Ryobu Kuji and The Martial Arts
Ku-ji ho as generally practiced in budo comes from text Sugen jinpi gyoho fuju shu or Fuju shu for short, a ShugendÅ document of the Tozan-ha lineage, edited between 1871-1934 by Nakuno Tatsue. The original compiler is unknown, but it appears to incorporate numerous ShugendÅ rituals from various Shingon sects such as Tachikawa-ryu. The text compilation of texts appears to span a time period from the 1200s on up to 1500s and 1600s. The Fuju shu lists 400 rituals, 26 of them kuji-ho. (Waterhouse, 1996).
The two particular techniques of ku-ji that are most directly related to budo, and most widely known are kuji hon-i (Fuju Shu #199) and kuji no daiji (Fuju Shu #200). These two kuji rituals are centered the esoteric deities of Shingon mikkyo, the Shitenno (Four Heavenly Kings) and Godai myo-o (Five Wisdom Kings). Other groupings of deities exist as well depending on the sect and purpose of the kuji.
Read more about this topic: Kuji-in
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