The Origins of the Onatsu Sosei Monogatari and Its View of the Afterlife: Onatsu’s Experience in the Pure Land

Abstract

Onatsu Sosei Monogatari おなつ蘇甦物語, the “Story of Onatsu’s resurrection,” was written in the middle of the Edo period to convert people to Jōdo Shinshū. Onatsu, who had become a faithful follower of this doctrine, died and was revived the following day. After her revival, she talked about her visit to the Pure Land during her death experience. Today, for unknown reasons, several prints and various manuscripts of this story exist. In this study, I clarify that this story’s description of the Pure Land is based on the Kanagaki Eiri Ōjō yōshū 仮名書き絵入往生要集, “Illustrated Japanese language Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land.” Moreover, the following questions are considered: Where did this story’s conception originate? How was this story disseminated? What did people at that time think about life after death?