Erinji Temple

Located in Oyashiki, Enzan, Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, this temple is of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai sect of Buddhism. It was named Kentokuzan and was founded in 1330 (Gentoku 2) when Nikaido Sadafuji, the lord of Kai's Makinosho, converted his own residence into a Zen temple and invited Muso Soseki to be its founder. In 1582 (Tensho 10), when this temple was burned down by the army of Oda Nobunaga, Kaisen Shoki, who had been invited by Takeda Shingen to serve as the chief priest, was burned to death on the Sanmon tower, engulfed in flames, while chanting, "Peaceful meditation is not essential for the landscape. If you let your mind run wild, the fire will cool itself." The temple was destroyed by fire along with over 100 other monks. Most of the temple was lost at that time, leaving only the four-legged gate, but it was later rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu and restored under the protection of the feudal lord, Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu. It was destroyed by fire again in 1905 (Meiji 38), and the current temple building was rebuilt in 1913 (Taisho 2). Within the temple grounds are the Erin Tokachi gardens, including the Ryosode cherry tree, Yokogetsu plum tree, and Esansui, as well as a garden said to have been created by Muso Soseki (a nationally designated place of scenic beauty). In addition, there are many temple treasures, including the Shikyakumon Gate (a nationally designated important cultural property), the Kizankai (Yoshiyasu Yanagisawa) mausoleum, and the Takeda Fudoson sword, which are all important cultural properties.

[Akira Suganuma]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

山梨県甲州市塩山(えんざん)小屋敷(おやしき)にある臨済(りんざい)宗妙心寺派の寺。乾徳山(けんとくざん)と号し、1330年（元徳2）甲斐(かい)牧ノ荘(しょう)の領主二階堂貞藤(さだふじ)が自邸を禅院に改め、夢窓疎石(むそうそせき)を招いて開山としたのに始まる。1582年（天正10）この寺が織田信長軍によって焼打ちを受けたとき、武田信玄(しんげん)に招かれて住持をしていた快川紹喜(かいせんしょうき)は、100余人の僧侶(そうりょ)とともに炎に包まれた三門楼上で「安禅不必須山水(あんぜんかならずしもさんすいをもちいず)、滅却心頭火自涼(しんとうをめっきゃくすればひもおのずからすずし)」と唱え、焚死(ふんし)した。そのとき四脚門を残して大部分の堂宇を失ったが、のち徳川家康により再興され、領主柳沢吉保(よしやす)にも保護を受けて復興した。1905年（明治38）ふたたび火災にあって焼失、現在の伽藍(がらん)は1913年（大正2）に再建したもの。境内には両袖(りょうそで)桜、横月梅、恵山水などの恵林十勝や、夢窓疎石作と伝える庭園（国指定名勝）がある。また四脚門（国指定重要文化財）、機山会（柳沢吉保）廟所(びょうしょ)、武田不動尊などのほか、重要文化財の太刀(たち)、短刀など寺宝も多い。

［菅沼　晃］

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