Cloud of Mercy

Japanese: 慈雲 - じうん

Year of death: Bunka 1.12.22 (1805.1.22)
Year of birth: July 28, 1718 (August 24, 1718)
A Shingon Buddhist monk from the mid-to-late Edo period. A giant of early modern Shingon Buddhism who left a great mark on the revival of Buddhist precepts, the study of Sanskrit, and the education of the masses. His given name was Inko. He was from Osaka. His father, Kozuki Yasunori, was a man of chivalry, and his mother, Asei, was the adopted daughter of a samurai of the Takamatsu domain. He became a monk at the age of 13 at the urging of his mother, and began studying esoteric Buddhism at the age of 14. He also studied Confucianism. At the age of 19, he began studying the original Sanskrit texts at Kawachi Nonaka-ji Temple. He also had the ambition of traveling to India. Between the ages of 20 and 24, he inherited various schools of esoteric Buddhism. Around this time, influenced by various teachers and his mother, he placed importance on precepts, and solidified his stance of rejecting the bias towards sects and academics. In 1744 (Enkyo 1), at the age of 27, he began a movement to practice the correct precepts from the time of the Buddha, "Shoho", at Kawachi Choei-ji Temple. In 1749 (Kan'en 2), he established the "Fundamental Monk System". After that, he traveled around various places, working to spread teachings. In 1758 (Horeki 8), at the age of 41, he retired to Soryu-an in the mountains of Ikoma. While practicing Zen meditation, he devoted himself to the study of Bonskrit, and after understanding the grammar on his own, he completed the great 1,000-volume work "Bonskrit Shinryo" over a period of over 10 years. He accomplished this great feat, half a century ahead of Burnouf and others in Europe. He then moved to Amida-ji Temple in Kyoto, where he preached the basics of the precepts, the Ten Good Precepts. In 1786 (Tenmei 6), at the age of 69, he received permission from the shogunate to make Koki-ji Temple on Mount Katsuragi the fundamental training center for the correct teachings. In his later years, he advocated Unden (Katsuragi) Shinto, which regards the activities of ancient gods as having the same meaning as the development of mandalas. Jion's life was dominated by a return to fundamental Buddhism, and his study of Sanskrit and the revival of Buddhist precepts were both part of this. It is also interesting that his mother always loomed large over him. He has the Complete Works of Jion (19 volumes). His writings on the edification of the masses, such as the kana-hogo "The Way to Become a Person," are also noteworthy. His disciples include Shinsho, Kakuho, and Gomyo. <References> Takuichi Kinami, "Venerable Jion - His Life and Words"

(Masaki Akira)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：文化1.12.22(1805.1.22)
生年：享保3.7.28(1718.8.24)
江戸中・後期の真言宗の僧。戒律復興,梵(サンスクリット)学研究,民衆教化に偉大な足跡を残した近世真言宗の巨人。諱は飲光。大坂出身。父上月安範は侠客的人物,母阿清は高松藩士の養女。母の勧めにより13歳で出家,14歳から密教を修学。さらに儒学を学ぶ。19歳,河内野中寺で梵文原典の研究に着手。インド渡航の大志も抱く。20～24歳にかけて密教諸流を相承。このころ,諸師や母の感化により戒律を重視し,宗派,学問の偏重を排する姿勢を固めた。延享1(1744)年27歳のとき,河内長栄寺にブッダ在世時の正しい戒律,「正法律」の実践運動を開始。寛延2(1749)年そのための「根本僧制」を定めた。以後,各地に巡錫し教化につとめる。宝暦8(1758)年41歳の時,生駒山中の双竜庵に隠棲。禅観(瞑想)を修しつつ梵学研究に邁進し,独力で文法を理解して10余年をかけ1000巻の大著『梵学津梁』を完成。ヨーロッパのビュルヌフらに半世紀先行する偉業を成し遂げた。その後,京都阿弥陀寺に移り戒律の基本,十善戒法を説く。天明6(1786)年69歳,幕府の許可を得て葛城山の高貴寺を正法律の根本道場とした。晩年,古代諸神の活動を曼荼羅の展開と同趣意とする雲伝(葛城)神道を提唱。慈雲の生涯は根本仏教への回帰に貫かれ,梵学研究も戒律復興もその一環であった。母親の影が常に濃いことも関心を引く。『慈雲全集』(19巻)がある。仮名法語『人となる道』など民衆教化の著作も注目される。弟子に親証,覚法,護明など。<参考文献>木南卓一『慈雲尊者―生涯とその言葉―』

(正木晃)

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