Toshodaiji Temple

Japanese: 唐招提寺 - とうしょうだいじ

The head temple of the Ritsu sect, located in Gojo-cho, Nara City. The principal image is Vairocana Buddha. In 756 (Tenpyo Shoho 8), the Chinese monk Kakai Daishi Ganjin Wajo, who came to Japan at the request of the retired emperors Shomu and Koken, inherited the former residence of Prince Niitabe and built the temple. He established an ordination platform and made it the main training center for the Ritsu sect. Originally, it was called Toritsshodaiji, Toji, Ritsuji, etc., and was counted as one of the 15 great temples of the Engishiki and one of the Seven Great Temples of Nara. In 759 (Tenpyo Hoji 3), the temple was bestowed with the imperial plaque of "Toshodaiji Temple." The imperial text read, "Shodai is the main temple of the temples and the home of the monks of the ten directions, the root temple of the seven temples in Japan, and was therefore called Toshodaiji Temple." It took the meaning of a four-direction monk's quarter and made it the root of the various temples. After that, the emperor, empress and all the other officials received the precepts here, and the temple was deeply devoted. They had the temple read the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra and the Golden Light Sutra, and it was even called Toshodaiji Temple, the temple that protects the nation and teaches the Golden Light. Toshodaiji Temple, which had flourished along with the dynasty, eventually lost its influence, and by the end of the Heian period it had become a branch temple of Kofuku-ji Temple (Hosso sect). Later, during the Katei era (1235-1238), the monk Kakujo Shonin became the first head priest to revive the temple, restored the precepts and improved the temple grounds, but the temple once again fell into decline due to the civil wars of the Warring States period and destruction caused by earthquakes. During the Edo period, the temple underwent extensive repairs thanks to the devotion of the 5th Tokugawa Shogun Tsunayoshi and his birth mother Keishoin. In 1900 (Meiji 33), the temple became independent and became the head temple of the Ritsu sect.

[Michio Sato]

Cultural Assets

The Main Hall, Lecture Hall, Sutra Repository and Treasure House are from the Nara period, while the Drum Tower is from the Kamakura period. Although each has been repaired many times, they still retain their original appearance well and are designated National Treasures. The Main Hall is said to have been built by Nyoho (?-815), a disciple of Ganjin. It is a single-story hipped roof structure with seven bays at the front and four on the sides, with the front bay having a streamer style roof supported by thick entasis pillars. Of the ridgepole trim at the east and west ends of the ridge, the one on the western side dates back to the time of construction. Inside the hall are the principal image, Vairocana Buddha, as well as standing statues of Medicine Buddha, Thousand-Armed Kannon, Bonten, Taishakuten and the Four Heavenly Kings (all from the Nara period and national treasures). The lecture hall is said to have been relocated from the Eastern Assembly Hall of Heijo-kyo, and is the only remaining palace building from the Tenpyo period. The seated statue of Monk Ganjin (Nara period, National Treasure) that was originally in the Kaisan-do Hall is now enshrined in the Mie-do Hall of the former Ichijo-in Shinden Hall (a National Important Cultural Property), which was relocated in 1964 (Showa 39). The statue is made of dry lacquer, and is famous as one of the greatest masterpieces of Japanese portrait sculpture and the oldest surviving piece, along with the statue of Sozu Gyoshin in the Yumedono Hall of Horyuji Temple. In addition, the temple houses many cultural assets, including a wooden statue of Daihibosatsu (a statue of Reverend Kakusho), five colored paper scrolls of the Tosei picture scroll, a colored silk statue of Daiitoku Myoo, and a colored silk statue of the Sixteen Arhats (all of which are Important Cultural Properties), a relic container (national treasure) for storing the ashes brought by Ganjin from the Tang Dynasty, and six wooden standing statues of Jikokuten, Zochoten, and Yakushi Nyorai, all of which are collectively designated as national treasures. There is also a three-tiered stone ordination platform on the west side of the temple grounds. There used to be a covered hall, but it burned down during the Kaei era (1848-1854), and now a pagoda built in 1980 (Showa 55) stands on the ordination platform. Toshodaiji Temple was registered as a World Heritage Site in 1998 (Heisei 10). (World Heritage Site. Nara's cultural properties include eight shrines and temples, including Todaiji Temple.)

The "uchiwa-maki" fan festival held at the Drum Tower on May 19th is well known.

[Michio Sato]

"Toshodaiji Temple" by Ando Sarao (Art and Culture Series 74, 1963, Chuokoron-Bijutsu Publishing)" ▽ "Toshodaiji Temple" by Tokuda Akimoto (1973, Gakuseisha)" ▽ "Ancient Temple Pilgrimage: Nara 9 Toshodaiji Temple" (1979, Tankosha)" ▽ "Toshodaiji Temple" by Asai Kazuharu (Treasures of Japanese Art 7, 1980, Shogakukan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

奈良市五条町にある律宗総本山。本尊は盧舎那仏(るしゃなぶつ)。756年（天平勝宝8）、聖武(しょうむ)・孝謙(こうけん)両上皇の勅願により来朝した唐僧過海(かかい)大師鑑真和上(がんじんわじょう)が新田部(にいたべ)親王の旧宅を譲り受けて建立した寺で、戒壇(かいだん)を設け律宗の根本道場とした。初めは唐律招提寺(とうりつしょうだいじ)、唐寺(とうじ)、律寺などと称され、延喜(えんぎ)式十五大寺、南都七大寺の一つに数えられた。759年（天平宝字3）「唐招提寺」の勅額が下賜されたが、その勅文には、「招提是諸寺本寺十方僧依所、日域七衆根本寺、故號唐招提寺」とあり、四方僧坊の義をとり、諸寺の根本とした。以後、天皇・皇后以下百官も皆ここで受戒し、帰依(きえ)も厚かった。『大般若経(だいはんにゃきょう)』『金光明(こんこうみょう)経』を読ませ、鎮護国家金光明建初律唐招提寺と号したこともあった。王朝とともに隆盛を極めていた唐招提寺はやがて勢力を失い、平安末期には興福寺（法相(ほっそう)宗）の末寺となった。その後、嘉禎(かてい)年間（1235～1238）覚盛上人(かくじょうしょうにん)が中興第1世となって戒律を復興し寺域を整えたが、ふたたび戦国の兵乱、地震による倒壊などで衰えた。江戸時代に徳川5代将軍綱吉(つなよし)、その生母桂昌院(けいしょういん)らの帰依により大規模な修理がなされた。1900年（明治33）独立して律宗総本山となる。

［里道徳雄］

文化財

金堂、講堂、経蔵・宝蔵は奈良時代、鼓楼(ころう)は鎌倉時代の建物で、おのおのたびたび修補を経ているが、創建当初の姿をよく伝え、国宝に指定されている。金堂は鑑真の弟子如宝(にょほう)（？―815）の建立と伝える。正面7間、側面4間の単層寄棟(よせむね)造で、前面の1間は吹流しの形式をとり、太いエンタシスの柱が屋根を支える。大棟(おおむね)東西端の鴟尾(しび)のうち西側のものは創建当初のもの。堂内には本尊盧舎那仏像をはじめ、薬師如来(にょらい)、千手観音(せんじゅかんのん)、梵天(ぼんてん)・帝釈天(たいしゃくてん)、四天王の立像（いずれも奈良時代、国宝）を安置している。講堂は平城京の東朝集殿(ひがしちょうしゅうでん)を移築したものといい、天平(てんぴょう)の宮殿建築の唯一の遺構。もと開山堂にあった鑑真和上坐像(ざぞう)（奈良時代、国宝）は、1964年（昭和39）移建された旧一乗院宸殿(しんでん)（国重要文化財）の御影堂(みえいどう)に安置されている。像は脱乾漆造で、法隆寺夢殿の行信僧都(ぎょうしんそうず)の像とともに日本の肖像彫刻中の最高傑作、最古の遺品として名高い。そのほか、木造大悲菩薩(だいひぼさつ)像（覚盛上人像）、紙本着色東征(とうせい)絵巻5巻、絹本着色大威徳明王(だいいとくみょうおう)像、絹本着色十六羅漢(らかん)像（以上、重文）、鑑真が唐より将来した舎利を納める舎利容器1具（国宝）、持国天、増長天、薬師如来など6体の木造立像(りゅうぞう)がまとめて1件の国宝とされるなど、多くの文化財を蔵している。また境内の西に石造3段の戒壇がある。もと覆堂があったが、嘉永(かえい)年間（1848～1854）に焼失、現在は戒壇上に1980年（昭和55）建造の宝塔が建つ。唐招提寺は1998年（平成10）、世界遺産の文化遺産として登録された（世界文化遺産。奈良の文化財は東大寺など8社寺等が一括登録されている）。

　なお、5月19日に鼓楼で行われる「うちわまき」はよく知られている。

［里道徳雄］

『安藤更生著「唐招提寺」（『美術文化シリーズ 74』1963・中央公論美術出版）』▽『徳田明本著『唐招提寺』（1973・学生社）』▽『『古寺巡礼　奈良 9　唐招提寺』（1979・淡交社）』▽『浅井和春著「唐招提寺」（『名宝日本の美術 7』1980・小学館）』

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

<<: Tojo School - Tojo

>>: Tao Jingsun - Toshoson