Sanbutsuji Temple

This is a Tendai sect temple located in Mitoku, Misasa-cho, Tohaku-gun, Tottori Prefecture. It is called Mitokusan Jodo-in. The principal image of the temple is the three Buddhas Shaka, Amida, and Dainichi Nyorai. It is said that En no Ozunu (En no Gyoja) founded the temple in 706 (Keiun 3) as a training ground for Shugendo, and in 849 (Kasho 2) Jikaku Daishi Ennin rebuilt it and enshrined the three Buddhas, hence the name of the temple. Along with Mt. Daisen, this temple was one of the most sacred places of mountain Buddhism in the ancient and medieval period in this region, and developed by attracting the faith of local nobles. At its peak in ancient times, it is said to have had 41 buildings, 3,000 monks' houses, and a temple estate of 10,000 chobu (9,920 hectares). It has risen and fallen many times, including in the Genpei War, the civil war between the Northern and Southern Courts, and the fires of the Sengoku period, and the historical documents that tell its history have been burned. However, the inner sanctuary (Nageiredo Hall, a national treasure) built into a cave in the steep cliff is a fitting symbol of Mt. Mitoku, as it is said to have been thrown there by En no Gyoja. The document inside the Nageiredo Hall's main image, a standing statue of Zao Gongen, contains a prayer for its construction from 1168, and it is the oldest wooden statue of its kind, and is designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan along with six other standing statues. The Aizen Hall with its inner sanctuary, one ridgepole tablet, and 43 pieces of antique wood are designated as national treasures, while the Nokyo Hall, Monju Hall, Jizo Hall, wooden statue of the eleven-headed Kannon, and the bronze mirror with the date 997 are designated as important cultural properties. In addition, the entire Mt. Mitoku is designated as a national historic site and place of scenic beauty as a relic of mountain Buddhism. It is the 29th temple of the 33rd Hoki Western Pilgrimage.

[Nakayama Kiyota]

"Mt. Mitoku and its Surroundings," edited and published by Tottori Prefectural Museum ("Nature and History of Tottori Prefecture 4," 1982)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鳥取県東伯(とうはく)郡三朝(みささ)町三徳(みとく)にある天台宗の寺。三徳山浄土院(じょうどいん)と号する。本尊は釈迦(しゃか)・阿弥陀(あみだ)・大日如来(だいにちにょらい)の3仏。706年（慶雲3）役小角(えんのおづぬ)（役行者(えんのぎょうじゃ)）が修験道(しゅげんどう)の行場として開いたと伝えられ、849年（嘉祥2）慈覚(じかく)大師円仁(えんにん)が再興して、3仏を安置したのが寺名の由来である。大山(だいせん)と並んでこの地方の古代中世における山岳仏教の一大霊地であり、地方豪族の信仰を集めて発展し、古代盛時には堂舎41、坊舎3000軒、寺領1万町歩（9920ヘクタール）と伝えられている。源平の戦い、南北朝の内乱、戦国時代の兵火などで興亡を繰り返し、歴史を物語る史料も焼失してしまったが、険しい崖(がけ)の岩窟(がんくつ)に懸造(かけづくり)で建てられた奥の院（投入堂(なげいれどう)、国宝）は、役行者が投げ入れたと伝えられる縁起にふさわしく、三徳山の象徴的な建物である。投入堂本尊の蔵王権現(ざおうごんげん)立像の胎内文書に仁安(にんあん)3年（1168）の造立願文があり、この種の最古の木像として他の6体の立像とあわせて国の重要文化財となっている。奥の院投入堂付愛染(あいぜん)堂1棟、棟札1枚、古材43点は国宝に、納経(のうきょう)堂、文殊(もんじゅ)堂、地蔵(じぞう)堂、木像十一面観音像、長徳(ちょうとく)3年（997）銘の銅鏡は国の重要文化財に指定されている。また三徳山全体が山岳仏教の遺跡として国の史跡・名勝に指定されている。伯耆(ほうき)西国三十三番霊場の第29番札所。

［中山清田］

『鳥取県立博物館編・刊『三徳山とその周辺』（『鳥取県の自然と歴史4』1982）』

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