Yoshimasa

A Tendai Buddhist monk in the early Heian period. His secular surname was Marukomuraji. He was from Sagami Province (Kanagawa Prefecture). He first entered Kofuku-ji Temple and studied Hosso Buddhism, then studied under Saicho, and together they traveled to China as an interpreter. After returning to Japan, he always assisted Saicho, and in April 823 (Kōnin 14), he became a denkaishi (a priest who transmits the precepts), performed the Endon precepts at Konponchūdō, and in 824 (Tenchō 1), he became a denpōshi (a priest who transmits the precepts) at Enryaku-ji Temple. After his teacher's death, he took control of the entire temple and built a Mahāyāna ordination platform. His book "Tendai Hokke Shugishu" (1 volume) is counted among the works commissioned by imperial decree during the reign of Emperor Tencho (824-834), along with Kukai's "Jujushinron" (The Treatise on the Purpose of the Heart) and Gomyō's "Hosso Kenshinshu" (The Study of the Gods).

[Rouen Ikeda June 20, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安初期の天台宗の僧。俗姓は丸子連(まるこむらじ)。相模(さがみ)国（神奈川県）の人。初め興福寺に入って法相(ほっそう)宗を学び、のち最澄(さいちょう)に師事し、通訳としてともに入唐(にっとう)した。帰国後、つねに最澄を助け、823年（弘仁14）4月、伝戒師(でんかいし)となり、根本中堂(こんぽんちゅうどう)で円頓(えんどん)授戒を行い、824年（天長1）には延暦寺(えんりゃくじ)の伝法師(でんぽうし)となった。師の没後は一山を統率し、大乗戒壇の建立を果たした。著書『天台法華宗義集(ほっけしゅうぎしゅう)』1巻は、空海の『十住心論(じゅうじゅうしんろん)』、護命(ごみょう)の『法相研神集(けんしんしゅう)』などとともに、天長(てんちょう)（824～834）の勅撰(ちょくせん)の一に数えられる。

［池田魯參　2017年6月20日］

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