Eikan

Japanese: 永観 - えいかん

Year of death: Tenei 2.11.2 (1111.12.4)
Year of birth: 1033
A Jodo sect monk from the late Heian period. He is also known as "Yokan." He is famous for chanting the Senshu Shomyo before Honen. He was the son of the literary scholar Minamoto no Kunitsune. He studied under Shinkan at Zenrin-ji Temple in Higashiyama, Kyoto, and learned about Shingon, Sanron, Kegon, and Hosso sects, but retired to Komyosan-ji Temple. He later lived at Zenrin-ji Temple, and in 1100, at the request of Shirakawa-in, he became the head priest of Todai-ji Temple. He took over after the previous head priest, Kyohan, was accused of illegal activities by the public, but he worked hard to manage the temple, built the foundation for Todai-ji Temple as a medieval temple, and was called "Eikan of Noji." After he resigned as head priest, he devoted himself to teaching Nembutsu at Zenrin-ji Temple, encouraging people in Kyoto to chant Nembutsu and holding receptions, and providing relief to the sick at Hida-in Temple and prisoners in prison. He is counted among the eight patriarchs of the Jodo sect, and is well known as a person who went to the Pure Land, and his actions are included in many collections of tales. The common name of the Zenrinji temple, Eikando, is named after Eikando. <Works> "Ojo Koshiki" "Ojo Juin" <References> Mitsusada Inoue "Study on the Establishment of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan, Revised Edition"

(Fumihiko Gomi)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：天永2.11.2(1111.12.4)
生年：長元6(1033)
平安後期の浄土教の僧。「ようかん」ともいう。法然に先立ち専修称名を唱えたことで有名。文章博士源国経の子。京都東山の禅林寺の深観に師事して真言,三論,華厳,法相の各宗を学ぶも,光明山寺に隠遁。のちに禅林寺に住み,さらに白河院の要請で康和2(1100)年,東大寺別当となった。前別当の経範が大衆に不法を訴えられた跡をうけたものだが,よく経営に努めて東大寺の中世寺院としての基礎を築き「能治の永観」と称された。別当を辞したのちは,禅林寺にあって念仏の教えに励み,京中の人々に念仏を勧めて迎講を行ったり,悲田院の病人や獄の囚人などの救済に当たった。浄土宗八祖のひとりに数えられ,浄土に往生した往生人としてもよく知られ,その行動は多くの説話集に載る。なお禅林寺の通称の永観堂はこの永観にちなむ。<著作>『往生講式』『往生拾因』<参考文献>井上光貞『新訂日本浄土教成立史の研究』

(五味文彦)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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