Kannonsho-Ji

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Kannonshooji 観音正寺 Kannonsho-Ji

This is Temple Nr. 32 on the Saigoku Pilgrimage to 33 Temples of Kannon Bosatsu in Western Japan.


- quote
Overlooking Lake Biwa, Kannonsho-ji is the 32nd temple on the Saigoku Kannon pilgrimage. According to legend, Kannonshoji was founded when a merman begged a young nobleman to build a temple so that he could worship Kannon and be assured of better fortune in the next life.



The temple's principal object of worship is an enormous image of Kannon carved from 23 tonnes of Indian sandalwood, which took 10 years to finish.
- source : www.taleofgenji.org

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More photos :
- source : ameblo.jp/junchan-chi

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Kannonjijoo 観音寺城 remains of castle Kannon-Ji nearby
- source : www.azuchi-shiga.com/m-kannonsyouji

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gumyooshichoo, gumyoo shichoo 共命之鳥 ぐみょうしちょう Gumyo Bird


source :　gumyou.web.fc2


A clay bell of the gumyo bird
sold at this temple




- quote
“Sariputra, in the Buddha Land there live a number of wonderful birds of different colors — crane, peacock, parrot, myna, Kalavinka, and Gumyo bird, or the bird of double lives. Six times each day and night, these birds sing melodious tunes.”

According to Sakyamuni Buddha’s words, there are six kinds of birds in the Pure Land. ...
Although the first four birds really exist, the Kalavinka and Gumyo bird are imaginary and exist only in Sutras and stories. It is said that these birds always sing elegantly and all those who listen to their song cannot help but have the mind of seeking the Buddha Dharma.

In a Sutra, the Gumyo bird is depicted as a rare bird with two heads and minds sharing a common body. There is a Buddhist tale about the Gumyo bird which goes like this.

A long time ago, there were many beautiful Gumyo birds. There was one in particular with a most beautiful shape and song. Its two heads boasted about themselves, asserting things like, “The feathers on my head are incomparably lovely and my voice is the most beautiful.”

Each head hated the other and there was no end to their quarreling. Then one day, one head happened to think, “If the other head were to die, I would truly be the best in the world!”

The next day, this head made the other head eat fruit which it had secretly poisoned. Of course, the head that ate the fruit died soon after so the head that survived finally became the most beautiful bird in the world. At that moment, the bird started flying while singing proudly.

However, its joy was short-lived. The head that died gradually rotted and eventually even the body they had in common rotted as well. So this Gumyo bird lost its life.
...
Despite a Gumyo bird's foolishness, these birds now grace the Pure Land to teach the dignity of life in their lovely voices:
“The way we destroy others is the same way we destroy ourselves. The way to let others live is exactly the way that we should live.”
- source : www.btsd.net/Dharmamsg


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- - - - - The Six Birds of Paradise - 浄土の鳥 -
gumyo

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karyoobinga, Karyôbinga 迦陵頻伽 Karyobinga
. Kalavinka - paradise bird with a human head .

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. kujaku 孔雀 peacock .


. Mynah bird -- kyuukanchoo 九官鳥 .
shari 舎利 mynah, a bird that talks like men


parrot


. tsuru 鶴 crane .


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