Outline of the Eight Sects - Hasshu Koyo

A two-volume general treatise on Buddhism. Written by Gyonen (1240-1321), a Japanese Kegon Buddhist scholar of Todaiji Temple, at the age of 29. It is still widely read today as a comprehensive overview of all Buddhism, including Mahayana and Esoteric Buddhism, spanning India, China, and Japan. The eight schools are Kusha, Jojitsu, Ritsu, Hosso, Sanron, Kegon, Tendai, and Shingon, and the book provides an overview of their names, origins, and teachings. Of these, Kusha, Jojitsu, Ritsu, Hosso, Sanron, and Kegon are the Nara Six Schools. Two schools of Heian Buddhism, the Tendai school led by Saicho and the Shingon school led by Kukai, are added. Historically, the Kusha was considered an appendix to Hosso and Jojitsu was considered an appendix to Sanron, and they were studied together as basic studies and were not independent sects. At the end, there is a brief note about Zen Buddhism and Jodo Buddhism, but it is noteworthy that the Jodo and Zen sects that were popular at the time did not have a strong awareness of 'gyozen'.

[Ryo Ikeda]

"Hachishu Koyo (Outline of the Eight Sects)" translated and annotated by Akira Hirakawa (1980, Okura Shuppan)" ▽ "Hachishu Koyo (Outline of the Eight Sects)" translated and annotated by Shigeo Kamata (Kodansha Academic Library)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

仏教の概論書。2巻。日本華厳(けごん)宗の学僧、東大寺の凝然(ぎょうねん)（1240―1321）の29歳のときの著。インド、中国、日本の三国にわたる、大小乗、密教に及ぶ全仏教を網羅する概説書として、今日でも一般に広く読まれている。八宗とは、倶舎(くしゃ)宗、成実(じょうじつ)宗、律(りつ)宗、法相(ほっそう)宗、三論(さんろん)宗、華厳(けごん)宗、天台宗、真言(しんごん)宗で、それら八宗の宗名、成立、教説を概説する。うち、倶舎、成実、律、法相、三論、華厳は南都六宗である。これに、平安仏教の、最澄(さいちょう)の天台宗と、空海の真言宗の二宗を加えている。歴史的には倶舎は法相の、成実は三論の付宗とされ、基礎学として併修され独立した宗ではなかった。最後に禅宗、浄土宗についての簡単な付記があるが、当時盛行した浄土宗や禅宗が凝然の意識に大きくなかったことは注目すべきである。

［池田魯參］

『平川彰訳注『八宗綱要』上下（1980・大蔵出版）』▽『鎌田茂雄訳注『八宗綱要』（講談社学術文庫）』

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