝圣期间 (1912年),Ekai Kawaguchi曾经目睹动物被宰杀为祭品来供奉印度教神母,Maya Devi。Ekai Kawaguchi当时祈请首相Chandra Shumsher Jung Bahadur Rana发布法令,禁止牺牲动物成为祭品。
5. 弘扬佛法
Ekai Kawaguchi 从西藏带了大量的经书回日本。他也将他在印度、尼泊尔和西藏所遇到的人和经历的事情,写成一本书“Chibetto Rzoko Ri”又称“Three Years in Tibet”,流传至今。
Ekai Kawaguchi was untiring in his quest for knowledge. I admire him very much. It was difficult to travel to Tibet in those days. I read somewhere that he had to pretend he was a Ladhaki. I enjoyed reading this article about his travels, and the descriptions he gave on the things he saw and the people he met. Thank you, Pastor Antoinette.
Dear Sarah,
Travelling in those days must have been very hard especially into forbidden land and through the Himalayas. Spiritual seekers like Ekai Kawaguchi and Alexandra David-Néel had to go through a lot. The hardship they took on to bring Buddhism is a big inspiration.
Thank you for your kind comment,
Pastor Antoinette
Dear Pastor Antoinette
Thank you for writing this beautiful piece of Information about Ekai Kawaguchi. I have never known about Ekai Kawaguchi before, and it is nice to learn new things. Ekai Kawaguchi was a very brave man – and everything he did was to learn and spread the Dharma. How inspiring! He reminded me of Marpa who went back and forth from India to Tibet to learn and spread the Dharma.
Valentina
Thank you, Valentina.
Indeed he is a great inspiration, traveling on dangerous and difficult paths for many years to learn and spread pure Dharma.
Thank you Pastor Antoinette for the inspiring article of Ekai Kawaguchi who’s dedication and determination in learning Buddhism is awe inspiring. Taking 4 years to finally reach Tibet was not an easy feat especially when Nepal and Tibet were not opened to foreigners. In addition to that, Kawaguchi had to learn Tibetan so that he could read the scriptures in Tibet.
There were so many challenges in order for him to learn Buddhism and yet he succeeded in his quest. Because of him, many Japanese were fortunate to receive the untainted Buddhist teachings from Tibet.
Indeed JP, it is amazing how much he could benefit his country as he translated from the original source into Japanese.
He is a big inspiration for us to rise above our selfmade limits to spread Buddhism far and wide.
Thank you for your comment
Pastor Antoinette