Amida Hall - Amida-do

A general term for temples and buildings that have Amida Buddha as their principal image. It is believed that they were first built by Huiyuan at Hannyatai in Lushan (Jiangxi Province) during the Eastern Jin Dynasty in China, and then Zendo, Hosho, and others built more during the Tang Dynasty. In Japan, the Amida Hall of Todaiji Temple and Jodoin Temple of Hokkeji Temple were built during the Nara Period, and memorial services such as the Amida Keka were held there. The construction of Amida Halls was most popular in the late Heian Period, when Amida Buddha was enshrined in a main building measuring one bay on each side, with eaves extending all the way around and surrounding it on three sides. This style was inherited from the Jogyo Hall that Ennin built on Mount Hiei, and is called a one-bay, four-sided hall. When Genshin and others made Pure Land Buddhism popular, the aristocracy all prayed to go to the Pure Land and individually worked to build Amida Halls. Fujiwara no Michinaga's Muryojuin Amida Hall at Hojoji Temple is a representative example, and Fujiwara no Yorimichi's Phoenix Hall at Byodoin Temple in Uji is reminiscent of this style. Famous remains include Ganjoji Temple (Shiramizu Amida Hall) in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, Hokkaiji Amida Hall in Hino, Kyoto, Sanzenin Temple Main Hall in Ohara, Kyoto, Fukiji Temple Main Hall in Bungo Takada City, Oita Prefecture, Chusonji Golden Hall in Hiraizumi, Iwate Prefecture, and Joruriji Temple Main Hall in Kyoto.

[Takahiro Kiuchi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

阿弥陀仏を本尊にもつ堂宇の総称。中国で東晋(とうしん)時代に慧遠(えおん)が廬山(ろざん)（江西省）般若台(はんにゃだい)に創建してから、唐時代に善導(ぜんどう)、法照らが造営したとみられる。日本においては、奈良時代に東大寺阿弥陀堂、法華寺(ほっけじ)浄土院が建ち、阿弥陀悔過(けか)などの法要が行われた。阿弥陀堂の建立がもっとも盛んになったのは平安時代後期で、方一間の母屋(おもや)に阿弥陀仏を安置し、周囲に庇(ひさし)を伸ばして三方を囲んだ形式につくられた。これは、円仁(えんにん)が比叡山(ひえいざん)に始めた常行堂(じょうぎょうどう)の形式を継いだもので、一間四面堂とよばれる。源信(げんしん)らにより、浄土信仰が一世を風靡(ふうび)すると、貴族階級はことごとく浄土往生(おうじょう)を願い、個々に阿弥陀堂建立にいそしんだ。藤原道長の法成寺無量寿院(ほうじょうじむりょうじゅいん)阿弥陀堂はその代表で、藤原頼通(よりみち)の宇治平等院鳳凰堂(ほうおうどう)にその様式がしのばれる。福島県いわき市の願成寺(がんじょうじ)（白水(しらみず)阿弥陀堂）、京都日野の法界寺阿弥陀堂、京都大原の三千院本堂、大分県豊後(ぶんご)高田市の富貴寺(ふきじ)大堂、岩手県平泉の中尊寺金色堂、京都の浄瑠璃寺(じょうるりじ)本堂などが遺構として有名。

［木内堯央］

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