Enchin - Enchin

A Tendai Buddhist monk in the early Heian period. His secular surname was Wake. He was from Naka County, Sanuki Province (Kagawa Prefecture). His mother was from Saeki, and he is said to have been the son of Kukai's niece. At the age of 15, he climbed Mount Hiei and studied Tendai under Gishin, the head priest of Enryaku-ji Temple, and at the age of 20, he received the Bodhisattva precepts. After that, he continued his training in seclusion in the mountains for 12 years, and became the head of the Enryaku-ji Temple. On August 9, 853 (Jinshu 3), he hitched a ride on a Tang merchant ship to China, and when he arrived in Lianjiang County, Fuzhou (Fujian Province), he first entered Kaigen-ji Temple. Furthermore, on December 13, he entered the Kokusei-ji Temple on Mount Tiantai, where he listened to the Tendai Shikan lectures by Motugai (786/813-885) and obtained over 200 volumes of the Tendai Shosho (commentary on the Tendai teachings). He also met his fellow disciple Enzai (?-877) there. In May 855 (the 9th year of the Great Middle Ages), he arrived in Chang'an and studied Esoteric Shingon Buddhism under Hozen (dates of birth and death unknown) of the Seiryu-ji Temple, and returned to Mount Tiantai in June of the following year, 856. Having studied under high-ranking monks in various places, Enchin set out on a ship belonging to the merchant Li Yanxiao (?-877) on his return journey, arriving in Dazaifu on the 22nd with many Buddhist scriptures and implements. After returning to Japan, he entered Onjo-ji Temple in Mii, Omi (Shiga Prefecture) in 859 (Jogan 1), and in 868 he succeeded An'ne (794-868) as the head priest of Enryaku-ji Temple. He was then bestowed with Onjo-ji Temple, which he used as a branch temple of Tendai and a training center for the Denpo Kanjo ceremony, and he expanded the influence of the temple. From then on, Enryaku-ji Temple was called the Sanmon (mountain gate) while Onjo-ji Temple was called the Jimon (terrace gate), and successive generations of Enchin's lineage became betto priests. Later, Enchin's followers split off from Enryaku-ji Temple to form the Jimon (terrace gate) school, and Enchin was revered as the founder of that school. In 927 (Encho 5), Emperor Daigo gave him the posthumous title of Chisho Daishi. Enchin studied Tendai, Shingon, Kusha, Inmyo, and Siddham (Sanskrit studies) during his visit to China, bringing with him over 440 volumes of classic texts totaling 1,000 volumes, but he also made a great contribution to the rise of the Tendai sect, and is noted for his efforts in enriching and perfecting Taimitsu (esoteric Buddhism of the Tendai sect), bringing with him numerous sutras and images. His works include one volume of "Dainichikyoshiiki," two volumes of "Hokkegi-gi," two volumes of "Juketsushu," and ten volumes of "Hokkeronki."

[Rouen Ikeda May 19, 2017]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安初期の天台宗の僧。俗姓は和気(わけ)氏。讃岐(さぬき)国（香川県）那珂(なか)郡の人。母は佐伯(さえき)氏で、空海(くうかい)の姪(めい)の子といわれる。15歳のとき比叡山(ひえいざん)に登り、延暦寺座主(えんりゃくじざす)の義真(ぎしん)に就いて天台を学び、20歳のとき、菩薩戒(ぼさつかい)を受ける。以後、12年間籠山(ろうざん)して修行を続け、延暦寺の学頭となった。853年（仁寿3）8月9日、唐の商船に便乗して入唐(にっとう)、福州（福建省）連江県に到着すると、まず開元寺に入った。さらに12月13日に天台山国清寺(こくせいじ)に入り、物外(もつがい)（786／813―885）から天台止観(しかん)を聴講して200余巻の天台の章疏(しょうしょ)（注釈書）を得た。またここで同朋の円載(えんさい)（？―877）とも会った。855年（大中9）5月、長安に着いて青龍寺の法全(はっせん)（生没年不詳）から真言密教を学び、翌856年6月には、ふたたび天台山に帰った。各地で高僧に学んだ円珍は、858年6月、商人の李延孝(りえんこう)（？―877）の船で帰途につき、多数の仏典、仏具を持参して22日、大宰府(だざいふ)に到着した。帰国後、859年（貞観1）近江(おうみ)（滋賀県）三井(みい)の園城寺(おんじょうじ)に入り、868年には安慧(あんね)（794―868）の後を継いで延暦寺座主となった。ついで園城寺を賜ると、ここを天台の別院として伝法灌頂(でんぽうかんじょう)の道場とし、その教勢を高めた。以来、延暦寺を山門というのに対して園城寺を寺門といい、円珍の系統が代々別当となった。のちには円珍門徒は延暦寺と分かれて寺門派を形成し、円珍はその派祖と仰がれた。927年（延長5）に醍醐(だいご)天皇から智証(ちしょう)大師の諡号(しごう)を受けた。円珍は、入唐によって天台、真言をはじめ倶舎(くしゃ)、因明(いんみょう)、悉曇(しったん)（梵語(ぼんご)学）などを学び、440余部1000巻の典籍をもたらしたが、天台宗興隆に尽くした功績は大きく、また台密(たいみつ)（天台宗の密教）の充実と完成に努め、多数の経軌図像(きょうきずぞう)を請来(しょうらい)したことが注目される。著作には、『大日経指帰(だいにちきょうしいき)』1巻、『講演法華儀(ほっけぎ)』2巻、『授決集(じゅけつしゅう)』2巻、『法華論記』10巻など多数がある。

［池田魯參　2017年5月19日］

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