Revealing the truth

Japanese: 顕真 - けんしん

Year of death: 14th November 1192 (20th December 1192)
Year of birth: Tensho 1 (1131)
A monk in the early Kamakura period. He was called Senyobo. He was the son of Fujiwara no Ken'yo, the governor of Mimasaka. He is famous for the anecdote that he invited Honen to his residence, Shorin-in, in Ohara, Kyoto, and held the so-called "Ohara Discussion." After becoming a monk, he entered Enryaku-ji Temple and studied exoteric and esoteric Buddhism (exoteric and esoteric Buddhism) under Myoun and Sojitsu, but in 1173 (Joan 3), he retired to Ohara, north of Kyoto, to seek the way to attain rebirth through nembutsu. In 1186 (Bun'ji 2), he invited Honen to Shorin-in to ask for his teachings on rebirth through nembutsu, and further invited Hosso sect Sadayoshi, Sanron sect Myohen, Tendai sect Shoshin, Todai-ji temple Daikanjin Chogen, and others, and held a public discussion in front of an audience of over 300 people. This is called the Ohara Discussion. This anecdote is only recorded in historical materials related to Honen, but it is thought that the main story is highly likely to be historical fact, even if the details of the story are aside. However, although he had supposedly renounced the world and sought the Pure Land, in 1190, two years before his death, he was appointed head priest of Tendai, then appointed Gon Sojo, and finally took on secular duties as well.

(Ohara Jin)

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

Japanese:

没年：建久3.11.14(1192.12.20)
生年：天承1(1131)
鎌倉前期の僧侶。宣陽房と号す。美作守藤原顕能の子。法然を京都大原の住房勝林院に招いていわゆる「大原談義」を催したという逸話で有名。出家して延暦寺に入り明雲と相実について顕密の学(顕教と密教)を学んだが,承安3(1173)年,洛北大原に隠遁し念仏往生の道を求めた。文治2(1186)年,勝林院に法然を招き念仏往生に関して教えを請い,さらに法相宗貞慶,三論宗明遍,天台宗証真,東大寺大勧進重源などを招き,三百余名の聴衆の前で公開の論議を行ったという。これを大原談義という。この逸話は法然関係の史料にのみ記録されているが,話の細部は別としても大筋は史実である可能性が高いと考えられている。しかし世を捨ててひたすら浄土を求めたはずの彼も,死の2年前の建久1(1190)年にはついに天台座主に就任し,次いで権僧正に任じられて,最後は俗務にも従っている。

(小原仁)

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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