Tenkai

A Tendai Buddhist monk in the early Edo period. He was called Jigen Daishi. He was born in Aizu-Takada (Aizumisato Town), Mutsu Province (Fukushima Prefecture). His surname was Ashina. There are various theories about his birth year, but Tsuji Zennosuke, in his History of Japanese Buddhism, relies on the theory that he was born in 1632 (Kan'ei 9) at the age of 97, as recorded in the record of the memorial service for the Lotus Sutra at the Yakushido Hall of Nikko Toshogu Shrine (Kousuke no Sukune Nisshiki), and the more likely theory is that he was born in 1536 (Tenbun 5). Tenkai studied under Shunkai, the head priest of the Inarido Hall of Aizu-Takada, and later traveled from Kanto to Mount Hiei to study the doctrines of Tendai Buddhism. He later became the head priest of the Inari temple in his hometown, and in 1577 (Tensho 5) he received the Tendai Esoteric Buddhism Yojo school from Shungo at Choraku-ji Temple in Serada, Kozuke Province (Gunma Prefecture), and entered Kita-in Temple in Kawagoe, Musashi Province (Saitama Prefecture) in 1582. In 1604 (Keicho 9), he moved to Soko-ji Temple in Shimotsuke Province (Tochigi Prefecture). In 1607, he became the chief priest of Nanko-bo Toto on Mount Hiei, where he taught the Tendai Esoteric Buddhism Homan school, and held various positions including lecturer at the Imperial Court and Ryugi Tandai. Around 1612, he became acquainted with Tokugawa Ieyasu, and accompanied him to Sunpu (Shizuoka City), where they held discussions and memorial services. He passed on the teachings of Tendai to Ieyasu, who had won the Summer Siege of Osaka, and taught him Sanno Ichijitsu Shinto. As a result, after Ieyasu's death, he was given the divine title of Tosho Daigongen and enshrined at Mount Nikko. He protected the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, and in 1622 (Genwa 8), he was given land in Ueno, Edo, where he founded Kan'ei-ji Temple. It is said that the third shogun, Iemitsu, also converted to Tenkai. Tenkai and his disciple Kokai (1607-1695) published the Tenkai edition of the Buddhist canon (Issaikyo), and organized the Tendai sect's classics that had been scattered during the war, forming the Tenkaizo. He also frequently lectured on sutras and offered prayers for the Tokugawa family, and had such an influence on government affairs that he was called the "Black-robed Prime Minister." He passed away on October 2, 1627, at the age of 108.

[Kiuchi Akio September 19, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸前期の天台宗の僧。慈眼(じげん)大師と号する。陸奥(むつ)国（福島県）会津高田（会津美里(あいづみさと)町）に生まれる。姓は蘆名(あしな)氏。生年には各説があるが、辻善之助(つじぜんのすけ)は『日本仏教史』で、日光東照宮薬師堂法華(ほっけ)万部供養の記録（『孝亮宿禰日次記』）の、1632年（寛永9）97歳説をよりどころとしており、1536年（天文5）説が有力。天海は会津高田稲荷堂(いなりどう)別当(べっとう)の舜海(しゅんかい)に師事し、のち関東から比叡山(ひえいざん)へ遊学して天台宗の教義を修めた。のち故郷の稲荷堂別当となり、1577年（天正5）上野(こうずけ)国（群馬県）世良田(せらだ)長楽寺において春豪(しゅんごう)から天台密教葉上(ようじょう)流を受け、1582年武蔵(むさし)（埼玉県）川越(かわごえ)喜多院(きたいん)に入寺。1604年（慶長9）下野(しもつけ)国（栃木県）宗光寺に移る。1607年比叡山東塔南光坊住持となり、天台密教法曼(ほうまん)流を伝え、宮中講師、広学竪義探題(りゅうぎたんだい)などを歴任。1612年ごろ徳川家康(とくがわいえやす)と交わりをもち、駿府(すんぷ)（静岡市）に随従して、論議・法要などを営んだ。大坂夏の陣で勝った家康に天台の法門を伝え、山王一実神道(さんのういちじつしんとう)を伝え、それによって家康没後、東照大権現(だいごんげん)の神号を呈し、日光山に奉安したといわれる。2代将軍徳川秀忠(ひでただ)を庇護(ひご)し、1622年（元和8）江戸府内上野の地を寄せられ、ここに寛永寺を創した。3代家光(いえみつ)もまた天海に帰依(きえ)したという。天海は弟子公海（1607―1695）と天海版一切経(いっさいきょう)を開板したり、兵火で散逸していた天台宗の典籍を収集整理し天海蔵を組織した。そのほか、もっぱら徳川家のために講経祈祷(きとう)を重ね、また、黒衣宰相と称せられるような政務への影響力もあった。寛永(かんえい)20年10月2日寂。108歳であった。

［木内曉央　2017年9月19日］

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