Genshin

A Tendai Buddhist scholar monk in the mid-Heian period. Born in Taima-go, Katsuragi-gun, Yamato Province (Nara Prefecture). His father was Urabe Masachika and his mother was from the Kiyohara clan. Legend has it that when he lost his father at the age of seven, he became a monk at his father's last wishes, and at the age of nine he climbed Mount Hiei to study under Ryogen (Jie Daishi), and was ordained at the age of thirteen. He was engaged in training and writing at Yokokawa Eshin-in, and was therefore also known as Yokokawa Sozu and Eshin Sozu. In 978 (Tengen 1), at the age of 37, he wrote "Inmyoronsho Shichigai Bakkushaku." Inmyo is a Buddhist theory of logic, and as far as we know, this work is Genshin's first work, so this was the year he began his career as a scholar. In 985 (Kanwa 1), he wrote his main work, Ojoyoshu. In addition to many sutras, he cites commentaries by various masters from India, China, and Japan, and states that humans can only enter into the Buddha's enlightenment by escaping the impure world and being reborn in paradise, and that "the basis of the work of rebirth in the Pure Land is the nembutsu." Ojoyoshu was later brought to the Guoqing Temple on Mount Tiantai in China by a person from Song, where it became a highly revered work, and Genshin's name became known in the Chinese Buddhist community. The "Twenty-Five Sammai Shiki," written in 986 (and 988), was a guideline for the formation of the Sammai-e, a group that practiced Nembutsu Sammai based on the teachings of the "Ojo Yoshu," and was named after the fact that it was formed at the initiative of 25 founders. During the Shoryaku era (990-995), he built Reizen-in Temple, enshrined the 18-foot Amida Triad at Kedai-in Temple, and began holding lectures. In 1005 (Kanko 2), he completed the "Daiyana Taibosha Sho," which could be considered an overview of Mahayana Buddhism, and the following year in 1006, he compiled the "Ichijo Yoketsu," which teaches the attainment of Buddhahood for all living beings. His Kanshin Ryakuyoshu, written in 1007, is renowned alongside the Ojoyoshu as a work that emphasizes the rational understanding of Nembutsu. In 1014 (Chowa 3), he wrote the Amitabha Sutra Ryakuki, and devoted his life to learning and training, passing away on June 10, 1st year of Kannin, at the age of 76. There are many biographies of him, including the Ryogon'in Genshin Sozuden, and he has also been included in Ojo-den and setsuwa-shu.

[Kiyoshi Hirogami July 19, 2017]

"Japanese Thought Series 6: Genshin" (1970, Iwanami Shoten), edited by Ishida Mizumaro " "Japanese Masterpieces 4: Genshin" (1983, Chuokoron-Shinsha), edited by Kawasaki Tsuneyuki" "A Basic Study of the Teachings of Keishin" by Yagi Takae (1962, Nagata Kobundo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の天台宗の学僧。大和(やまと)国（奈良県）葛城(かづらき)郡当麻(たいま)郷に生まれる。父は卜部正親(うらべまさちか)、母は清原氏。伝えによれば、7歳で父と死別、その遺命により出家し、9歳のとき比叡山(ひえいざん)に登り良源(りょうげん)（慈慧大師(じえだいし)）に師事、13歳のとき得度受戒したという。横川恵心院(よかわえしんいん)にあって修行と著述に従事したので、横川僧都(そうず)、恵心僧都とも称された。978年（天元1）37歳にして『因明論疏(いんみょうろんしょ)四相違略註釈(ちゅうしゃく)』を著す。因明とは仏教論理学であり、この著作が今日知られる限りでの源信の処女作であるから、この年から彼は学僧として出発したことになる。985年（寛和1）主著『往生要集(おうじょうようしゅう)』を著す。彼はここで多くの経典のほかに、インド、中国、日本の諸師の論疏を引用して、人間は穢土(えど)を厭離(おんり)し極楽(ごくらく)に往生することにより初めて仏陀(ぶっだ)の悟りに分け入ることができると述べ、「往生の業は、念仏をもって本となす」と説く。『往生要集』はこの後、宋(そう)人の手により中国の天台山国清寺にもたらされて賛仰の的となり、源信の名は中国の仏教界にも知られるに至った。986年（および988年）に著された『二十五三昧(さんまい)式』は、『往生要集』の教説に基づいて念仏三昧を勤修する三昧会(さんまいえ)の結衆の指針となるもので、三昧会が25人の発起衆の呼びかけにより結成されたので、この名称がある。正暦(しょうりゃく)年中（990～995）、霊山院を造営、また華台(けだい)院に丈六弥陀(みだ)三尊を安置し、迎講(むかえこう)を始めた。1005年（寛弘2）には、大乗仏教概論ともいうべき『大乗対倶舎抄(くしゃしょう)』を完成させ、また翌1006年には、一切衆生(いっさいしゅじょう)の成仏(じょうぶつ)を説く『一乗要決(いちじょうようけつ)』をまとめた。1007年撰述(せんじゅつ)の『観心略要集』は、理観の念仏を強調した書として『往生要集』と並び称される。さらに1014年（長和3）には『阿弥陀経(あみだきょう)略記』を著し、生涯を学問と修行に終始して、寛仁(かんにん)元年6月10日、76歳で示寂した。彼の伝記は『楞厳院(りょうごんいん)源信僧都伝』のほか多数あり、さらに往生伝、説話集などにも採録されている。

［広神　清　2017年7月19日］

『石田瑞麿校注『日本思想大系6　源信』（1970・岩波書店）』▽『川崎庸之校注『日本の名著4　源信』（1983・中央公論社）』▽『八木昊恵著『恵心教学の基礎的研究』（1962・永田弘文堂）』

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