Shienji - Shienji

The name of four temples located near Ninnaji in Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City: Enyu-ji, Engyo-ji, Enjo-ji, and Ensuji, all beginning with the character "en." Enyu-ji, also known as Enyu-in, was built in 983 (Eikan 1) by Emperor Enyu, and Engyo-ji by Emperor Ichijo in 998 (Chotoku 4). Enjo-ji was built for Emperor Gosuzaku in 1055 (Tenki 3), and Enmyoji was enshrined at the request of Emperor Gosanjo in 1070 (Enkyu 2), and was renamed Ensuji the following year. Both were built as imperial temples under the head priest of Ninna-ji Temple, and were often used to enshrine the remains of the emperor and receive pilgrimages and memorial services from the emperor and members of the imperial family. They were equipped with temple buildings and pagodas, and held grand Buddhist ceremonies every year. In particular, the Hokke-e and Saisho-e ceremonies at Ensoji Temple, together with the Daijo-e ceremonies at Hossho-ji Temple, were known as the Three Tendai Ceremonies and flourished, but when the head priest of Ninna-ji Temple became a Shingon Buddhist monk from Ennin, they gradually converted to that sect, and from the Middle Ages onwards, they shared the fate of the rise and fall of Ninna-ji Temple, and were almost completely destroyed by fire caused by the Yamana clan during the Onin War at the end of the Muromachi period. Today, only the name of the temple remains in places such as Ensoji Forest, and only the ruins of the old temples can be seen, bearing the old temple name. The Enyu, Enkyo, Enjo, and Enshu (originally Enmyo) of Shienji Temple all mean harmonious teachings, and refer to the teachings of Mahayana, especially Tendai and Kegon, but as the head priest became a disciple of Kukai, it is thought that the meaning came to refer to Esoteric Shingon Buddhism, and Buddhist statues, rituals, etc. were made and performed in accordance with Esoteric Buddhism.

[Takaaki Wakabayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市右京区仁和寺(にんなじ)の近傍にあった円融寺(えんゆうじ)、円教寺(えんぎょうじ)、円乗寺(えんじょうじ)、円宗寺(えんしゅうじ)の「円」の字を冠した四つの寺の称。円融寺は円融院ともいい、983年（永観1）円融天皇により、円教寺は998年（長徳4）一条(いちじょう)天皇により建立され、1055年（天喜3）後朱雀(ごすざく)天皇のために円乗寺が営まれ、1070年（延久2）後三条(ごさんじょう)天皇の勅願により円明寺(えんみょうじ)が供養され、翌年円宗寺と改称された。いずれも仁和寺別当の下にあって勅願寺として建立されたもので、天皇の遺骨を安置して天皇、皇族の参詣(さんけい)供養を受けることなどが多く、堂塔も完備して法会も毎年盛大に行われた。とりわけ円宗寺の法華会(ほっけえ)、最勝会(さいしょうえ)は法勝寺の大乗会(だいじょうえ)とあわせて天台の三会(さんえ)とよばれて繁栄したが、仁和寺別当が円仁(えんにん)の門下から真言宗僧になるとともにしだいにその宗に帰し、中世以降仁和寺の興廃と命運をともにし、室町末期の応仁(おうにん)の乱に山名氏の兵火によってほとんど廃絶した。現在は円宗寺林などにその名を残すのみで、旧寺名を冠した廃寺址(し)が認められるにすぎない。四円寺の円融、円教、円乗、円宗（初め円明）はいずれも円満なる教法の意で、大乗なかんずく天台、華厳(けごん)などの教えをさすが、別当が空海門下になるにつれ真言密教をさしたと思われ、仏像、法会などは密教によって造顕、執行された。

［若林隆光］

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