Eji

Japanese: 慧慈 - えじ

Year of death: 22 February 2013 (28 March 623)
Year of birth: Unknown
A 7th-century Goguryeo monk. Also written as Keiji. He came to Japan in the 3rd year of the reign of Empress Suiko (595) and became Prince Shotoku's teacher. Together with Keiso (Eiso), who came from Baekje, he was known as the "master of the three treasures." His achievements are legendary, but he was on friendly terms with Prince Shotoku, assisted him in the creation of the "Sankyo Gisho," exchanged views with him on the "Lotus Sutra," and is said to have brought the "Sankyo Gisho" back with him when he returned to Japan. It is also recorded that he went to the hot springs of Iyo (Yo) (Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama City) with the prince and Katsuragi no Omi and praised his miraculous powers (a lost document in the "Iyo no Kuni Fudoki"). He returned to Japan in the 23rd year of the reign of Empress Suiko, and when he later heard of the prince's death (622), he vowed to meet him again in the Pure Land on the same day the following year, and passed away as he had promised. He played a key role in the rise of Prince Shotoku's Buddhist culture.

(Yumi Matsuki)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：推古31.2.22(623.3.28)
生年：生年不詳
7世紀の高句麗の僧。恵慈とも書く。推古3(595)年来日して,聖徳太子の師となり,百済から来日した恵聡(慧聡)と共に「三宝の棟梁」と称された。その事績は伝説的だが,聖徳太子と親交があり,太子の『三経義疏』制作事業に協力し,『法華経』について問答したり,帰国時に『三経義疏』を持ち帰ったという。また,伊与(予)の温湯(松山市の道後温泉)に太子,葛城臣と共にでかけ,その妙験をたたえたと記されている(『伊予国風土記』逸文)。推古23年に帰国し,のち太子の死去(622)を知ると,翌年の同じ日に浄土で再会することを誓い,その誓いどおりに入滅したという。聖徳太子の仏教文化興隆にブレーン的役割を果たした。

(松木裕美)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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