Past the ravine awaits the austere Mangan-ji Temple – the symbolic end of the road. Consider the journey we are all on from our world of desire into Nirvana, the world of enlightenment. We fulfill our dreams, then return to the source. This temple’s name is composed of the characters “man,” fulfillment, and “gan,” desire.

This spirit permeates the temple, from the framed plaque to the grounds themselves. Said plaque hangs on the main gate, courtesy of the great calligrapher Hosoi Kōtaku during the Edo Period, while another one created by his son Kyūkō adorns the main temple. Gaze long enough into their frames, and you will feel as if you’ve traveled back in time. Master Kōtaku loved this temple as a place of relaxation, and so you will find his gravesite – a nationally designated landmark – here.

Mangan-ji was built originally in the old Fukasawa Region – modern day Kamakura – in the Heian Period as a sanctuary for Bhaisajyaguru, or “Yakushi-Nyorai” in Japanese. He is the Buddha of healing, but he was moved to Totoro Castle by order of Lord Kirashi to pray for victory in war. Then during the Muromachi Period he was relocated here. Many people frequented Mangan-ji during the Edo Period; monks lived here, deepening their Mikkyō knowledge, while warriors, villagers and travelers came for education and comfort. It was also a center for local festivals and rituals.

Mangan-ji Temple has always valued altruism above all else.

People here prayed for more than just themselves; they worked, rejoiced and mourned together for the sake of others.

This is a crucial step along the path of the Buddha. According to Mikkyō, enlightenment is achieved by practicing the “Three Mysteries” of the Buddha: their Actions, Speech, and Mind. An altruistic spirit – of service to others – is at the root, and must flow through the three. Now more than ever, in this age of strife and ostracism, all of us across the world must remember these values.

Shingon Mikkyō, esoteric Shingon Buddhism, preaches the acceptance and union of all deities, not antagonism. It preaches not rejection but recognition and coexistence of diverse lifestyles.

This temple, built by and for the people over long years, is a perfect encapsulation of this philosophy. Praying at Mangan-ji is about more than supplication; here you look within as you walk with others, then send your prayers out to the world. Life is a journey without end, and so, too, are prayers.