Akishino-dera Temple

This independent temple is located in Akishino-cho, Nara City, 1.2 km northwest of Yamato-Saidaiji Station on the Kintetsu Railway. It is said that Zenju, a monk, founded the temple in 780 (Hōki 11) at the request of Emperors Kōnin and Kanmu. The temple received 100 imperial grants and developed into a large temple with 1,000 monks' quarters, centered around Zenju, who was well versed in the studies of Hosso and Inmyo, and was known as Gakumon-ji Temple, also known as Saidai-ji Temple. The eight foundation stones remaining in the thicket on the west side of the temple are the remains of the five-story eastern pagoda, and they give a glimpse of the temple's former might. After the capital was moved to Kyoto, the temple fell into decline, and was burned down several times since 1135 (Hōen 1), leaving only the lecture hall (the current main hall) remaining. When it was first built it was a Hosso sect temple, but in 834 (Jowa 1) it converted to the Daigoji branch of the Shingon sect, and in the early modern period it became the Seizan branch of the Jodo sect, and is now an independent temple.

The main hall (a national treasure) still boasts the elegant structure it had when it was first built, but repairs made in the Kamakura period left it in the form of a single-story, four-bay, five-bay Kondo structure with a four-walled roof and tiled roof. The temple is home to the sacred well of the Koshu-kaku Pavilion, named after the legend that the monk Jogyo Daitoku, who traveled to China, appeared to Daigensui Myoo, and is a place of enduring faith for the common people. Despite the damage caused by the disaster, the temple has many excellent statues, including the standing statue of Gigeiten, which is known for its beautiful appearance, as well as other excellent pieces such as the standing statue of Bonten, the standing statue of Taishakuten, and the standing statue of the Eleven-Headed Kannon (all of which are important cultural properties of the country).

[Michio Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良市秋篠町、近畿日本鉄道大和西大寺駅の北西1.2キロメートルにある単立寺院。780年（宝亀11）光仁(こうにん)、桓武(かんむ)両天皇の勅願によって、善珠(ぜんじゅ)僧正が開基したと伝える。勅封100戸を受けたこの寺は、法相(ほっそう)、因明(いんみょう)の学に通じた善珠を中心として僧房1000を数える大寺に発展し、西大寺と併称される学門寺であった。寺の西側茂みに残る8個の礎石は五重塔の東塔遺跡であり、その往時の勢威がしのばれる。京都遷都後は衰微し、あまつさえ1135年（保延1）以来数度の兵火にかかって、わずかに講堂（現在の本堂）を残すのみとなった。創建当初は法相宗であったが、834年（承和1）真言宗醍醐寺(だいごじ)派に転じ、さらに近世には浄土宗西山派となり、現在は単立寺院となっている。

　本堂（国宝）は創建当初の優美な結構を誇っているが、鎌倉時代の修理によって、桁行(けたゆき)5間、梁間(はりま)4間、単層、四注造(しちゅうづくり)本瓦葺(ほんかわらぶ)きの金堂造となっている。入唐(にっとう)僧常暁(じょうぎょう)大徳が大元帥明王(だいげんすいみょうおう)を示現したという故事にちなむ霊井の香水閣があり、庶民の絶えざる信仰を得ている。本寺には、罹災(りさい)にもかかわらず優れた尊像が多く残され、わけても伎芸天立像は美しい姿で知られ、ほかにも梵天(ぼんてん)立像、帝釈天(たいしゃくてん)立像、十一面観音立像（いずれも国の重要文化財）などの優品がある。

［里道徳雄］

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