Ordination platform - Kaidan

A place for Buddhist precepts. It is also called the Kaijo. It is a place for precepts, but because it was translated as Kaidan, in China and Japan, a platform with one to three tiers was built. There is no set size, but it is about 3 to 5 meters square, and the height is about 70 centimeters for one tier and about 2.5 meters for three tiers. In China, the first precept platform was built at Nanrinji Temple around 431 by the Ceylon monk Gunabatsuma, and it spread to other places. In the 6th century, this custom began when Emperor Wu of Liang built a precept platform in the palace and received the precepts himself. In Japan, the first platform was built in 754 (Tenpyo Shoho 6) in front of the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple when Ganjin came to Japan from the Tang Dynasty. Over 400 people, including Emperor Shomu (the retired emperor), received the Bodhisattva precepts from Ganjin.

To become a monk, one must receive the full precepts through a ceremony performed by 10 monks on this platform, in which one vows to abstain and to observe the monk's precepts (250 precepts). The bodhisattva precepts are a ceremony in which one vows to practice the bodhisattva path, and one receives the "ten major and forty-eight minor precepts" described in the "Bonmo Sutra." Both laypeople and monks can receive these precepts.

Later, the platform in front of the Great Buddha Hall was moved west, a three-tiered ordination platform was built, and the Kaidan-in was constructed there. A rule was then established that in order to become a monk, one must receive the ordination at the ordination platform, and for those living far away, one tiered ordination platform was built at Yakushi-ji Temple in Shimotsuke Province (Tochigi Prefecture) and Kanzeon-ji Temple in Tsukushi Province (Fukuoka Prefecture). These are known as the Three Ordination Platforms of the World. Later, Saicho attempted to build an ordination platform for the Mahayana precepts, a vow to practice Mahayana Buddhism, on Mount Hiei, and sought imperial permission, but was not granted during his lifetime. It was granted after his death in 822 (Kōnin 13). This is the Mahayana ordination platform on Mount Hiei, where the Bonnet precepts are bestowed.

[Akira Hirakawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

仏教で戒を授ける儀式の場所。戒場ともいう。授戒の場所であるが、戒壇と訳されたために、中国や日本では1段ないし3段の壇を築くようになった。広さに決まりはないが、3～5メートル四方ぐらいで、高さは1段で約70センチメートル、3段で約2.5メートル。中国では、セイロン僧求那跋摩(ぐなばつま)により431年ごろ南林寺に初めて戒壇がつくられ、のち各地に広まった。6世紀には梁(りょう)の武帝が宮中に戒壇を築き、自ら受戒して以来、この風習ができた。日本では、鑑真(がんじん)が唐から来日し、754年（天平勝宝6）東大寺の大仏殿の前に壇を築いたのが最初で、聖武(しょうむ)天皇（上皇）はじめ400余人が鑑真から菩薩(ぼさつ)戒を受けた。

　僧になるには、この壇上で10人の僧の行う儀式により具足戒を受けるが、これは禁欲その他の僧の戒律（二百五十戒）を守ることを誓う儀式である。菩薩戒は菩薩道の修行をしようと誓う儀式であり、『梵網(ぼんもう)経』に説く「十重・四十八軽戒」を受ける。これは俗人も僧もともに受けることができる。

　のち大仏殿前の壇は西に移され、3段の戒壇をつくり、そこに戒壇院が建てられた。そして僧となるには、かならず戒壇で受戒しなければならないとする規則ができ、遠方の人のために、下野(しもつけ)国（栃木県）の薬師寺と筑紫(つくし)国（福岡県）の観世音寺(かんぜおんじ)にそれぞれ1段の戒壇がつくられた。これを天下の三戒壇という。のち最澄(さいちょう)は比叡山(ひえいざん)に大乗の修行を誓う大乗戒のための戒壇をつくろうとして、勅許を得ようとしたが、その生前には許されず、死後の822年（弘仁13）に許された。これが比叡山の大乗戒壇であり、梵網戒を授ける。

［平川　彰］

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