子安鬼子母神様をイメージした母子像を描きました。 子供の守り神と言われる鬼子母神様。 我が子を慈しむように、この世のあらゆる生命を慈愛に満ちた心で見た時に、私たち人間がするべきことがたくさんあることに気が付きます。 この世に生まれる全ての生命が幸福でありますようにと願って描きました。 ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ 《鬼子母神様とは》 鬼子母神は人の子を喰らう鬼でした。 村を襲っては人間の子供を次々と食べていた鬼子母神には100人の子供がいました。 あるとき、襲われた村の人たちがこれ以上子供が襲われないように助けてほしいとお釈迦さまにお願いし、考えたお釈迦さまは、鬼子母神が村を襲っている間に人一倍可愛がっていた末っ子を隠しました。 家に帰ってきた鬼子母神はいつものように1人ずつ子供を数えると、一番末っ子の姿がありません。 家中探しましたが見つからず、家を飛び出してあちこち走り回って末っ子を探しまわりました。 何日も探し回っても末っ子を見つけることができず、不安と悲しみに打ちひしがれた鬼子母神はお釈迦さまに助けを求めます。 するとお釈迦さまは、100人もいるなら1人くらい居なくてもいいじゃ無いかと鬼子母神に言いました。 すると鬼子母神は泣きながらいいます。 「どれだけ子供がいようとも、その子はこの世に1人しかいないのです。あの子の変わりはどこにもありません。」 それを聞いたお釈迦さまはおっしゃいました。 「お前が毎日襲って食べている子供にも親がいる。その親はそのひとり子を失ってどれほど悲しみ苦しんでいるか考えたことがあるか？」 その言葉を聞いて、鬼子母神は初めて子を失った親の気持ちを想像し、自分がしてきたことを深く深く反省しました。 大変反省した鬼子母神は改心して、これからは人間の子供を守る存在になるとお釈迦さまに約束して、厳しい修行をして鬼子母神は人の子供を守る守護神となり、子安鬼子母神様のお姿で表されるようになりました。 ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ 『母子像（銀）』 素材：板、土、日本画煉絵具、アクリルエマルジョン、銀箔、水金箔 作品サイズ：65×90（ミリ） 額装サイズ：140×165×20（ミリ） Mother and Child — Kishibojin This work depicts a mother and child inspired by Koyasu Kishibojin, a Buddhist guardian associated with the protection of children and families. When we look at all living beings with the same tenderness and compassion that a mother feels for her own child, we begin to realize how much there is for us, as human beings, to care for and protect. I created this work with the wish that every life born into this world may find happiness. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ About Kishibojin Kishibojin was once said to have been a demon who preyed upon human children. Although she herself had one hundred children whom she deeply loved, she repeatedly attacked villages and took the children of others. Unable to bear the loss of any more children, the villagers turned to the Buddha for help. While Kishibojin was away, the Buddha hid the youngest of her children — the one she loved most dearly. When she returned home and counted her children as usual, she discovered that her youngest was missing. She searched everywhere. For days she ran from place to place, overwhelmed with fear and grief, but she could not find her child. Finally, in despair, she went to the Buddha and begged him for help. The Buddha said to her, “You have one hundred children. Surely losing just one should not matter so much.” Through her tears, Kishibojin replied, “No matter how many children I may have, there is only one of this child in the entire world. No one could ever take that child’s place.” The Buddha then said, “The children you have been taking also have parents. Have you ever imagined the grief and suffering of those parents when they lose a child who can never be replaced?” For the first time, Kishibojin understood the pain she had caused. Deeply remorseful, she vowed to change her ways and promised the Buddha that from then on she would protect children rather than harm them. After undergoing spiritual training, she came to be revered as a guardian of children and families, and became known as Koyasu Kishibojin. ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ Mother and Child (Silver) Materials: Wood panel, soil, Japanese Nerienogu paints, acrylic emulsion, silver leaf, Suikin gold leaf Artwork size: 65 × 90 mm Framed size: 140 × 165 × 20 mm