Jishu -

Japanese: 時宗 - じしゅう

A sect of Pure Land Buddhism founded by the late Kamakura monk Ippen (Chishin). The name Jishu is generally said to come from the phrase "Rinmyojuji" in the Amida Sutra, and means to keep in mind that one's daily life is Rinmyojuji and to chant the name of Amida Buddha diligently. Ippen called the individuals and groups who accompanied him as his comrades "Jishu" (Ippen Hijirie, Book 5, etc.). In addition, because it was essential to chant the name of Amida Buddha single-mindedly, they were called Ikkoshu, and because their principle was to never reside in one place, they were also called Yugyoshu. It was not until the Edo period that the name Jishu was established and became common.

[Kiyoshi Hirokami]

History

During Ippen's travels around the country with his companions, the Jishu sect, practicing the principle of never residing in one place, he encouraged people to chant the Nembutsu by distributing (fusan) papers (calculation) inscribed with "Namu Amida Butsu, 600,000 people will definitely attain rebirth in the Pure Land" to those with whom he had made a connection. The Jishu sect also performed dancing Nembutsu performances, inviting people into religious ecstasy. Images of ecstatic crowds dancing in circles, chanting the Nembutsu "Namu Amida Butsu" and beating gongs while dancing wildly are recorded in "Tengu Zoushi" and "Nomori Kagami," and show that their unique method of evangelism was very popular. During his lifetime, Ippen always said, "My teachings will only last for a short time" (Ippen Seie, No. 11), and he did not particularly care about training successors or forming religious organizations. However, during the time of his disciple Taa Shingyo (2nd patriarch, 1237-1319), temples and dojos were built in various places, and the Jishu began to settle down. The religious organization was also established, and rules were established to regulate it. Furthermore, Taa Chitoku (3rd patriarch), who succeeded Shinkyo, explained that the reason for stopping the wandering and settling down in temples and dojos was that it was unavoidable due to requests from parishioners, but that "my heart is that of a wanderer." The heyday of the Jishu was from the late Kamakura period to the early Muromachi period, and although the majority of its followers were samurai, it also spread among the general public. In addition to their educational activities as Buddhist monks, Jishu monks also displayed talents in a wide range of fields, including the tea ceremony, flower arrangement, linked verse, calligraphy, and painting, and they served in military camps, performing funeral ceremonies for those who died in battle, and also providing information. The decline of the Jishu began with the rapid expansion of the Jodo Shinshu sect in the late Muromachi period. With 411 temples, 2 churches, 537 teachers, and 58,950 followers (Religious Yearbook, 2014 edition), the size of the Ji sect is small compared to other sects, but at its head temple, Shojokoji (commonly known as Yugyoji), in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, memorial services are held in accordance with the ancient style of the Muromachi period.

[Kiyoshi Hirokami]

Doctrine

If we trace the lineage of the Jishu sect of Buddhism back, we can see that Shotatsu, who taught the founder Ippen, was a disciple of Seizan Shoku, who was a disciple of Honen (Genku), and so it can be said that the doctrines of the Seizan school of the Jodo sect influenced Ippen through Shotatsu. In the Seizan doctrine, sentient beings (their capacity or object of transformation) and Amida Buddha (their capacity or object of transformation) are one and the same, and it preaches "the capacity and object of transformation" and "the capacity and object of transformation," which would later become the foundation of Ippen's teachings. Ippen expressed his teachings in the "Eleven Non-Dual Verses" which read, "The world of all living beings will attain enlightenment in ten kalpas. The land of Amida Buddha will be reborn in one thought. Ten and one are not two, proving non-existence. The land and the realm are equal and sit together in a common assembly." He also wrote the "Six Hundred Man Verses" which stated, "The six-character name is the law of one verse. The dependent and independent aspects of the ten realms are the substance of one verse. All actions are freed from thought and one verse is realized. It is the supreme flower of wonder among all people." This is based on the oracle of Kumano Gongen, and is therefore also called a divine decree. Here, it is emphasized that the name of Namu Amida Butsu has the absolute power to save all living beings.

[Kiyoshi Hirokami]

"Namu Amida Butsu, Ippen Shonin" by Yanagi Muneyoshi (1960, Shunjusha)" ▽ "The Establishment and Development of Jishu by Ohashi Toshio (1973, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "A Study of the Jishu Religious Studies" by Hirata Taizen (1977, Yamakibo Butshorin)" ▽ "A Study of the History of the Establishment of Jishu by Imai Masaharu (1981, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "A Study of Ippen's Teachings and the History of Jishu by Kono Noriyoshi (1981, Toyo Bunka Publishing)" ▽ "A Study of Medieval Society and Jishu by Imai Masaharu (1985, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" ▽ "Ippen Research Group, Edited: Paintings of Saint Ippen and Scenes of the Middle Ages (1993, Arina Shobo)" ▽ "Ishida Yoshito, Ippen and Jishu" (1996, Hozokan)" ▽ "The Religious Theory of Ippen Chishin, by Watanabe Yoshikatsu (1996, Iwata Shoin)" ▽ "The Iconography of the Wandering Saints of the Middle Ages, by Sunagawa Hiroshi (1999, Iwata Shoin)" ▽ "Interpreting the Paintings of Saint Ippen, by Takeda Sachiko (1999, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Jishu/Abbreviated family tree
©Shogakukan ">

Jishu/Abbreviated family tree

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

鎌倉後期の僧一遍(いっぺん)（智真(ちしん)）を開祖とする浄土教の一派。時宗の名は一般に『阿弥陀経(あみだきょう)』の「臨命終時(りんみょうじゅうじ)」に由来するといわれ、平生を臨命終時と心得て、怠りなく称名念仏(しょうみょうねんぶつ)することを意味する。一遍は、同志として彼と同行する個人および集団を「時衆(じしゅう)」とよんでいる（『一遍聖絵(ひじりえ)』第5その他）。また、一向(いっこう)に（ひたすら）阿弥陀仏の名号(みょうごう)を唱えることを肝要としたので一向衆とよばれ、一所不住を本旨としたから遊行衆(ゆぎょうしゅう)ともいわれた。時宗として宗名が確立し一般化するのは、江戸時代に入ってからのことである。

［広神　清］

沿革

一遍は同行の時衆を伴って一所不住を実践する遊行回国の布教の旅で、「南無阿弥陀仏(なむあみだぶつ)　決定往生(けつじょうおうじょう)　六十万人」と記した札（算）を結縁(けちえん)の人々に分け与えて（賦算(ふさん)）念仏を勧めた。また、時衆は踊念仏を興行して、人々を宗教的法悦に誘い込んだという。歓喜踊躍(かんぎゆやく)した群衆が輪になり、口々に「南無阿弥陀仏」の念仏を唱え、鉦(かね)をたたきながら乱舞するさまは、『天狗草紙(てんぐぞうし)』や『野守鏡(のもりのかがみ)』に記録されており、その独特な布教方法に人気の集中したことがわかる。一遍は在世中つねに「我(わ)が化導(けどう)は一期(いちご)ばかりぞ」（『一遍聖絵』第11）といって、とくに後継者の育成や教団の結成に意を用いることはなかったが、弟子の他阿真教(たあしんぎょう)（二祖、1237―1319）の代になると、各地に道場や寺が建立されて時衆の止住（定住）が始まり、教団も成立をみて統制のための規則が制定された。さらに真教のあとの他阿智得(ちとく)（三祖）は、遊行をやめて寺や道場に止住する事情を、檀家(だんか)の要請によるやむをえぬことと説明し、しかし「心は遊行に候也(なり)」と述べている。時衆の全盛期は鎌倉後期より室町前期までで、信者の中心は武士であったが、一般庶民の間へも広がりをみせた。時衆僧は仏僧としての教化活動のほかに、広く茶道、花道、連歌、書画などの分野でも才能を示し、武将の軍営に仕えて戦死者葬送の儀を執行し、あるいは情報提供の任をも務めたという。時衆の衰微は、室町後期の浄土真宗の急激な膨張とともに始まった。寺院数411、教会数2、教師数537、信者数5万8950（『宗教年鑑』平成26年版）で、時宗教団の規模は他宗のそれと比べて小さいが、神奈川県藤沢(ふじさわ)市にある総本山の清浄光寺(しょうじょうこうじ)（通称遊行寺）には、室町時代の古式に従う法要が伝えられている。

［広神　清］

教義

時宗教義の系譜をさかのぼれば、開祖一遍の師事した聖達(しょうたつ)は、法然(ほうねん)（源空(げんくう)）門下の西山証空(せいざんしょうくう)の弟子であったから、聖達を介して浄土宗西山派の教義が一遍に影響を及ぼしているといえる。西山義では、衆生(しゅじょう)（機または所化(しょけ)）と阿弥陀仏（法または能化(のうけ)）とは一体不二(ふに)であるとして、「機法一体」「能所不二」を説くが、これがやがて一遍の教法の根幹をなすのである。一遍はその教法を「十劫(じっこう)に正覚(しょうがく)す衆生界　一念に往生す弥陀の国　十と一とは不二にして無生を証(しょう)し　国と界とは平等にして大会に坐(ざ)す」との「十一不二偈(げ)」に表した。さらに、彼は、機法一体は「南無阿弥陀仏」の名号において実現されるとし、「六字の名号は一遍の法なり　十界の依正(えしょう)は一遍の体なり　万行離念して一遍を証す　人中上々の妙好華(みょうこうげ)なり」との「六十万人偈」を記した。これは熊野権現(ごんげん)の神託に基づくので神勅(しんちょく)ともいわれている。ここでは、南無阿弥陀仏の名号こそ衆生救済の絶対力を有するということが強調されている。

［広神　清］

『柳宗悦著『南無阿弥陀仏・一遍上人』（1960・春秋社）』▽『大橋俊雄著『時宗の成立と展開』（1973・吉川弘文館）』▽『平田諦善著『時宗教学の研究』（1977・山喜房仏書林）』▽『今井雅晴著『時宗成立史の研究』（1981・吉川弘文館）』▽『河野憲善著『一遍教学と時宗史の研究』（1981・東洋文化出版）』▽『今井雅晴著『中世社会と時宗の研究』（1985・吉川弘文館）』▽『一遍研究会編『一遍聖絵と中世の光景』（1993・ありな書房）』▽『石田善人著『一遍と時宗』（1996・法蔵館）』▽『渡辺善勝著『一遍智真の宗教論』（1996・岩田書院）』▽『砂川博著『中世遊行聖の図像学』（1999・岩田書院）』▽『武田佐知子著『一遍聖絵を読み解く』（1999・吉川弘文館）』