Tōshōdaiji Temple in Nara

Ganjin

Although Tōshōdaiji Temple is located in what today seems to be the outskirts of Nara, 1200 years ago when Nara was the capitol of Japan, this area was a central block of the city. It was in 759 A.D. that Emperor Tenmu’s son, Prince Neetaby Shin-no granted the land for the establishment of this temple. The name Tōshōdaiji is derived from the fact that it’s first chief abbot, Ganjin, was from Toh, of the Tang Dynasty in China, and that this temple (ji) was founded as a place for Buddhist training under his guidance. Tōshōdaiji Temple is also known as Kenshoritsuji, which comes from the fact that it was the first temple in Japan to be devoted to one of China’s Buddhist denominations, the Nanzan sect. Today, Tōshōdaiji is regarded as the Head Temple of Japan’s Ritsu-shu denomination of Buddhist teachings.

As a high priest in Daimyōji Temple in China, the founder of Tōshōdaiji, Abbot Ganjin (also known as Kakai-taishi) was invited to Japan by Emperor Shōmu to teach Chinese Buddhism doctrine. Ganjin accepted the great task and his determination was unfettered as it took him twelve years and five unsuccessful attempts at crossing the ocean and ultimately suffering from blindness before he arrived in Nara in 754 A.D. In Japan, Ganjin had an ordination platform created in front of the Temple of the Great Image of Buddha at Tōdaiji Temple, where he initiated the Buddhist teachings to not only many Japanese priests of high standing, but to the Emperor Shōmu and Empress Kōken in person (one of three ordination platforms created by Ganjin, one was established in Kyushu and the third at Tōshōdaiji). It is during this time that Japan was gradually forming itself into a Buddhist country, and it is said that it was the arrival of Ganjin that gave Buddhism the importance in binding it to Japanese culture. Ganjin’s contributions were so influential to bringing Buddhism to Japan that he is a revered figure in Japanese history.

Retiring from Tōdaiji Temple, Ganjin had Tōshōdaiji Temple built and remained there for four years until May 6, 763 A.D. when Ganjin died at the age of 76. Ganjin’s disciples had a statue of him carved of wood and lacquered at the time of his passing. It is a national treasure and only on display one day a year in Miedo Hall to commemorate the anniversary of his death on May 6. Ganjin’s tomb resides among the eastern woods surrounding the Miedo Hall. After 1200 years it is still prayed to.

The lecture hall was originally part of the Imperial Palace of Nara. It was donated to this temple. The Kondo or “Golden Hall” is the best building representing Tempyo Era architecture remaining intact in Japan to this day. Tōshōdaiji Temple buildings and artifacts are designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Assets. The Temple is listed with World Heritage as a Historic Monument of Ancient Nara. 

http://www.toshodaiji.jp/english/
http://www.toshodaiji.jp

Temple going under renovation during visit

World Heritage Site

Burial location for Gainjin

Temple Bell

Historic artifacts

Takamatsuzuka Mural Hall - Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture

Takamatsuzuka Kofun

Takamatsuzuka Mural hall – Once identified with Emperor Monmu (697-707) was permitted to be excavated in 1972 after the Imperial Household Agency dropped this tomb from their list of imperial burial places. The tomb was looted at some time in the distant past and the tomb experienced erosion as a result. Damage was worse on the south (entry) hall. None-the-less, the tomb was found with brilliant paintings that ties in Japanese past by showing Korean influence.

 

Mural Hall

The tomb depicts four guardian spirits in four directions (shishin) were also found on fresco bearing tumulus graves in China and Korea. The names of the spirits are Seryu (blue dragon) in the east, Byakko (white tiger) in the west, Suzaku (red bird) in the south and Genbu (black snake tortoise) in the north.

The men in the frescoes hold sunshades, chairs and pouches for swords and bows and also carry pouches around their necks. The women carry round fans and Buddhist staffs of authority. The style of skirt is similar to that from Korea during this period.

Grave Goods

Inside the crypt there remained a coffin ornamented with metal nails and fittings, a Tang Chinese mirror whose reverse was worked in so called Kaijubudo patter, and ornamental fittings for a tang style sword. Reproductions of the grave is on display along with reproductions of the artifacts from the site.

The ceiling of the crypt is dotted with small bits of gold leaf, which are in turned joined in various patters by reddish cinnabar lines to represent star charts with 28 constellations.

The Takamatsuzuka Kofun was excavated by the Kashihara Archaeological Research Institute. The wall paintings were designated to national treasures and the crypt was tightly sealed to preserve the wall paintings. The Takamatsuzuka Mural Hall was created to exhibit the reproductions of the paintings that are closed to the public.  Visitors can see copies of the wall paintings, partially restored and fully restored along with a life size replica of the crypt and burial goods.

Approximate walking time from the Kintetsu Asuka station is 15 minutes. Bike rental is available at the Kitetsu Asuka station (5 minute bike ride). Vehicle traffic is not permitted to the mural hall.

The Asuka Preservation Foundation

439 Hirata, Asuka village, Takaichi gun

Nara prefecture  634-0144 Japan

Tel/Fax (0744) 54-3340

http://www.asukabito.or.jp/html/english/

http://www.asukabito.or.jp/index.shtml

Koren influence shown in clothing

 

Star Constellations

Mural placements

Obakusan Mampukuji - Uji-shi, Kyoto

Obakusan Mampukuji is the head temple in Japan of the Obaku sect of Zen Buddhism, and the teaching monastery for the sect’s student monks. Obaku is one of three Zen sects found in Japan, the other two being Rinzai and Soto. Obaku has some 460 branch temples throughout Japan.

The founder of Manpukuji was a Chinese Zen Master, Ingen (Chinese Yin-yuan, 1592 – 1673), who at the age of 29, entered the temple Mampukuji (Chinese Wan-fu-si) on Mt. Obaku (Chinese Huang-bo) in the Chinese provine of Fukien (Fujian), eventually becoming its head monk.  Having been invited to Japan, he arrived in Nagasaki in 1654. At that time, Nagasaki was the only seaport in Japan where trading with China and Holland was allowed.

Master Ingen spread the Dharma, the true teaching of Rinzai, in Japan, attracting many Japanese monks who came and studied under him. The Japanese were impressed by the new Chinese type of monastic life he introduced, characterized by a rigid and literal translation of the Buddhist precepts and the sandakaie (triple platform ordination ceremony), a superior ordination method new to Japan. Those whose respect he gained included the abbot of Myoshinji, Ryokei (1602-1670), was to become a disciple, the retired Emperor Gomizunoo (1596-1680) and the fourth Tokugawa Shogun, Ietsuna (1641-1680).

In 1661 Master Ingen built a temple, Mampukuji, on a hill he called Obakusan, at Uji. The name was chosen to commemorate the Chinese temple of the same designation, and because of the number of Obaku (Chinese cork trees) found there. The Obaku was a useful tree to have in the environs of a monastery, for it has medicinal properties, being effective against abdominal disease, and is used to dye paper and textiles yellow. Mt. Obaku in China was where Zen Master Obaku Kiun (Chinese Huang-bo Xi-yun

deceased 850), the master of Rinzai (Chinese Lin-ji) was ordained. The temple name, Mampukuzenji, translates as “ten thousand-fold happiness Zen temple,” had been given under imperial ordinance in 1614 by Emperor Shen-zong (1573-162) of the Ming dynasty. Ingen died at the age of 82; later emperors of Japan honored him with six posthumous titles granted in his memory on every fiftieth anniversary of his death. The Obaku sect achieved rapid progress at that time, and many branch temples were erected all over Japan by both Chinese and Japanese disciples.

The introduction of the Obaku monastic regulations to Japan represented an attempt to revitalize the Rinzai and Soto Zen, and it was to promote further reform movements during the middle Edo period. Obaku had an important influence on many aspects of Japanese culture, including calligraphy, painting, design, architecture, publishing, diet and medicine.

Ever since the Ming dynasty, Chinese Buddhism has moved toward syncretism. The dominant ideas and teachings of each period have adapted to that syncretism. A strong religious trend among lay people during the Ming dynasty  was faith in the Pure Land (afterlife). Echoes of this faith are still to be found at Mampukuji in the daily service and the memorial services for the laity.

The Mampukuji temple complex has characteristics of Ming-style temples and contains a large number of cultural properties – twenty-three main buildings, the cloister between the Hatto and Tennoden and attached buildings dating from the mid-seventeenth century. There are also numerous well preserved important images, hanging wooden boards and carved calligraphy, paintings, wood-block copy plates of the Tripitaka and other artifacts.

Unique to Obaku is fucha ryori, vegetarian cooking in Chinese style. It originated from the special dishes cooked by monks and served after ceremonies to participants. Many visitors to Mapukuji have enjoyed this “taste of the Zen mind.”

Another cultural pursuit associated with Mampukuji is a tea ceremony called senchado (the way of steeped tea>, in which high quality green tea leaves of two typles (sencha and gyokuro) are steeped in a small pot of water. This ceremony is different from the more well-known chanoyu ceremony, which features powdered tea (matcha) whipped in a bowl. Senchado is based on Chinese Ming dynasty tea preparation methods introduced to Japan by Ingen and his followers. An Obaku priest, called Baisao (old tea merchant) popularized senchado in the eighteenth century and is enshrined at Mampukuji. The All Japan Senchado Association located at the temple hosts a large scale sencha tea ceremony twice a year and many sencha schools perform tea ceremonies at various locations within Mampukuji in the spring and autumn.

Obakusan Mampukuji
Sanbanwari 34, Gokanosho
Uji-shi, Kyoto 611-001
Tel: (0774) 32-3900
Fax: (0774) 32-6088
Obakusan Web Site in Japanese

Indian Sanskrit overlooking Zen rock garden

Lotus