Annen - Annen

Japanese: 安然 - あんねん

Year of death: Unknown (Year of death unknown)
Year of birth: Jowa 8 (841)
A Tendai Buddhist monk in the early Heian period, he was the master of Tendai Esoteric Buddhism. According to one theory, he died around 901. He was honored as Godaiin Daitoku and later called Akaku Daishi. He was from Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture), and is said to have been of the secular lineage of Saicho. He climbed Mt. Hiei at a young age, became a disciple of Ennin, and studied exoteric and esoteric Buddhism. He later received the Three Great Teachings (Taizōkai, Kongōkai, and Sosiddhi) from Dokai, Choi, and Tankei (Takamuko no Kōsuke), studied Siddham, and furthered his studies under Henshō at Gankei-ji Temple. He aspired to travel to China in search of the Dharma, and in 877, he was given food and a horse to carry on the journey to Dazaifu, but was unable to accomplish his goal. In 884, Henshō petitioned the Imperial Court, and the position of Denpo Ajari was placed at Gankei-ji Temple, where he was appointed along with Korenobu to teach Esoteric Buddhism. From then on, Anzen lived in the Godaiin Temple on Mt. Hiei and devoted himself to preaching Buddhism and writing. He promoted the esoteric teachings of Tendai Buddhism, as taught by Ennin and Enchin, placing Dainichi Nyorai at the highest position among the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and preaching that all teachings were incorporated into the single teaching of Shingon Buddhism, which also encompasses Tendai Buddhism. He also refuted Kukai's "Jujushinron" and "Kenmitsuron" as well as the teachings of other sects, placing Taimitsu as superior, clarifying the position of esoteric Buddhism within Tendai Buddhism and completing his teaching system. There are various theories about the place where Anzen passed away, including the Seito on Mt. Hiei, Konmatsu-ji Temple in Omi Province, Risshaku-ji Temple in Dewa Province (Yamagata Prefecture), and Tokizawa, and no certainty has been established. <Works> ``Eidunzo'', ``Kyoji Questions and Answers'', ``Bodhishin Gisho'' <References> Shiren Kozeki's ``Genkoshasho'', ``Onjoji Biography'', Shinkichi Hashimoto ``Anzen Osho Jijikoko'' (``Shigaku Zasshi'' vol. 20, no. 8), Fumihide Uesugi ``History of Japan's Tendai''

(Yunko Nishiguchi)

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

Japanese:

没年：没年不詳(没年不詳)
生年：承和8(841)
平安初期の天台宗の僧,天台密教の大成者。一説に延喜1(901)年頃没。五大院大徳,後世に阿覚大師と尊称される。近江国(滋賀県)の人,最澄の俗系とも伝える。幼時に叡山に登り,円仁の弟子となって顕密を学び,のちに道海,長意,湛契(高向公輔)から三部大法(胎蔵界,金剛界,蘇悉地)を受け,悉曇を学び,元慶寺の遍昭のもとで研鑽をつんだ。入唐求法を志し,貞観19(877)年食糧と駅馬を給されて大宰府に向かったが果たせなかった。元慶8(884)年遍昭が朝廷に願い出て,元慶寺に伝法阿闍梨位が置かれることになり,惟首と共に任じられて密教を教授している。以後の安然は,叡山五大院を住房として,伝法と著作活動に専念したらしい。円仁,円珍の天台宗密教化を推し進めて,大日如来を諸仏菩薩の最高位に置き,一切の教法は真言の一教に摂取され,天台宗も包括されると説き,さらに空海の「十住心論」「顕密論」および諸宗の教学を論破して,台密を優位に置き,天台宗における密教の位置を明確にして教学体系を完成させた。入寂の地は叡山西塔,近江国近松寺,出羽国(山形県)立石寺,時沢などの諸説があって確定しない。<著作>『悉曇蔵』『教時問答』『菩提心義抄』<参考文献>虎関師錬『元亨釈書』,『園城寺伝記』,橋本進吉「安然和尚事蹟考」(『史学雑誌』20編8号),上杉文秀『日本天台史』

(西口順子)

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