Zenshinni - Zenshinni

The first nun in Japan. Her real name was Shima. She was the daughter of Shibatatto of Kurashukuribe. In 584 (the 13th year of Emperor Bidatsu), when she was 11 years old (17 years old according to some sources), she became a nun after Soga no Umako asked for a monk to serve the stone statue of Miroku. Later, in 588 (the 1st year of Emperor Sushun), she traveled to Baekje to become an official nun, where she received the Ten Precepts, the Six Laws, and the Full Precepts. In 590, she returned to Japan and introduced the nunnery rituals to Japan. She lived at Sakurai-dera Temple in Yamato (Nara Prefecture) and is said to have given the precepts to Zentoku (date of birth and death unknown), the daughter of Otomo no Satehiko, and Tasuna (date of birth and death unknown), who were then made to become nuns. However, doubts remain as to whether she can be called an official nun.

[Mizumaro Ishida August 21, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本最初の尼。俗名、嶋(しま)。鞍作部(くらつくりべ)の司馬達等(しばたっと)の娘。584年（敏達天皇13）、11歳（一説に17歳）のとき、蘇我馬子(そがのうまこ)が弥勒(みろく)の石像に仕える僧を求めたおり、出家して尼となった。その後、588年（崇峻天皇1）、正式の尼になるため百済(くだら)に渡り、十戒、六法、具足戒を受け、590年、帰国して尼寺の儀式を日本に移したという。大和(やまと)（奈良県）桜井寺に住して大伴狭手彦(おおとものさてひこ)の娘善徳(ぜんとく)（生没年不詳）や達等の子多須奈(たすな)（生没年不詳）らに戒を授けて出家させたと伝える。しかし正式の尼といえるかどうか、疑問が残る。

［石田瑞麿　2017年8月21日］

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