Buttsuji Temple

Located in Motoyama, Takasaka-cho, Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, this is the head temple of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism. It is called Mimoto-san. The principal image is Shaka Nyorai. In 1397 (Oei 4), Kobayakawa Mimasaka-no-kami Shunpei, the lord of Numata Castle, established the temple with Guchu Shugyu, a disciple of Muso Soseki, as its founder. Shugyu traveled to the Yuan Dynasty and studied under Sokukyu Kairyo of Kinzan-ji Temple. Since his teacher's title was Buttsu Daitoku, he named the temple Buttsu-ji, and appointed Sokukyu as the first abbot and founder, and himself as the second abbot. During the Muromachi period, the temple was called Prayer Gokokuji Temple after receiving the patronage of the Ashikaga Shogunate, and flourished under the patronage of the Kobayakawa clan and the Akishu Asano clan, with 3,000 branch temples and its buildings and pagodas frequently renovated. In 1905 (Meiji 38), it became an independent head temple with about 50 branch temples. The Shaka Nyorai statue, the temple's principal image, was originally made by the founder, Shukyo. The Jizo Hall at Ganki-in Temple, the site of Guchu Shukyo's pagoda, and the colored silk statue of Zen Master Daido are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The temple is home to the founder's hall, Shigetsyuan, where Sesshu is said to have lived, and a garden said to have been created by Sesshu.

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

広島県三原(みはら)市高坂(たかさか)町許山(もとやま)にある臨済(りんざい)宗仏通寺派の本山。御許(みもと)山と号する。本尊は釈迦如来(しゃかにょらい)。1397年（応永4）沼田(ぬた)城主の小早川美作守(こばやかわみまさかのかみ)春平が、夢窓疎石(むそうそせき)の弟子愚中周及(ぐちゅうしゅうぎゅう)を開山として開創した。周及は元(げん)に渡って金山寺の即休契了(そくきゅうかいりょう)に師事し、師の号が仏通大徳であったところから仏通寺と名づけ、即休を勧請(かんじょう)開山として第1世とし、自身は第2世と称した。室町時代、足利(あしかが)幕府の帰依(きえ)を受けて祈願護国寺と称し、小早川氏、芸州浅野氏の外護(げご)によって栄え、末寺3000寺を数え、堂塔はたびたび改修された。1905年（明治38）末寺約50か寺をもつ独立の本山となった。本尊の釈迦如来像は開山の周及が元から将来したもの。愚中周及の塔所含暉(がんき)院地蔵堂、絹本着色大通禅師像は国重要文化財。開山堂、雪舟(せっしゅう)が寓居(ぐうきょ)したと伝える篩月庵(しげつあん)、雪舟作と伝える庭園などがある。

［菅沼　晃］

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