Honen-in Temple

An independent temple (formerly the head temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhism, Shase school) located in Gosho-no-dan-cho, Shishigatani, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City. It was originally called Zenkizan Manmu-ji Temple, but is now called Shishigatani Honen-in Temple. The principal image is Amida Nyorai. Around 1206 (Ken'ei 1), Honen (Genku) performed Rokuji Raisan with his disciples Juren and Anraku. However, two court ladies who attended the ceremony, Suzumushi and Matsumushi, decided to become Buddhist monks, which angered the retired Emperor Gotoba, who exiled Honen to Shikoku and executed two of his disciples. The former site of their Nembutsu training was named Honen-in Temple. It was abandoned for a long time after that, but in 1680 (Enpo 8), the 38th abbot of Chion-in, Banmu, asked Tokugawa Ietsuna to revive it, and the following year, he and his disciple Nincho built a temple at the current location. Nincho, who succeeded as the second abbot, began chanting the Nembutsu (a Buddhist prayer) every day, a practice that continues to this day. In 1703 (Genroku 16), with the support of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's mother, Keishoin, and others, it became an official temple. It is the 19th temple of the 25 sacred sites of Saint Honen. The abbot's chamber is the remains of the residence of Princess Seishi, daughter of Emperor Gosai, and the sliding door paintings (such as "Paulownia Tree and Bamboo" and "Young Pine Tree") have been designated as Important Cultural Properties of Japan. The temple grounds cemetery contains the graves of many famous people, including Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and Hajime Kawakami.

[Koji Shimizu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市左京区鹿ヶ谷(ししがたに)御所ノ段(ごしょのだん)町にある単立寺院（もと浄土宗捨世(しゃせ)派本山）。善気山万無(ぜんきざんまんむ)寺と号するが、現在、本山獅子谷(ししがたに)法然院と称する。本尊は阿弥陀如来(あみだにょらい)。1206年（建永1）ごろ、法然（源空）は弟子の住蓮(じゅうれん)、安楽(あんらく)とともに六時礼讃(らいさん)を修した。ところがこの法会(ほうえ)に加わっていた宮中の女官鈴虫(すずむし)・松虫などが道心を発して出家したため、後鳥羽(ごとば)上皇の怒りに触れ、法然は四国へ流され、弟子2人は死刑に処せられたという。その念仏修行の旧跡を法然院といった。その後長く廃絶していたが、1680年（延宝8）知恩(ちおん)院第38世万無は徳川家綱(いえつな)にその再興を請い、弟子忍澂(にんちょう)とともに、翌年、現在の地に堂宇を建てた。第2世を継いだ忍澂は不断念仏(ふだんねんぶつ)を始め、現在に及んでいる。1703年（元禄16）徳川綱吉(つなよし)の母桂昌院(けいしょういん)などの援助により官寺となる。法然上人(しょうにん)二五霊場の第19番札所。方丈は後西(ごさい)天皇皇女誠子内親王の御座所の遺構で、襖絵(ふすまえ)（「桐(きり)に竹図」「若松図」など）が国重要文化財に指定されている。境内墓地には谷崎潤一郎、河上肇(はじめ)など著名人の墓が多い。

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