Chōgen

A Jodo sect monk in the early Kamakura period. His pen name was Shunjobo. He was the son of Kinosueshige and called himself Shigesada. In 1133 (Chōshō 2), he became a monk at Daigoji Temple and studied esoteric Buddhism. He also climbed Mount Koya and studied Pure Land Buddhism under Honen (Genku), and practiced asceticism by traversing deep mountains and secluded valleys such as Omine, Kumano, Ontake, and Katsuragi. In 1167 (Jin'an 2), he entered Song China and climbed Mount Tendai with Eisai, where he brought back statues of the Five Pure Land Patriarchs. In 1181 (Yōwa 1), he became the chief priest for the construction of Todaiji Temple, and, chanting Namu Amida Butsu, he advocated for the succession of people all over the country, and was involved in the reconstruction of Todaiji Temple after it was burned down by the Taira clan until his death on June 5, 1121 at the age of 86. During this time, he made numerous visits to Song China, and in 1191 (Kenkyu 2), he invited Honen to Todaiji Temple and gave lectures on the Three Pure Land Sutras to the scholars of the Nara sect. He also constructed temples in various places, including Amida Temple in Suo (Yamaguchi Prefecture), Jodo Temple in Harima (Hyogo Prefecture), and Shindaibutsu Temple in Iga (Mie Prefecture), and opened up Funasakayama in Bizen (Okayama Prefecture), repaired Uozumitomari in Harima, built bridges such as Watanabe Bridge and Nagara Bridge in Settsu (Osaka Prefecture), renovated Sayama Pond in Kawachi (Osaka Prefecture), and promoted public baths, thereby devoting himself to social relief efforts no less than Eison of Saidaiji Temple and Ninsho of Gokurakuji Temple.

[Notomijoten September 19, 2017]

"Compilation of Historical Materials on Shunjobo Chogen, edited by Kobayashi Tsuyoshi (1965/Reprinted in 2015, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties)" ▽ "Study of Shogen Shonin, edited and published by the Nara Buddhist Research Association (1955)" ▽ "Study of Shunjobo Chogen, written by Kobayashi Tsuyoshi (1971/Revised edition, 1980, Yurindo)" ▽ "Chogen, Eison, Ninsho, edited by Nakao Takashi and Imai Masaharu (Collection of Essays on Famous Japanese Monks, Vol. 5, 1983, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉初期の浄土宗の僧。俊乗房(しゅんじょうぼう)と号する。紀季重(きのすえしげ)の子で、重定(しげさだ)と称した。1133年（長承2）醍醐寺(だいごじ)で出家し、密教を学ぶ。また高野山(こうやさん)に登り、法然(ほうねん)（源空）に就いて浄土教を研究するとともに、大峯(おおみね)、熊野、御嶽(おんたけ)、葛城(かつらぎ)など深山幽谷を跋渉(ばっしょう)して修行した。1167年（仁安2）入宋(にっそう)、栄西(えいさい)とともに天台山に登り、浄土五祖像を請来(しょうらい)する。1181年（養和1）造東大寺大勧進(ぞうとうだいじだいかんじん)職となり、南無阿弥陀仏(なむあみだぶつ)と号し、広く諸国を勧化(かんげ)して、建永(けんえい)元年6月5日に86歳で没するまで、平氏焼討ち後の東大寺復興の造営にあたった。その間、再三にわたり入宋するとともに、1191年（建久2）には法然を東大寺に招き、南都諸宗の学匠に浄土三部経の講義を開いたという。また周防(すおう)（山口県）阿弥陀寺、播磨(はりま)（兵庫県）浄土寺、伊賀（三重県）新大仏寺をはじめ、各地に堂宇を建立するとともに、備前(びぜん)（岡山県）の船坂山を開き、播磨の魚住泊(うおずみのとまり)の修築、摂津（大阪府）渡辺橋・長柄(ながら)橋などの架橋、河内(かわち)（大阪府）狭山(さやま)池の改修、湯屋(ゆや)の勧進を行うなど、西大寺(さいだいじ)の叡尊(えいぞん)、極楽寺(ごくらくじ)の忍性(にんしょう)に劣らず社会救済事業に尽くした。

［納冨常天　2017年9月19日］

『小林剛編『俊乗房重源史料集成』（1965／復刊・2015・奈良国立文化財研究所）』▽『南都仏教研究会編・刊『重源上人の研究』（1955）』▽『小林剛著『俊乗房重源の研究』（1971／改版・1980・有隣堂）』▽『中尾堯・今井雅晴編『重源　叡尊　忍性』（『日本名僧論集　第5巻』1983・吉川弘文館）』

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