Chion-in Temple

Located in Rinka-cho, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto City, this is the head temple of the Jodo sect. Its correct name is Kachozan Chionkyoin Otani-dera. The monk Honen Genku moved his hermitage from Nishiyama Hirodani here and used it as a Nembutsu training center, and also used the old room in the west and the new room in the east as rooms for his disciples and as a training center for exclusive Nembutsu training. In 1211 (Kenryaku 1), Honen was allowed to return to Kyoto after his exile in Shikoku, but since this place had fallen into disrepair, Jien arranged for him to use Nanzen-in (Otani Zenbo) and he passed away here the following year. A shrine was built next to the temple by Shinku's disciples, but in 1227 (Ansei 1), when the monks of the temple tried to destroy it, the remains were secretly moved to Saga and cremated in Aono (Nagaokakyo City). Then Tankū built a wild goose pagoda on Mt. Ogura. Later, in 1234 (Bunreki 1), Genchi restored the sacred site of Otani and named it Chion-in Otani-ji Temple. However, it was burned down during the Onin War at the end of the Muromachi period, and after temporarily escaping to Ikadatsu, the temple was rebuilt around 1478 (Bunmei 10) by the chief priest Jurin with donations from the government and the public, and in 1488 (Chokyo 2) Shoren-in Sonno returned the temple grounds, forests, etc. to it. In 1523 (Taiei 3) there was a dispute with Chion-ji Temple, but the matter was settled with the assistance of Sonchin, and it became the head temple of the Jodo sect.

After this, the temple had many interactions with the Imperial Court and nobility, and was granted the right to wear purple robes as an imperial shrine. Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi further granted the temple land, and the temple's economic foundations were established. Tokugawa Ieyasu requested the construction of a large temple complex for the repose of his mother, Denzuin, and the temple became a magnificent-scale temple with all the halls completed. The temple also applied for the position of Miyamonzeki (head of the Imperial Palace), and continued to exist under Prince Ryojun in 1619 (Genwa 5), ​​but was abolished during the Meiji Restoration. In 1633 (Kan'ei 10), the temple was burned down, but Tokugawa Iemitsu ordered its reconstruction, and it took about eight years to complete the twice-old temple complex, and it came to occupy a vast temple grounds in the scenic Higashiyama area. After the Meiji Restoration, Kamiji fell into poverty for a time, but gradually recovered, and in 1887 (Meiji 20), the head priest of Chion-in Temple became the head of the Jodo sect.

The Sanmon Gate (National Treasure) at the entrance was built in 1621 and is the largest of the three gates still standing. The Main Hall (National Treasure) enshrines the portrait of the monk Honen and is called the Goei-do Hall. The "Wasuregasa" (forgotten umbrella) under the eaves of the Main Hall is famous. Passing through the nightingale-lined corridor from the Main Hall, there is the Daihojo and Kohojo (both designated Important Cultural Properties by the national government), which are decorated with sliding door paintings by artists of the Kano school from the early Edo period. Other attractions include the sutra storehouse (Tenrinzo) which houses a Song Dynasty edition of the Tripitaka, the Seishi-do Hall (Honjido Hall) built on the grounds where Honen passed away, and the Karamon Gate, all of which are designated Important Cultural Properties by the national government. The temple treasures include the National Treasure "Illustrated Biography of Saint Honen" (48 volumes, Kamakura period), "Amida and the Twenty-five Bodhisattvas Coming to Us" (Kamakura period, also known as "Hayaraigo"), "Bodhisattva's Womb Sutra" (Western Wei Dynasty, China), "Dairutan Sutra" (Tang Dynasty, China), and "Jogu Shotoku Ho-o Teisetsu" (Heian period), as well as many other cultural assets such as sculptures and ancient documents, making it feel like a treasure trove of the Jodo sect.

[Tamayama Narimoto]

“Chion-in History” edited by Hikozu Yabuuchi (1937, Chion-in) ▽ “Chion-in” by Yasutoshi Todo (1974, Kyoiku Shinchosha) ▽ “Chion-in” by Takeshi Umehara and Toshihiro Kishi (1977, Tankosha)”

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市東山(ひがしやま)区林下(りんか)町にある浄土宗の総本山。正しくは華頂山(かちょうざん)知恩教院大谷寺(おおたにでら)という。法然上人(ほうねんしょうにん)源空(げんくう)は西山広谷(にしやまひろだに)の庵室(あんしつ)をここに移して念仏道場とし、別に西の旧房、東の新房をもって門弟の房舎にあて専修(せんじゅ)念仏の道場としたのに始まる。1211年（建暦1）法然は四国の流罪(るざい)から入京を許されたが、ここが荒廃していたため、慈円(じえん)が南禅院（大谷禅房）を斡旋(あっせん)し、翌年ここで入寂(にゅうじゃく)した。信空らの門弟によって住坊のそばに廟堂(びょうどう)が建てられたが、1227年（安貞1）山門の衆徒により破却されようとしたため、ひそかに遺骸(いがい)を嵯峨(さが)に移し、粟生野(あおの)（長岡京市）で荼毘(だび)に付し、ついで湛空(たんくう)が小倉(おぐら)山に雁塔(がんとう)を建てたという。その後、1234年（文暦1）に源智(げんち)が大谷の霊蹟(れいせき)を復興し、知恩院大谷寺と号した。しかし室町末期の応仁(おうにん)の乱で焼失し、一時、伊香立(いかだつ)に難を避けたのち、1478年（文明10）ごろ住持珠琳(じゅりん)が朝野の奉加を得て再興し、88年（長享2）青蓮院尊応(しょうれんいんそんのう)から敷地、山林などを還付された。1523年（大永3）知恩寺との間に論争があったが、尊鎮(そんちん)の援助により落着し、浄土宗総本寺となった。

　この後、朝廷、貴族との交渉も多く、勅願所となって紫衣(しえ)を許され、さらに織田信長、豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉らにより寺領が加増されて経済的基盤も確立した。徳川家康は、生母伝通(でんずう)院の菩提(ぼだい)のため大伽藍(がらん)の建立を発願し、諸堂が完備されて壮大な規模の寺院となった。さらに宮門跡(みやもんぜき)を申請し、1619年（元和5）良純(りょうじゅん)法親王以後続いたが、明治維新で廃絶。1633年（寛永10）失火焼亡したが、徳川家光(いえみつ)が再興を命じ、前後8年を費やして倍旧の伽藍が完成、東山景勝の地に広大な寺域を占めるに至った。維新の上地で一時窮乏したが、漸次復興し、1887年（明治20）知恩院門主を浄土宗管長とするようになった。

　入口の三門（国宝）は1621年の建立で、現存する三門中最大のものである。本堂（国宝）は法然上人の御影(みえい)を祀(まつ)り御影堂とよばれる。本堂軒裏の「忘れ傘」は名高い。本堂から鶯張(うぐいすば)りの廊下を過ぎると大方丈(ほうじょう)、小方丈（ともに国指定重要文化財）があり、これらは江戸初期の狩野(かのう)派の絵師による襖絵(ふすまえ)によって飾られている。このほか宋(そう)版『大蔵経(だいぞうきょう)』を収納する経蔵（転輪蔵(てんりんぞう)）、法然入寂の地に建つ勢至(せいし)堂（本地堂）、唐門などがあり、いずれも国重要文化財に指定されている。寺宝には、国宝の『法然上人絵伝』（48巻、鎌倉時代）、『阿弥陀二十五菩薩来迎(あみだにじゅうごぼさつらいごう)図』（鎌倉時代、『早来迎(はやらいごう)』とよばれる）、『菩薩処胎経(ぼさつしょたいきょう)』（中国・西魏(せいぎ)代）、『大楼炭(だいるたん)経』（中国・唐代）、『上宮聖徳(じょうぐうしょうとく)法王帝説』（平安時代）のほか、彫刻、古文書など多くの文化財があり、浄土宗の宝庫といった感がある。

［玉山成元］

『藪内彦瑞編『知恩院史』（1937・知恩院）』▽『藤堂恭俊著『知恩院』（1974・教育新潮社）』▽『梅原猛・岸俊宏著『知恩院』（1977・淡交社）』

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