Kenninji Temple

It is commonly called "Kennenji". It is the head temple of the Kenninji school of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism, located in Komatsu-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City. It is called Tozan. It was built in 1202 (Kennin 2) by Shogun Minamoto no Yoriie, with Eisai (Senkou Kokushi) as its founding priest. Eisai, who is considered the founder of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism in Japan, initially studied esoteric Buddhism, but in 1187 (Bun'ei 3) he traveled back to China (Sung) to study Zen of the Huanglong school of the Rinzai sect. After returning to Japan in 1191 (Kenkyu 2), he tried to spread Zen, but was opposed by Tendai followers, so he wrote "Kōzen Gokokuron" (A Treatise on the Revitalization of Zen and the Protection of the Nation) in an attempt to reconcile with the Tendai camp. Kennin-ji, Kyoto's first Zen temple, was built under the protection of the Kamakura Shogunate under these circumstances, and initially housed Shingon-in and Shikan-in temples, as a temple where Tendai, Shingon, Zen and even precepts were practiced. Eisai's disciples included such outstanding Zen monks as Taiko Gyoyu and Ryonen Myozen, all of whom practiced both Tendai and Shingon. In 1258 (Shoka 2), Enni Ben'en became the chief priest, and in 1265 (Bun'ei 2), Rankei Doryu of the Song Dynasty became the 11th abbot and preached the Yangqi school of Zen, making Kennin-ji the first purely Zen training center. In 1341 (Kokoku 2, Ryakuo 4), Ashikaga Takauji designated it as the fourth of the Five Mountains, and in 1386 (Genchu ​​3, Shitoku 3), Ashikaga Yoshimitsu designated it as the third of the Five Mountains. After the Nanboku-cho period, Gido Shushin, Ryuzan Tokuken, Kosai Ryuha and others became the abbots and it became the center of Gozan literature, but it fell into ruin during the Onin War (1467-77), and in 1552 (Tenbun 21), the temple buildings were burned down during the fighting. During the Bunroku period (1592-96), Ankokuji Ekei relocated the abbot's quarters from Ankokuji Temple in Aki (Hiroshima Prefecture) and also relocated the tea hall from Tofukuji Temple in Kamakura to serve as the main hall, after which the temple began to flourish again. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa Shogunate protected and controlled the Gozan-ha temples, and the various halls were rebuilt and repaired. The principal image is a seated Shaka Nyorai statue, flanked by the Buddhist disciples Anan and Kasyapa.

Of the buildings, the Hojo and the Imperial Envoy Gate are designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The Imperial Envoy Gate is commonly known as the "Yanone Gate" and is said to be a remnant of the Taira clan's Rokuhara residence. There are two bell towers to the east of the Buddha Hall (Hattou). The western bell was cast during the Karaku era (1326-1329), while the eastern bell has been rung 108 times a day while reciting the Dharani Sutra since Eisai's time, hence it came to be known as the "Dharani Bell" and is one of Higashiyama's famous landmarks. The Kaisan-do Hall is called Kozen Gokokuin and houses a statue of Eisai, and the bodhi tree in front of the hall is said to have been brought back by Eisai when he returned to Japan from Song China. Other facilities on the temple grounds include Zenkoan, founded by Seisetsu Shocho, who came to Japan from the Yuan Dynasty in China; the Marishitendo Hall, which houses a seated statue of Marishiten; a sutra repository; and a bathhouse. The area on the west side has an ancient bamboo fence, commonly known as the "Kenninji fence." At its peak, there were 64 sub-temples, but due to fires and mergers, only 14 remain, including Sairai-in, Ryosoku-in, and Reito-in. Eisai brought tea from China and is said to have popularized the cultivation and drinking of tea in Japan, and a tea ceremony, the "Kenninji Tea Ceremony," is held in late April on the temple founder's anniversary. The temple treasures include the Wind Gods and Thunder Gods Screen (a National Treasure) by Tawaraya Sotatsu, as well as paintings such as the Sixteen Arhats, Landscapes, and Seven Sages in a Bamboo Grove, as well as messages from the monk Myoe, and the calligraphy of Issan Ichinei (all of which are designated as Important Cultural Properties by the government).

[Akira Suganuma]

"Ancient Temple Pilgrimage: Kyoto 6: Kenninji Temple" (1976, Tankosha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

一般に「けんねんじ」ともよばれる。京都市東山区小松町にある臨済(りんざい)宗建仁寺派の大本山。東山(とうざん)と号する。1202年（建仁2）将軍源頼家(よりいえ)が栄西(えいさい)（千光(せんこう)国師）を開山として建立。日本臨済宗の開祖とされる栄西は、初め密教を学んだが、1187年（文治3）にふたたび中国（宋(そう)）に渡って臨済宗黄龍(おうりょう)派の禅を学んだ。1191年（建久2）帰国後、禅を広めようとしたが天台宗徒の反対にあったので、『興禅護国論(こうぜんごこくろん)』を著して天台側との融和を図ろうとした。鎌倉幕府の保護のもとに建てられた京都最初の禅院である建仁寺も、このような情勢のもとに、初めは真言院、止観院(しかんいん)を置いた天台、真言、禅、さらには戒をも兼修する寺であった。栄西の弟子には退耕行勇(たいこうぎょうゆう)、了然明全(りょうねんみょうぜん)など傑出した禅僧が出たが、いずれも天台、真言を兼修する禅であった。1258年（正嘉2）円爾弁円(えんにべんえん)が住持となり、65年（文永2）宋の蘭渓道隆(らんけいどうりゅう)が11世となって楊岐(ようぎ)派の禅を説き、建仁寺は初めて純粋の修禅道場となった。1341年（興国2・暦応4）に足利尊氏(あしかがたかうじ)によって五山の第四位に、さらに86年（元中3・至徳3）足利義満(よしみつ)によって五山の第三位と定められた。南北朝時代以後、義堂周信(ぎどうしゅうしん)、竜山徳見(りゅうざんとくけん)、江西龍派(こうさいりゅうは)などが住持して五山文学の中心となったが、応仁(おうにん)の乱（1467～77）により荒廃し、さらに1552年（天文21）兵乱により堂宇を焼失した。文禄年間（1592～96）安国寺恵瓊(えけい)が安芸(あき)（広島県）安国寺の方丈を移建し、また鎌倉の東福寺の茶堂を移して本堂としたのち、ふたたび寺運盛んとなった。江戸時代には徳川幕府の五山派寺院に対する保護と統制を受け、諸堂の再建、修造が行われた。本尊は釈迦如来坐像(しゃかにょらいざぞう)で、脇侍(きょうじ)に仏弟子の阿難(あなん)と迦葉(かしょう)を配している。

　建造物のうち、方丈と勅使門は国の重要文化財。勅使門は俗に「矢の根門」といわれ、平氏の六波羅(ろくはら)邸の遺構とも伝える。仏殿（法堂(はっとう)）の東に二つの鐘楼があり、西の鐘は嘉暦(かりゃく)年間（1326～29）に鋳造したもの、東の鐘は、栄西のときから1日に百八声、陀羅尼経(だらにきょう)を読誦(どくじゅ)しながら鳴らしてきたので「陀羅尼の鐘」といわれ、東山名物の一つとされた。開山堂は興禅護国院(こうぜんごこくいん)といい、栄西の像を安置しており、堂の前の菩提樹(ぼだいじゅ)は栄西が宋より帰国するとき持ち帰ったものといわれる。そのほか、寺内には中国元から来日した清拙正澄(せいせつしょうちょう)を開基とする禅居庵(ぜんこあん)、摩利支天(まりしてん)の坐像を安置する摩利支天堂、経蔵、浴室などがある。西側の一帯は昔からの竹垣があり、一般に「建仁寺垣」とよばれる。塔頭(たっちゅう)寺院は最盛時には64院あったが、焼失や合併などのため、現在は西来(さいらい)院、両足(りょうそく)院、霊洞(れいとう)院など14院だけが残る。栄西は中国から茶をもたらし、日本に茶の栽培、喫茶の習慣を普及したといわれ、4月下旬の開山忌には茶会「建仁寺茶礼」が催される。寺宝は、俵屋宗達筆『風神雷神図屏風(びょうぶ)』（国宝）のほか、「十六羅漢(らかん)画像」「山水図」「竹林七賢図」などの絵画、明恵上人(みょうえしょうにん)消息、一山一寧(いっさんいちねい)墨跡（いずれも国指定重要文化財）など数多い。

［菅沼　晃］

『『古寺巡礼　京都6　建仁寺』（1976・淡交社）』

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