Layout of the temple

A method for arranging the main buildings in a temple. In ancient temples, a tower enshrining the relics of Shaka was the central building, and at Asukadera Temple, Buddhist halls were placed on three sides of the tower, with a corridor surrounding them. At Kawaradera Temple in Nara, a tower and a Buddhist hall are lined up on the left and right sides of the corridor, and a Buddhist hall is also located in the north, connected to the corridor. Meanwhile, at Shitennoji Temple in Osaka, a tower and a Buddhist hall are lined up north and south within the corridor, and a lecture hall is located in the north, connected to the corridor. At the Western Precinct of Horyuji Temple, the Buddhist halls and towers are lined up in the opposite order to Kawaradera, and the Buddhist hall is not connected to the corridor. In this way, the layout of temple buildings in the Asuka period changed from one tower and three Buddhist halls to one tower and two Buddhist halls, and one tower and one Buddhist hall. Also, an arrangement like that seen at Yakushiji Temple, where two towers and one golden hall are placed within a corridor, and a lecture hall is located in the north, connected to the corridor, also appeared. In the Nara period, the pagodas began to be built outside the corridors, and eventually one of the two pagodas was omitted. In the Heian period, two new sects, Tendai and Shingon, emerged, and temple complexes were formed in mountainous areas. Many of these temples did not follow a set format due to the restrictions of the terrain. In the Tendai sect, there are many examples of the Hokke and Jōgyo halls being placed on the left and right in front of the lecture hall. Also, in the late Heian period, pond-side temple complexes based on the Jōdo Hensozu paintings became popular. In the Kamakura period, Zen temples began, and a format in which the main gate, Sanmon gate, Buddha hall, lecture hall, and Daibōjō were arranged in front and behind each other was seen in large temples of the Gozan rank. The layout of temple complexes has changed depending on the era and sect, and is not uniform.

[Kudou Yoshiaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

寺院において主要な堂塔を配置する際の方式。古代寺院では釈迦(しゃか)の仏舎利を祀(まつ)る塔を中心建物とし、飛鳥寺(あすかでら)ではその三方に仏殿を配し、それらを囲んで回廊が巡っていた。奈良の川原寺(かわらでら)では回廊内には塔と仏殿を左右に並べ、北にも回廊に接続して仏殿を配置している。一方、大阪の四天王寺では回廊内に塔と仏殿を南北に並べ、北には回廊に接続して講堂を配置している。法隆寺西院伽藍では川原寺と東西反対に仏殿と塔を並べ、回廊には仏殿が接続していない。このように飛鳥時代の伽藍配置は一塔三仏殿から一塔二仏殿、一塔一仏殿との変化が認められる。また、薬師寺にみられるような回廊内に二塔一金堂を配し、北は回廊に接続して講堂を置く配置も出現する。奈良時代になると、塔は回廊外に建てられるようになり、やがて二塔のうち一塔は省略される。平安時代になると、新しく天台(てんだい)、真言(しんごん)の2宗がおこり、山地での伽藍が形成される。これらの寺にあっては地形の制約上、一定の方式によらないものが多い。天台宗では講堂の前方左右に法華(ほっけ)、常行の両堂を配する例が多い。また、平安時代後期には浄土変相図に基づいた臨池伽藍が盛行する。鎌倉時代になって禅宗寺院が始まると、総門、三門、仏殿、法堂(はっとう)、大方丈を前後に並べる形式が五山格の大寺院にみられる。伽藍配置は時代や宗派によってそれぞれ変化が認められ一様ではない。

［工藤圭章］

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