Myoshinji Temple

Located in Myoshinji-cho, Hanazono, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto City, this temple is the head temple of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism. Its mountain name is Shohozan, and its principal image is Shaka Nyorai. It was originally built as a villa for Emperor Hanazono, and was called Hagiwara-dono. After abdicating, Emperor Hanazono converted the villa into a Zen temple in 1342 (Kokoku 3, Koei 1), and invited Kanzan Egen from Ibuka Village in Mino (Gifu Prefecture) to be its founder. There are various theories about the year of its founding. The retired emperor then moved into the temple, establishing Gyokuho-in Temple, where he studied Zen with Kanzan Egen day and night. During the Oei War (1399), the abbot, Setsudo Soboku, was accused of supporting Ouchi Yoshihiro and so Ashikaga Yoshimitsu confiscated the temple's land, which led to the temple being temporarily placed under the management of Nanzenji Tokuun-in. Under the seventh abbot, Nippō Soshun, the temple regained its independence, greatly educating the students and restoring the ruined temples and pagodas, but was once again reduced to obscurity by fire during the Onin War (1467-1477). In 1477 (Bunmei 9), the ninth abbot, Sekkō Soshin (1408-1486), rebuilt the temple following an imperial decree from Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado, becoming the founder of the temple's revival. Four philosophical figures emerged from the temple: Tokuho Zenketsu (Reiun school), Toyo Eichou (Shotaku school), Gokei Soton (Tokai school), and Keisen Soryu (Ryusen school). After each of them established a temple, the temple flourished greatly. With the patronage of feudal lords such as Oda, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa, the temple buildings were restored to their original state, and although it was one of the five mountains and ten temples, it came to occupy the top position among the various Rinzai schools. Although Myoshinji had a long rivalry with Daitokuji, which was also of the Rinzai sect, even after the Edo period, Myoshinji produced many brilliant scholars for generations. In particular, in the late early modern period, Hakuin Ekaku emerged from the Myoshinji school and became the mainstream of the Rinzai sect.

The temple grounds are vast and the garden is excellent. Of the 20-odd buildings, the main structures were built in the Momoyama period, and many of the Chinese-style structures are in the Imperial Envoy Gate, Mountain Gate, Buddha Hall, Lecture Hall, and Sleeping Hall (all of which are Important Cultural Properties of Japan). The paintings on the sliding doors of the abbot's chamber were done by Kano Tan'yu and Masunobu, and the garden is a nationally designated Place of Scenic Beauty and Historic Site. There are also many other treasures, including the oldest temple bell in Japan (a bell in the Oujiki style, a national treasure), calligraphy by Daito Kokushi (national treasure), ink paintings by the Kaiho school, and portraits. There are 48 sub-temples, including Taizoin, Reiunin, Keishun-in, Tokai-an, Gyokuhoin, Shunkoin, Shunpo-in, and Tenkyuin, and there are approximately 3,500 branch temples, including Zuigan-ji (Miyagi Prefecture) and Hirabayashi-ji (Saitama Prefecture).

[Toshiaki Hirai]

"Ancient Temple Pilgrimage: Kyoto 10: Myoshinji Temple" (1977, Tankosha)" ▽ "Myoshinji Temple" by Ogisu Jundo (1977, Toyo Bunkasha)" ▽ "History of Myoshinji Temple" by Kawakami Kozan (1975, Shibunkaku Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

京都市右京区花園(はなぞの)妙心寺町にある臨済(りんざい)宗妙心寺派の大本山。山号は正法山(しょうほうざん)。本尊は釈迦如来(しゃかにょらい)。もと花園天皇の離宮として造営され、萩原殿(はぎわらどの)と称した。花園天皇は退位ののち、1342年（興国3・康永1）に離宮を改めて禅寺とし、美濃(みの)（岐阜県）伊深(いぶか)の里から関山慧玄(かんざんえげん)を招いて開山とした。創建年については諸説ある。さらに上皇は寺内に玉鳳(ぎょくほう)院を営んで移り住み、日夜、関山慧玄について参禅された。応永(おうえい)の乱（1399）の際に住持拙堂宗朴(せつどうそうぼく)が大内義弘(よしひろ)に加担したということで、足利義満がその寺領を没収したため、一時、南禅寺徳雲院の管理下に置かれることになった。第7世日峰宗舜(にっぽうそうしゅん)のときふたたび独立し、学徒を大いに教化し、荒廃した諸堂塔を復興したが、応仁(おうにん)の乱（1467～1477）の兵火でまたも烏有(うゆう)に帰した。1477年（文明9）第9世雪江宗深(せっこうそうしん)（1408―1486）が後土御門(ごつちみかど)天皇の綸旨(りんじ)を奉じて再興し、中興の祖となった。その門下に特芳禅傑(とくほうぜんけつ)（霊雲派）、東陽英朝(とうようえいちょう)（聖沢(しょうたく)派）、悟渓宗頓(ごけいそうとん)（東海派）、景川宗隆(けいせんそうりゅう)（竜泉派）の四哲が出、それぞれ一院を開いて以降、寺門は大いに興隆する。また織田、豊臣、徳川をはじめとする諸大名の外護(げご)により伽藍(がらん)も旧に復し、五山十刹(じっせつ)のほかではあったが、臨済宗諸派の第一位を占めるまでに至った。同じ臨済宗の大徳寺とは江戸時代以後も長く争ったが、妙心寺には代々俊秀が輩出した。とくに近世後期に入って妙心寺派から白隠慧鶴(えかく)が出て、臨済宗の主流となった。

　寺域は広大で庭園も優れ、堂舎二十数宇のうち、主要な建造物は桃山建築で、勅使門、山門、仏殿、法堂(はっとう)、寝堂（いずれも国重要文化財）など多くは唐様(からよう)である。方丈の襖(ふすま)絵は狩野探幽(かのうたんゆう)・益信(ますのぶ)の筆になり、庭園は国の名勝・史跡。そのほか日本最古の梵鐘(ぼんしょう)（黄鐘調(おうじきちょう)の鐘、国宝）、大燈(だいとう)国師墨蹟(ぼくせき)（国宝）や海北(かいほう)派の水墨画、頂相(ちんそう)など什宝(じゅうほう)も多い。塔頭(たっちゅう)は退蔵院、霊雲院、桂春(けいしゅん)院、東海庵(あん)、玉鳳院、春光院、春浦(しゅんぽう)院、天球院など48院を数え、末寺に至っては瑞巌(ずいがん)寺（宮城県）、平林(へいりん)寺（埼玉県）以下約3500か寺を擁する。

［平井俊榮］

『『古寺巡礼　京都10　妙心寺』（1977・淡交社）』▽『荻須純道著『妙心寺』（1977・東洋文化社）』▽『川上孤山著『妙心寺史』（1975・思文閣出版）』

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