Tendai Zasu - Tendaizasu

The chief priest of Enryaku-ji Temple, which governs the Tendai sect. The first head priest was Gishin, a disciple of Saicho, who was appointed in 824 (Tencho 1). In 866 (Jogan 8), the fourth head priest, An'e, qualified him to be knowledgeable in both Shikan and Shingon (Tendai teachings and esoteric Buddhism). He was entrusted with the Enryaku-ji seal, controlled the various temples on Mount Hiei, and hosted events such as precepts, abbot's meetings, and Lotus Sutra ceremonies. Monks of the Jimon school were also appointed to the position, but from Yokei in 989 (Eizou 1), they began to resign after short periods of time, and the position ceased to exist after the Koken ceremony in 1190 (Kenkyu 1). From the end of the Heian period, the sons of regents and princes were appointed as Tendai abbots and lived in rooms at the foot of the mountain, such as Shoren-in, while their assistants, shitto and shuribetto, worked on the mountain. There are cases such as Jien and Sonen, who were appointed as Tendai abbots four times, and Gien (Ashikaga Yoshinori), who returned to secular life and became a shogun. The tradition was temporarily discontinued when Oda Nobunaga burned down Mount Hiei, but was revived, and in the Edo period, the head priest of Rinnoji Temple at Kan'ei-ji Temple sometimes served as Tendai abbot as well. In 1871 (Meiji 4), the title was changed to Tendai Shu Kancho, but was revived in 1884, and as of 2016 (Heisei 28), there have been 257 generations.

[Koji Okano January 19, 2016]

"Shibuya Jigoi (ed.), Revised and Enlarged Tendai Zasu-ki (The Records of the Tendai Zasu)" (1999, Daiichi Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

天台宗を統轄する延暦寺の住職。最澄の弟子の義真(ぎしん)が824年（天長1）に任じられたのが1世で、4世安恵(あんえ)の866年（貞観8）に、止観(しかん)・真言（天台教学と密教）の両者に通じていることが資格とされた。延暦寺印を預かり、比叡山諸院を掌握し、授戒(じゅかい)・灌頂(かんじょう)・法華会(ほっけえ)などを主催した。寺門派(じもんは)の僧も任じられたが、989年（永祚1）の余慶(よけい)からは短期間で辞任するようになり、1190年（建久1）の公顕(こうけん)を最後に途絶えた。平安末期からは摂関の子や法親王(ほっしんのう)が天台座主に就任し、青蓮院(しょうれんいん)など山下の房に住むようになり、補佐役の執当(しっとう)や修理別当(しゅりべっとう)が山上で活動した。慈円や尊円法親王のように4度も天台座主に任じられた例や、義円（足利義教(あしかがよしのり)）のように還俗して将軍になった例もある。織田信長の比叡山焼討ちで一時途絶えたが復活し、江戸時代には寛永寺の輪王寺門跡(りんのうじもんぜき)が天台座主を兼ねることもあった。1871年（明治4）に天台宗管長と改称したが、1884年に復活し、2016年（平成28）時点で257世を数える。

［岡野浩二　2016年1月19日］

『渋谷慈鎧編『校訂増補　天台座主記』（1999・第一書房）』

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