Ten nights

Nembutsu Hoyo is a memorial service held for ten days and nights from the 6th to the 15th of the 10th lunar month. It is also called Juyae or Ojuya. It is said in the sutras that "if one practices good deeds for ten days and ten nights, it will surpass the good deeds done in the other lands of the Buddhas that will last for a thousand years" and "if one casts away distractions for ten days and ten nights, one will practice Nembutsu Sammai with diligent diligence." However, it is said that it first took the form of a memorial service during the Eikyou era (1429-1441) at the end of the Muromachi period, when Taira Sadakuni stayed at Shinnyodo in Kurodani, Kyoto for three days and three nights, and then had a dream and continued to chant Nembutsu for seven days and seven nights. At Shinnyodo, the ceremony has been performed according to the Inzei Nembutsu method handed down at the Hieizan Jyogyodo. In 1495 (Meiō 4), it was transferred to Kamakura Komyo-ji Temple by imperial permission, and thereafter became a Jodo sect memorial service.

[Fukiko Nishiyama]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

陰暦10月6日から15日まで、10昼夜にわたり修される別時念仏法要(ねんぶつほうよう)。十夜会(じゅうやえ)、御十夜(おじゅうや)ともいう。「善を修すること十日十夜なれば、他方諸仏国土において善をなすこと千歳ならんに勝る」「十日十夜散乱を除捨し、精勤(しょうごん)して念仏三昧(さんまい)を修習」などと経典に出拠するが、法要の形をとったのは室町末期の永享(えいきょう)年中（1429～41）のことで、平貞国(さだくに)が京都黒谷の真如堂(しんにょどう)に三日三夜、念仏参籠(さんろう)の暁、夢想を得て引き続き七日七夜の念仏を行ったのに由来するといわれる。真如堂では比叡山常行堂(ひえいざんじょうぎょうどう)に伝えられた引声(いんぜい)念仏作法により修せられてきた。1495年（明応4）勅許により鎌倉光明寺(こうみょうじ)に移修し、以後、浄土宗の法要となった。

［西山蕗子］

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