Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Yakushi-ji Temple




East Pagoda, national treasure, total height 34 meters. This pagoda, miraculously survived the fire that destroyed Yakushi-ji in 1528, is the only architecture of the Hakuho period in Japan. This three storied pagoda, which looks as if it were six storied because of the Mokoshi (lean-to) added to each story, is rare in its style, and is described as "frozen music" because of its rhythmically fine appearance.

This is the newer pagoda (west), it was rebuilt in 1980 owing to the movement for copying the Heart Sutra.

Pagoda means a grave in Pali, the ancient Indian language, and it was called "stupa" in Sanskrit. Pagoda means the grave of Buddha.

Yakushi-ji is the first Temple which had twin pagoda's on its grounds.