Enma Daiou
Also Known As: King Yemma,
Emma-O, Emma, Emma-Ten, Emma-Hoo, Emma-Sama, Yama, Yama-Raja,
Yemma, Yan-Lo, Wang
Enma Daiou (known as King Yemma by dubbies) is
quite a character in myth. Essentially, he is a judge of souls
and ruler of the 5th and lowest layer of hell, also known as
Jigoku. Beyond his afterlife judicial duties, he has powers to
ressurect the dead and prolong life. His home is in the Yellow
Springs below the Earth, in a castle covered in some of the most
exquisite materials, such as silver, gold, and pearls. As far as
a physical description I can only gather that he wears the robes
of a judge and wears a cap with his name on it. Tibetians depict
him as looking like a bull or riding on a bull while having sex
with a woman.
To be brought in front of his court would go
something like this. You would be brought before him by the oni,
his minions, in a flaming chariot and your deeds would be weighed
before him, based on Bhudda's Law. Two decapitated heads aid him
in judging sinners, the final judgement lying with him in the
case of men and with his sister (one source notes that it may be
one of the heads, Miru-me) has this power in the case of women.
From there you would be assigned to one of the layers of hell
based on how much sinning you have done. Anyone who has killed an
innocent would be thrown into a cauldron filled with boiling
metal (which is quite hot). However, if you had made a pilgrimage
to each of the 33 shrines of Kannon, goddess of mercy, your sins
would have been forgiven. There have been cases of him even
restoring the life of the judgee.
As of now, Enma Daiou is mainly used to scare
kids, much like the boogeyman.
"Emma-o." Encyclopedia Mythica.
http://www.pantheon.org/articles/e/emma-o.html
[Accessed December 20th, 2002.] and links
"Emma-o." Dictionary of Ancient Dieties
Patricia Turner, Charles Russell Coulter.
2000 Oxford Press.
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