Hasedera Temple

Japanese: 長谷寺 - はせでら

The head temple of the Tozan sect of Shingon Buddhism, located in Hatsuse, Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture. It is called Tozan Kagura-in, and is also known as Hatsuse-ji Temple and Hatsuse-ji Temple. It is also called Chokoku-ji Temple. During the reign of Emperor Tenmu, Domyo Kofukuji moved the pagoda that had been enshrined on the northern peak to Nishidani and built a three-story pagoda and a Shakado hall (Hon-Hasedera Temple). Later, in 720, Tokudo Shonin moved a sacred camphor tree from Miomaeyama in Omi to the eastern peak and began construction of a 6.5-foot tall eleven-faced Kannon statue. He built a temple and held a consecration ceremony for the statue in 733, with Gyoki as the chief priest (Go-Hasedera Temple). Since then, it has flourished as a sacred site for Kannon, and its miraculous powers have been heard even overseas. The temple fell into a temporary decline, but in 1587, Myoen-in Senyo, who was fleeing Toyotomi Hideyoshi's attack on Negoro, entered the temple, moved Myoen-in to Koikefusa Chusei-in, and changed the Hosso sect to Shingon sect. The temple flourished thereafter, placing particular emphasis on scholarship, and during the time of the 32nd head priest, Hoju, it produced such brilliant scholars as Kaido and Kaijo, whose Shisōgaku (critical study of the Buddhist teachings of the Bodhisattva and Yogacara) was all the rage, and this critical spirit was passed on to modern Buddhist studies in the Meiji period and after. It is famous as the 8th temple of the Thirty-Three Temples of the Western Provinces, and as a famous spot for peonies. It houses many scriptures designated as national treasures. In 2004, the main hall was designated a national treasure.

Hasedera Temple

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Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

奈良県桜井市初瀬にある新義真言宗豊山派の総本山。豊山神楽院と号し，別名初瀬寺，泊瀬 (はつせ) 寺。また「ちょうこくじ」ともいう。天武天皇の頃，弘福寺道明が北峰にまつられていた宝塔を西谷に移して三重塔と釈迦堂を建立し (本長谷寺) ，のち養老4 (720) 年徳道上人が近江三尾前山よりクスの霊木を東峰に移して2丈6尺の十一面観音の造立に着手し，堂宇を建てて，天平5 (733) 年に行基を導師として開眼供養した (後長谷寺) 。以後観音霊場として栄え，その霊験は海外にも聞えた。一時衰微したが，豊臣秀吉の根来攻めを避けた妙音院専誉が天正 15 (1587) 年当寺に入り，妙音院を移して小池房中性院とし，法相宗を改めて新義真言宗とした。以後寺運は栄え，特に学問を重視して，32世法住の時代には快道，戒定らの俊才を輩出して，その性相学 (倶舎，唯識の批判的研究) は一世を風靡し，その批判精神は明治以後の近代仏教学へと伝えられた。西国三十三所の第8番札所として，またボタンの名所として有名。国宝指定の経典を多数蔵する。 2004年本堂が国宝に指定された。