Eiheiji Temple

Japanese: 永平寺 - えいへいじ

This is the head temple of the Soto sect in Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui Prefecture. It was founded by Dogen. Dogen returned to Japan from the Song Dynasty in China in 1227 (Antei 1), and in 1233 (Tenpuku 1), he established Kosho-ji Temple in Uji Fukakusa, Yamashiro Province (Kyoto Prefecture), where he lived for 10 years. In 1243 (Kangen 1), he left Kosho-ji Temple and went to Echizen (Fukui Prefecture), the territory of his patron, Hatano Yoshishige. After moving to Echizen, he lived temporarily in old temples at Yoshimine-dera and Zenji-mine for a while, but moved to Eiheiji the following year when the temple complex was completed. Originally the temple was called Daibutsu-ji Temple, but in 1246 it was renamed Kichijozan Eihei-ji Temple. The name Eihei-ji Temple was chosen after the year of Yongping (67 AD) during the reign of Emperor Ming of the Later Han Dynasty, based on Dogen's aspiration that true Japanese Buddhism would begin from this temple, just as Buddhism was first introduced to China in that year. Daibutsu-ji Temple is said to be located six kilometers deep in the mountains from the current location of Eihei-ji Temple, and there is a legend that it was built at its current location at some point in time. However, the prevailing theory denies the relocation and claims that it was built at its current location from the beginning. Dogen's disciple Koun Kaiso succeeded him as the second abbot of Eiheiji, but Kaiso's disciple Tetsu Gikai traveled to Song China, saw the Zen temples there, and after returning to Japan, built the mountain gate, created a corridor, and improved the temple. The temple was destroyed by fire in 1297 (Einin 5), but Giun (the fifth abbot) moved from Echizen Hokyo-ji Temple and restored it. For this reason, Giun is known as the restorer.

In 1372 (Bunchu 1, Oan 5) by imperial decree of Emperor Goenyu, Eiheiji was granted the title of Japan's No. 1 Soto Dojo, but in 1473 (Bunmei 5) the temple buildings and the imperial document were burned in a fire caused by war, and in 1539 (Tenbun 8) the Imperial Court once again ratified it as Japan's No. 1 Soto Dojo. In 1615 (Genna 1), Tokugawa Hidetada issued a set of laws to Eiheiji, confirming its status as the head temple of the Soto sect alongside Sojiji in Noto (Ishikawa Prefecture) (now Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture). During the Edo period, the introduction of the Obaku sect disrupted the rules of the monastery, but in 1795 (Kansei 7), Gento (the 50th abbot) was admitted and dedicated himself to restoring Dogen's pure rules and rebuilding the temple. Since Dogen's time, Eiheiji has been modeled after Tendo Keitoku Zenji on Mount Taihaku in Song China, but it is mainly due to Gento's achievements that the ancient rules of the Song and Yuan Zen monasteries have been well preserved to the present day. For this reason, Gento is known as the Revitalizer.

[Kagamishima Mototaka]

Temples and treasures

The current temple complex consists of the mountain gate, Buddha hall, and lecture hall, all lined up in a straight line, the Daikuin (kitchen) to the east of the Buddha hall, the Sodo (monks' hall) to the west, the bathhouse at the end of the eastern corridor of the mountain gate, and the Tosu (toilet) in the western corridor, forming an orderly arrangement of the so-called Seven Halls. In addition, the Joyoden (Dogen's temple), Shuryo, Seihokan (treasure house), Reirokaku, Sanshokaku, Shidoden, Zuiunkaku, Daikomyozo, Furokaku, Myokodai and other large buildings are connected by corridors, and in recent years Kisshokaku has been completed and is equipped with modern facilities, presenting a magnificent sight in the mountains. Most of the temple buildings are of modern construction, but the mountain gate was built in 1749 (Kan'en 2) and bears an imperial plaque from Emperor Go-En'yu designating it the "First Soto Dojo in Japan" (an Important Cultural Property of Japan).

The temple treasures include a volume of "Fukan Zazengi" (a national treasure) written by Dogen himself, a scroll of "Fukan Zazengi Senjutsu Yuraiki" (a national treasure), a scroll of "Shusho" (the succession scroll) owned by Dogen, and a copy of "Shobogenzo Bussho" (the true nature of the Buddha) copied by Kaijo (all of which are important cultural properties of the nation).

[Kagamishima Mototaka]

"Eiheiji Temple and Sojiji Temple" by Hideo Sakurai (1964, Kyoiku Shinchosha) " Miscellaneous Thoughts on Eiheiji Temple" by Jisho Fueoka (1983, Kokeisho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

福井県吉田郡永平寺町にある曹洞(そうとう)宗の大本山。開山は道元(どうげん)。道元は1227年（安貞1）中国宋(そう)から帰朝し、33年（天福1）山城(やましろ)国（京都府）宇治深草に興聖寺(こうしょうじ)を開いて住すること10年に及んだが、43年（寛元1）興聖寺を去って、檀越(だんおつ)波多野義重(よししげ)の領地である越前(えちぜん)（福井県）に赴いた。入越後しばらく吉峰寺(よしみねでら)、禅師峰(やましぶ)の古寺に仮寓(かぐう)したが、翌年、伽藍(がらん)の完工とともに永平寺に移った。初めは寺名を大仏寺と称したが、1246年吉祥山(きちじょうざん)永平寺と改めた。永平寺の寺名は、後漢(ごかん)・明(めい)帝の永平10年（西暦67）に仏教が初めて中国に伝えられたように、正しい日本仏教はこの寺より始まるという道元の抱負に基づき、その年号にちなんで命名された。大仏寺は現在の永平寺の位置から6キロメートル山奥に、その旧跡と伝えられている所があって、いつの時代か現在地に建てられたという伝承がある。しかし、初めから現在地に建てられたという移転否定説が有力である。道元の後を継いで永平寺第2世となったのは弟子孤雲懐奘(こうんえじょう)であるが、懐奘の弟子徹通義介(てっつうぎかい)が入宋(にっそう)し、彼(か)の地の禅刹(ぜんせつ)伽藍を見聞して帰朝してのち、山門を建て、回廊をつくって伽藍を整備した。1297年（永仁5）火災にあったが、越前宝慶寺(ほうきょうじ)より義雲(ぎうん)（第5世）が転住して復興した。このため義雲は中興と称される。

　1372年（文中1・応安5）後円融(ごえんゆう)天皇の勅詔によって永平寺は日本曹洞第一道場の勅額を授けられたが、1473年（文明5）の兵火により諸堂ならびに勅書を焼くに至り、1539年（天文8）朝廷からふたたび日本曹洞出世道場の追認が与えられた。1615年（元和1）には徳川秀忠(ひでただ)によって法度(はっと)が永平寺に下され、能登(のと)（石川県）の総持寺（現在は神奈川県横浜市）と並んで曹洞宗大本山としての地位が確認された。江戸時代には黄檗(おうばく)宗の伝来によって叢林(そうりん)の規矩(きく)が乱れたが、1795年（寛政7）玄透(げんとう)（第50世）が入院し、道元の清規(しんぎ)の復古と伽藍の再興に尽くした。永平寺は道元以来、宋の太白山天童景徳禅寺(たいはくざんてんどうけいとくぜんじ)に模したものであるが、現在に至るまでよく宋元禅林の古規を伝えているのは、主として玄透の功績による。これがために玄透は重興と称される。

［鏡島元隆］

堂宇・寺宝

現在の伽藍は、山門、仏殿、法堂(はっとう)が一直線上に並び、仏殿の東には大庫院(だいくいん)（台所）、西には僧堂が相対し、山門の東回廊の端に浴室、西回廊に東司(とうす)（便所）が配されて、いわゆる七堂伽藍が整然と配置されている。そのほか、承陽殿(じょうようでん)（道元廟(びょう)）、衆寮(しゅりょう)、聖宝館（宝物館）、玲瓏(れいろう)閣、傘松(さんしょう)閣、祠堂(しどう)殿、瑞雲(ずいうん)閣、大光明蔵、不老閣、妙高台などの大建築が回廊で結ばれ、さらに近年吉祥閣が竣功(しゅんこう)して近代的設備を備えて、山中に一偉観を呈している。伽藍の大部分は近代の建築であるが、山門は1749年（寛延2）の建造で、後円融天皇の勅額「日本曹洞第一道場」（国の重要文化財）が掲げられている。

　寺宝には、道元自筆の『普勧坐禅儀(ふかんざぜんぎ)』1巻（国宝）をはじめ、『普勧坐禅儀撰述(せんじゅつ)由来記』1幅（国宝）、道元所持の『嗣書(ししょ)』1幅や懐奘筆写の『正法眼蔵仏性(しょうぼうげんぞうぶっしょう)』1冊（いずれも国の重要文化財）などがある。

［鏡島元隆］

『桜井秀雄著『永平寺・総持寺』（1964・教育新潮社）』▽『笛岡自照著『永平寺雑考』（1983・古径荘）』

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