Sanmai Hijiri - Sanmai Hijiri

Gehoshi, who assisted in the burial of the dead. Also called Byohijiri. The word 'Zammai' originally meant 'devotedly', such as in Nembutsu zamai and Hokke zamai, but since the Heian period it has come to mean a grave (Gozanmai), and those who were solely involved in burial and grave-keeping duties came to be called 'Zammai zamai'. In 1501 (the first year of the Bunki era), the former Kanpaku (regent) Kujo Masamoto went down to Hinenosho in Izumi Province and took charge of direct administration. His diary "Masamoto-ko's Travels" describes the samadhi of Hinenosho who "has no business with the enemy, and has not cultivated a single piece of rice field. He has simply been doing his job as a samadhi" and the samadhi who lives in a samadhi hall in Torosushuku, Izumi Province, and takes care of prisoners. In the early modern period, the samadhi of the five Kinai regions and Omi and Tamba provinces were under the control of Ryushoin, the chief priest of the Todaiji Temple.

[Tetsuichi Nibutani]

"Research on the Samadhi Saint" edited by Ryoichi Hosokawa (2001, Suzuribunsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

死者の埋葬に従った下法師(げほうし)。「廟聖(びょうひじり)」ともいう。三昧とは、本来、念仏三昧・法華(ほっけ)三昧など「専心する」意であるが、平安時代以来、墓所を意味する語（五三昧(ござんまい)）となり、もっぱら埋葬・墓守の事に従う者が三昧聖とよばれるようになったのである。1501年（文亀元）に前関白九条政基が和泉国(いずみのくに)日根荘(ひねのしょう)に下向、直務(じきむ)支配に当たったときの日記『政基公旅引付(まさもとこうたびひきつけ)』には、「当道(とうどう)（三昧）之儀ハ更ニ敵御方(てきみかた)之沙汰(さた)ニ及バザル也、田ノ一枚モ作ラズ、只当道ノ職バカリニテ渡世」している日根荘の三昧聖や、和泉国取石宿(とろすしゅく)の三昧堂に住んで囚人を預かる三昧聖の姿が記されている。近世には五畿内(ごきない)および近江(おうみ)・丹波の三昧聖は東大寺大勧進職(だいかんじんしき)竜松院(りゅうしょういん)の配下に置かれていた。

［丹生谷哲一］

『細川涼一編『三昧聖の研究』（2001・硯文社）』

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