Konko Daijin

Religious reformer and founder of Konkokyo. Born to the Katori family of farmers in Urami Village, Bitchu Province (now Asakuchi City, Okayama Prefecture), he was adopted by the Kawate family at the age of 12 (Kawate Bunjiro), later changing his name to Akazawa Bunji and then to Konko Daijin. At the age of 42, he had a conversion experience after meeting Konjin, a god of folk religion, and through this, he sublimated and purified the various customs and concepts of folk religion, overturned the taboos of feudal and modern society, and opened up a new religious world. In 1859 (Ansei 6), he was called by Tenchikane no Kami (Konjin) to begin serving as an intermediary, and dedicated the latter half of his life to it. Intermediary is an act of salvation in which one conveys to others God's desire for the salvation of humanity and prays to God for people's troubles. His autobiography "Konko Daishin Memorandum," as well as his "Memorandum of Announcements" and "Understanding" are of great significance in religious thought and religious history.

[Michio Araki June 19, 2018]

“Konko Okami” (1953) edited and published by the Konkokyo Honkyo Office

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

宗教改革者、金光教教祖。備中(びっちゅう)国占見(うらみ)村（現、岡山県浅口市）の農民香取(かんどり)家に生まれ、12歳で川手(かわて)家の養子となり（川手文治郎）、のち赤沢文治(あかざわぶんじ)、さらに金光大神と改める。42歳で民間信仰の神、金神(こんじん)との出会いによる回心体験を通して、民間信仰の雑多な習俗、概念を昇華・純化し、封建、近代社会の禁忌（タブー）を打破、新たな宗教的世界を開いた。1859年（安政6）、天地金乃神(てんちかねのかみ)（金神）の召命を受け取次(とりつぎ)を開始、後半生をそれに捧(ささ)げた。取次は、神の人類救済の願いを人に伝え、人の難儀を神に祈る救済行為である。自叙伝『金光大神御覚書(おんおぼえがき)』をはじめ、『お知らせ事覚帳(ごとおぼえちょう)』『理解』は宗教思想、宗教史上、重要な意義をもつ。

［荒木美智雄　2018年6月19日］

『金光教本部教庁編・刊『金光大神』（1953）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例