Sanzu River

The Sanzu River (Japanese: 三途の川 Hepburn: Sanzu-no-kawa), or River of Three Crossings, is a mythological river in Japanese Buddhist tradition similar to the Hindu concept of the Vaitarna and Greek concept of the Styx.[1] Before reaching the afterlife, the souls of the deceased must cross the river by one of three crossing points: a bridge, a ford, or a stretch of deep, snake-infested waters.[2] The weight of one's offenses while alive determines which path an individual must take. It is believed that a toll of six mon must be paid before a soul can cross the river, a belief reflected in Japanese funerals when the necessary fee is placed in the casket with the dead.[3]

A depiction of the Sanzu River in Tosa Mitsunobu's Jūō-zu (十王図). The good can cross the river by a bridge while the evil are cast into the dragon-infested rapids.

The Sanzu River is popularly believed to be in Mount Osore, a suitably desolate and remote part of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan.

Real Sanzu Rivers in Japan

See also

References
  1. Death and the afterlife in Japanese Buddhism. Stone, Jacqueline Ilyse,, Walter, Mariko Namba. Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press. 2008. pp. 184, 259. ISBN 978-1-4416-1977-8. OCLC 657757860.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "River of Three Crossings | Dictionary of Buddhism | Nichiren Buddhism Library". www.nichirenlibrary.org. Retrieved 2019-12-07.
  3. "Meido: The Japanese Underworld | Matthew Meyer". 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2019-12-07.


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