Sanzenin Temple

This Tendai temple is located in Raigoincho, Ohara, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. Its mountain name is Gyosan. Its principal image is the Medicine Buddha. It was originally called Enyuin (Enyubo) or Entokuin. It is also called Nashimotobo and Kajiimonzeki, and is one of the five Tendai sect temples along with Myohoin, Shorenin, Bishamondo, and Manshuin. It is said to have begun in 788 (Enryaku 7) when Dengyo Daishi Saicho built the Konponchudo of Mount Hiei, and built a temporary hall under a large pear tree in the south valley of the eastern tower. In 860 (Jogan 2), Joun renovated the temple and it became one of the temples of the Nashimoto school. In 1086 (Otoku 3), Goganji Entoku-in was established in Kajiinosato, Higashisakamoto (present-day Otsu City) at the foot of the mountain, and was made a village temple in opposition to Enyubo, the main temple of the eastern pagoda. The first member of the imperial family to enter the temple was Prince Saiun, the second son of Emperor Horikawa, who became the 14th abbot in 1130 (Taiji 5) and was called Kajii no Miya. After that, Prince Jonin (18th abbot), Sonkai (20th abbot), Sonkaku (21st abbot), and Sainin (22nd abbot) all entered the temple, and it became a monzeki temple. In 1156 (Hogen 1), the temple was given jurisdiction over Daigenji Temple (a collective name for Raigo-in Temple, Shorin-in Temple, etc. in Ohara), took control of the Shomyo chanting in Gyosan, and established a mandokoro in the current location of Ohara. During the Kamakura period, the temple's monastery was moved from Higashi Sakamoto to Kyoto and moved from place to place, but after the temple's buildings at Funaokayama were burned down during the Onin War, it was moved to Ohara. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi donated 1,064 koku of land to the temple and built a monastery in Kajii, Kamigyo Ward. After the Meiji Restoration, the Ohara Mandokoro was designated as the main hall, and the temple's name became Sanzenin.

The main hall, Ojo Gokuraku-in (National Important Cultural Property), is a hall for regular practice and meditation built in 1148 (Kyuan 4) by Shinnyobo-ni (wife of Fujiwara no Sanehira). The Amida Triad (National Important Cultural Property) and the kneeling figures of the attendant Kannon and Bodhisattva Seishi are famous for depicting the scene of the coming of the Buddha. Other items housed in the hall include a statue of Acala, a half-seated statue of Guze Kannon, the biography of Jikaku Daishi, the remaining scrolls of the Four Heavenly Kings' Origins, the Kobun Kokyo, the Biography of Shoku Shonin, and a genealogy of the Emperors (all of which are National Important Cultural Properties). There are two famous gardens within the temple grounds: Shuhekien and Yuseien.

[Tamura Kosuke April 18, 2017]

"'Ancient Temple Pilgrimage Kyoto 17 Sanzen-in' (1977, Tankosha)" ▽ "'Sanzen-in' by Susumu Miyama (1970, Chuokoron Bijutsu Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市左京区大原来迎院(らいごういん)町にある天台宗の寺。山号は魚山(ぎょさん)。本尊は薬師瑠璃光如来(やくしるりこうにょらい)。もと円融院(えんゆういん)（円融房）または円徳院といった。梨本房(なしもとぼう)、梶井門跡(かじいもんぜき)とも称し、妙法院(みょうほういん)、青蓮院(しょうれんいん)、毘沙門堂(びしゃもんどう)、曼殊院(まんしゅいん)とともに天台宗五門跡の一つ。788年（延暦7）伝教大師最澄が比叡山(ひえいざん)根本中堂を創建したとき、東塔南谷の梨(なし)の大木の下に仮堂をつくったのが始まりと伝える。860年（貞観2）承雲(じょううん)が堂塔を整備して梨本門流の一寺となる。1086年（応徳3）には山麓(さんろく)の東坂本梶井里(かじいのさと)（現大津市）に御願寺(ごがんじ)円徳院が設けられて、東塔の本坊円融坊に対する里坊(さとぼう)とされた。堀河(ほりかわ)天皇の第2皇子最雲(さいうん)法親王が皇族入寺の初めで、1130年（大治5）第14世となり梶井の宮と称した。その後、承任(じょうにん)（18世）、尊快(そんかい)（20世）、尊覚(そんかく)（21世）、最仁(さいにん)（22世）らの法親王の入寺が続き、門跡寺院となった。1156年（保元1）大原寺(だいげんじ)（大原の来迎院、勝林院などの総称）を管轄することになり、魚山(ぎょさん)の声明(しょうみょう)を統管し、現在の地大原に政所(まんどころ)を設置した。鎌倉時代、里坊は東坂本から京都に移され転々としたが、応仁(おうにん)の乱で船岡山(ふなおかやま)にあった堂舎が焼失したのち、大原に移った。徳川綱吉(つなよし)は寺領1064石を寄せ、現在の上京(かみぎょう)区梶井に里坊をつくった。明治維新後、大原政所が本殿と定められ、寺号も三千院となった。

　本堂の往生極楽院(おうじょうごくらくいん)（国重要文化財）は1148年（久安4）真如房(しんにょぼう)尼（藤原実衡(さねひら)の妻）の建立した常行三昧(さんまい)堂で、堂内に安置する阿弥陀(あみだ)三尊（国重要文化財）、脇侍(わきじ)の観音(かんのん)・勢至菩薩(せいしぼさつ)の跪坐(きざ)する姿は来迎のようすを表したものとして著名である。ほかに不動明王像、救世(ぐぜ)観音半跏(はんか)像、慈覚大師伝、四天王縁起(えんぎ)残巻、古文孝経、性空上人(しょうくうしょうにん)伝記遺続集、帝王系図（以上国重要文化財）などを蔵する。境内には聚碧(しゅうへき)園と有清(ゆうせい)園の二つの名園がある。

［田村晃祐　2017年4月18日］

『『古寺巡礼　京都17　三千院』（1977・淡交社）』▽『三山進著『三千院』（1970・中央公論美術出版）』

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