Scholar - Gakuryo

A general term for monks who study Buddhist studies at large temples such as Mount Koya and Mount Hiei. They are also called gakusho (students). From the latter half of the Heian period, the children of nobles and other good families became monks and entered large temples to become scholars who could aim for high ranks as monks. At Mount Koya, in 1130 (Taiji 5), Kakuban appointed 36 scholars to distinguish them from the doshu (temple priests). The doshu were later called gyonin (prayers) and were mainly involved in financial matters and miscellaneous tasks related to Buddhist ceremonies. A group of hijiri (hidden priests) who practiced nembutsu in seclusion appeared, and the three ranks of gakuryo (gakuryo), gyonin, and sei (sho) (the three Koyasan priests) were clearly defined on the mountain. Since then, the Gakuryokata have taken the lead in scholarship and faith, but the actual power in running the mountain was held by the Doshu, and from the mid-15th century, the two groups came into conflict and were in constant conflict, causing the Gakuryo to lose real power. During the Edo period, both sides often filed lawsuits with the Shogunate. In 1868 (Meiji 1), the names of the three groups were abolished, and the Gakuryokata returned to their central role in governing the entire mountain. At Mt. Hiei, the conflict between the Gakuryokata and the Doshu intensified from the end of the Heian period to the Kamakura period, and it was the Doshu who were the warrior monks who threatened the Imperial Court with strong petitions and other actions. At Mt. Hiei, students are those who study Shikan-gyo, which focuses on the Lotus Sutra, and Shana-gyo, which focuses on esoteric Buddhism, and are called Shudo, along with practitioners of Kaiho-gyo. Next were the Doshu and Kunin, also known as the Joho, Chuho, and Yamato, respectively. The Shudo students were pure monks who lived in mountain monks, did not marry, and devoted themselves to their studies and training. Only these students had the opportunity to take up official positions in the monastic world, such as Ajari, Naigubu, and Sojo, as well as ranks such as Tandai and Daigyoman, and to become Zasu.

[Takahiro Kiuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

高野山(こうやさん)、比叡山(ひえいざん)などの大寺で、仏教の学問を専修する僧侶を総称していう。学生(がくしょう)ともいう。平安時代後半から、貴族などの良家の子弟が出家して、大寺に入ると、僧侶としての高位を目ざせる学侶となっていった。高野山においては、1130年（大治5）覚鑁(かくばん)が学侶36人を置いて堂衆(どうしゅう)と区別した。堂衆はのち行人(ぎょうにん)とよばれ、もっぱら財務、法会の雑務に従事した。また隠遁(いんとん)して念仏修行を行う聖(ひじり)という集団が現れ、一山に、学侶方(がた)、行人方、聖方の3階級（高野三方(さんかた)）が明確化した。以来、学侶方は学問、信仰の指導的立場にたつが、一山運営の実際上の権力は堂衆が握り、15世紀なかばから両者は対立して紛争が絶えず、学侶は実権を失った。江戸時代には双方からしばしば幕府への公訴が行われている。1868年（明治1）、三方の名称を廃して、学侶方は全山統轄の中心に復した。比叡山においても、平安末から鎌倉時代にかけて、学侶と堂衆の対立は激しくなり、強訴(ごうそ)などで朝廷を脅かした僧兵は、堂衆たちであった。比叡山では、『法華経(ほけきょう)』専攻の止観業(しかんごう)と、密教専攻の遮那業(しゃなごう)を学ぶものが学生であり、回峰行(かいほうぎょう)の行者とともに衆徒とよばれる。ついで堂衆、公人(くにん)があり、順に上方(じょうほう)、中方(ちゅうほう)、山徒ともいわれる。学生である衆徒は、山坊に起居し、妻帯せず、学問修行に専注する清僧であり、この学生たちにのみ、阿闍梨(あじゃり)、内供奉(ないぐぶ)、僧正(そうじょう)などの僧界の公職や、探題(たんだい)、大行満(だいぎょうまん)などの行位や、座主(ざす)への道が開かれていた。

［木内堯央］

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