Chionji Temple

This is a Jodo sect temple in Tanakamonzencho, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. It is commonly known as Hyakumanben. It is one of the main temples of the Jodo sect and is called Chotokuzan Kudokuin. The principal image is Shakamuni Buddha. It was originally located in Kamogawara, Kitakoji, Imadegawa (the current site of Shokokuji Temple), and was the shrine temple of Kamigamo Shrine. Honen (Genku) lived there as a hermitage and called it Kawara-in Jinguji Temple, but after Honen's death, Seikanbo Genchi took over the temple, built Honen's Miei Hall, and named it Chion-ji Temple. In 1331 (Ganko 1/Gantoku 3), when an epidemic broke out, the 8th abbot, Zen'akuen, received an imperial order from Emperor Godaigo to perform Hyakumanben Nembutsu chanting at the Imperial Court, which proved to be extremely effective in stopping the epidemic, and the temple was subsequently given the title of "Hyakumanben" and became a place of imperial prayer. In 1382 (Eitoku 2), when Ashikaga Yoshimitsu built Shokoku-ji Temple, the temple was moved to Ichijo-dori Aburakoji, but it was destroyed by fire many times thereafter, and in 1662 (Kanbun 2), it was moved to its current location, and was restored under the patronage of the 4th shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna. The temple has many treasures, including the colored silk painting ``Gama Tekkaizu'' by Yan Huang from the Yuan dynasty in China (a nationally important cultural property), and also has a large rosary that wraps around the entire main hall.

[Toshiaki Hirai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市左京区田中門前町にある浄土宗の寺。百万遍(ひゃくまんべん)の通称で知られる。浄土宗大本山の一つで、長徳山功徳院(ちょうとくざんくどくいん)と号する。本尊は釈迦牟尼(しゃかむに)仏。もと今出川北小路賀茂河原(かもがわら)（現在の相国寺(しょうこくじ)の地）にあり、上賀茂(かみがも)神社の神宮寺であったという。法然(ほうねん)（源空）が庵居(あんきょ)して河原院神宮寺と称したが、法然の寂後、勢観房源智(せいかんぼうげんち)がこれを受け継ぎ、法然の御影(みえい)堂を建立して知恩寺と名づけた。1331年（元弘1・元徳3）疫病が流行したとき、第8世善阿空円が後醍醐(ごだいご)天皇の勅命を受け、宮中で百万遍念仏を修したところ、みごと効験あって疫病がやんだので、以後「百万遍」の号を賜り勅願所となった。1382年（永徳2）足利義満(あしかがよしみつ)が相国寺を建立するに及んで一条通油小路(あぶらこうじ)に移転したが、その後たびたび戦火にあい、1662年（寛文2）現在地に移り、4代将軍徳川家綱(いえつな)の外護(げご)で復興した。中国元(げん)代の顔輝(がんき)筆絹本着色『蝦蟇鉄拐図(がまてっかいず)』（国重要文化財）など什宝(じゅうほう)多く、本堂一周の大念珠もある。

［平井俊榮］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例