Shugendo - Shugendo

Japan's ancient mountain worship was influenced by imported esoteric Buddhism, Taoism, shamanism, etc., and towards the end of the Heian period it formed a single religious system. In this way, Shugendo is different from the original religions based on the teachings of a specific founder, but is a practical, ritual-centered religion that aims to obtain supernatural powers through mountain training and to use those powers in magical religious activities.

The origins of Shugendo can be traced back to lay religious figures who, influenced by Buddhism and Taoism during the Nara period, went into the mountains to practice asceticism, chanting parts of Dharani and Buddhist scriptures and engaging in magical religious activities. En no Ozunu, who was later credited as the founder of Shugendo, was one such religious figure. In the Heian period, coupled with the rise of mountain Buddhism, esoteric Buddhist monks of the Tendai and Shingon schools who excelled in the ability to perform incantations and prayers were called Shugenja, or those who had mastered divine powers. They were also called Yamabushi. The Shugenja in the central area based themselves on Mount Kinpu in Kumano and Yoshino, and from there went to Mount Omine to practice asceticism.

In the Middle Ages, the Kumano Shugenja formed a sect called the Honzan-ha, with Shogoin Temple of the Tendai sect as its head temple. The Kaikoku Shugenja, who based themselves on Mt. Kinpu and relied on various shrines and temples in Yamato (Nara Prefecture), formed a sect called the Tozan-ha at the end of the Middle Ages with the backing of Daigo Sanboin Temple of the Shingon sect. In addition, independent sects were formed on mountains around the country, such as Mt. Haguro and Mt. Hiko. Each of these sects created their own unique organizations and rituals centered on entering the peaks, doctrines that gave meaning to these rituals, and exerted great influence not only in religious terms but also in political and military terms. However, from the early modern period onwards, Shugendo became established in local communities and engaged in magical religious activities such as incantations, incantations and talismans in response to the desires of ordinary people for worldly gain. In the early modern period, Shugendo was abolished by the Meiji government's order to abolish Shugendo, and Shugendo were subsumed into the Tendai and Shingon sects. However, after World War II, they became independent one after another, and are now actively engaged in activities centered around religious organisations such as Honzan Shugenshu (head temple Shogoin), Kinpusen Shugen Honshu (head temple Kinpusen-ji), Shingon Daigoha (head temple Sanboin), and Shugendo (head temple Goryu Sonryuin).

[Miyaike Jun]

"Miyake Jun, Shugendou - The History and Philosophy of Yamabushi" (1978, Kyoikusha)" ▽ "Wakamori Taro, Shugendou History Research" (1972, Heibonsha)" ▽ "Gorai Shigeru, Introduction to Shugendou" (1980, Kadokawa Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本古来の山岳信仰が、外来の密教、道教、シャーマニズムなどの影響のもとに平安時代末に至って一つの宗教体系をつくりあげたものである。このように修験道は特定教祖の教説に基づく創唱宗教とは違って、山岳修行による超自然力の獲得と、その力を用いて呪術(じゅじゅつ)宗教的な活動を行うことを旨とする実践的な儀礼中心の宗教である。

　修験道の淵源(えんげん)は、奈良時代に仏教や道教の影響を受けて、山岳に入って修行し、陀羅尼(だらに)や経文の一部を唱えて呪術宗教的な活動を行った在俗の宗教者に求めることができる。のちに修験道の開祖に仮託された役小角(えんのおづぬ)もこうした宗教者の一人である。平安時代になると山岳仏教の隆盛とも相まって、天台・真言の密教僧のうち加持祈祷(かじきとう)の能力に秀でた者は、験を修めた者――修験者――とよばれた。また山伏ともよばれた。中央の修験者は熊野(くまの)や吉野(よしの)の金峰山(きんぶせん)を拠点として、ここから大峰山(おおみねさん)に入って修行した。

　中世期になると、このうち熊野の修験者は天台宗寺門派の聖護院(しょうごいん)を本山にいただいて本山派とよばれる宗派を形成した。また金峰山を拠点として大和(やまと)（奈良県）の諸社寺に依拠した回国修験者は、中世末には真言宗の醍醐(だいご)三宝院の後ろ盾のもとに当山(とうざん)派とよばれる宗派を形成した。このほか、羽黒山(はぐろさん)、英彦山(ひこさん)など諸国の山岳にもそれぞれ独立の宗派が形成された。これらの宗派は、それぞれ峰入(みねいり)を中心とした儀礼や、その意味づけとしての教義や独自の組織をつくりあげて、宗教面のみならず政治的にも軍事的にも大きな力をもっていた。しかしながら近世以降、修験者は地域社会に定着し、庶民の現世利益(げんぜりやく)的な希求にこたえて、加持祈祷、呪法、符呪などの呪術宗教的な活動に従事した。近代初頭、修験道は明治政府の修験道廃止令によって廃止され、修験者は天台・真言両宗に包摂された。しかしながら第二次世界大戦後相次いで独立し、現在は本山修験宗（総本山聖護院）、金峯山(きんぷせん)修験本宗（総本山金峯山寺）、真言宗醍醐派（総本山三宝院）、修験道（総本山五流尊滝院(そんりゅういん)）などの教団を中心に活発な活動を行っている。

［宮家　準］

『宮家準著『修験道――山伏の歴史と思想』（1978・教育社）』▽『和歌森太郎著『修験道史研究』（1972・平凡社）』▽『五来重著『修験道入門』（1980・角川書店）』

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