Return to secular life

When a person who has left the priesthood returns to secular life. This is also called "returning to secular life." There are cases where people return to secular life voluntarily and cases where they are ordered to do so by government officials. In the Shoku Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan), in the entry for August, 4th year of Emperor Mommu's reign (700), it is written, "The monks Tsutoku and Eshu were ordered by government to return to secular life as well (omitted) in order to utilize their art." This is an example of the latter, where a monk was ordered to return to secular life by government order because of his ability in secular matters. In addition, the "Rei (Certificates of Monks and Nuns)" has 27 articles in total, of which there are 5 articles that provide for return to secular life and 5 articles that provide for punishment under the law in addition to return to secular life. One famous case of return to secular life by government order is the exile of Honen (Genku), Shinran, and others in February 1207 (Ken'ei 2) for the purpose of suppressing Nembutsu. At this time, the two men were stripped of their Buddhist names and exiled under the names Fujii Motohiko and Fujii Yoshizane, respectively.

[Makoto Funaoka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

出家した者がふたたび俗人に戻ること。帰俗(きぞく)ともいう。還俗には自発的なものと官命によるものとがある。『続日本紀(しょくにほんぎ)』文武(もんむ)天皇4年（700）8月の条に「僧通徳(つうどく)、恵俊(えしゅん)に勅して並に還俗せしむ（中略）其(そ)の芸を用ひんが為(ため)なり」とあり、これは僧の俗事能力が買われて官命により還俗させられた後者の例である。また「僧尼令」によれば、全27か条のうち、還俗規定および還俗のうえ律で処罰する規定がそれぞれ5か条ずつある。官命による還俗で著名なものは、1207年（建永2）2月の念仏弾圧を目的とした法然(ほうねん)（源空(げんくう)）、親鸞(しんらん)らの流罪の一件である。このとき2人は僧名を剥奪(はくだつ)され、それぞれ藤井元彦(もとひこ)、藤井善信(よしざね)の名で流罪となった。

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