Burning off worldly desires, praying for health and peace of mind/Odawara

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1312060021/

December 7, 2013

During their ceremony, Yamabushi Priests use torches to draw Sanskrit characters through the air.

To burn off this year's earthly desires and pray for abundance in the New Year, the annual Mount Akiba Fire Protection Festival was held on the 6th at Ryōgaku Temple in Mount Akiba, Itabashi, Odawara City.

Amidst the darkness, a pile of firewood inside the temple grounds was ignited. 30 fully dressed Yamabushi Buddhist priests gathered from all over the country began to perform a cleansing ceremony, drawing Sanskrit characters with their torches. As they continued, visitors to the shrine crossed barefoot over a charcoal fire, praying for health and peace of mind.

Original text: 

煩悩焼き払い、無病息災祈願／小田原

2013年12月7日

たいまつで梵字を書く儀式を披露した山伏

今年１年の煩悩を焼き払い、新年の繁栄を願う恒例の「秋葉山火防（ひぶせ）祭」が６日、小田原市板橋の秋葉山量覚院で行われた。

暗闇の中、境内に積み上げられたまきに点火。全国から集まった約３０人の修験者装束の山伏が登場し「法剣作法」で場を清め、たいまつで梵字（ぼんじ）を書く儀式を披露した。山伏に続いて、参拝者がおき火の上を素足で渡り歩き、無病息災を祈願した。