Gyōshin

Japanese: 行信 - ぎょうしん

Years of birth: unknown. A monk from the Nara period. He was active at Horyu-ji Temple and Gangoji Temple. He became a priest in the intercalary July of 738 (Tenpyo 10), and was involved in Buddhist administration as a member of the Socho (Sango). In 739 (Tenpyo 11), the Toin Garan of Horyu-ji Temple was founded. The temple is known for the masterpiece of Tenpyo portrait sculpture, the statue of Sozu Gyoshin. A document from the Shoso-in Repository dated October 1836 shows him as Daisozu Gyoshin, so it is believed he was promoted to Daisozu before this. Many documents signed by him have been preserved in the Shoso-in Repository. His works include "Niokyo Commentary," "Saishōōkyō Ongi," and "Ryakushu Shokyō Rinron Tochō Han Sanskrit Commentary." There is a theory that he died in 750 (Tenpyō Shōhō 2), but this is questionable as his own signature can be seen on a document dated July 12, 750. There are differing opinions as to whether or not this is the same person as Gyoshin, a monk from Yakushiji Temple who was exiled in November of the same year for the crime of slander, but it is highly likely that they are the same person.

(Kazuhiko Yoshida)

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

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
奈良時代の僧。法隆寺,元興寺で活躍した。天平10(738)年閏7月律師となり,僧綱の一員として仏教行政にかかわった。同11年,法隆寺東院伽藍を創建。同院には天平肖像彫刻の傑作行信僧都像を伝える。同19年10月の正倉院文書に大僧都行信とみえるので,これ以前に大僧都に昇進していたと考えられる。彼が署名した文書は正倉院に数多く伝わる。著書に『仁王経疏』『最勝王経音義』『略集諸経律論等中翻梵語疏』がある。天平勝宝2(750)年死亡説もあるが,同3年7月12日の文書に自署がみえるので疑問。同6年11月,厭魅の罪で遠流に処された薬師寺僧行信を同一人物とみるか否かは説が分かれているも,同一人物の可能性が高い。

(吉田一彦)

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