[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM TOP . ]
. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .
. Buddhist Temples and their Legends .
. Ise Saigoku 33 Kannon 伊勢西国三十三所観音巡礼 Pilgrimage .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Daifukudenji 大福田寺 Daifukuden-Ji, Higashikata
神寶山 Shinpozan, 大福田寺 Daifukudenji 番外 bangai - extra
桑名市東方1426 / Kuwana city, Higashikata
The Kannon statue is 十一面観音
Juichimen Kannon.
- quote
According to the legend Daifukuden-ji was founded by
a famous politician and promoter of Buddhism 聖徳太子
Prince Shōtoku (574-622).
It was called
Daijingū-ji and originally stood in 伊勢山田 Ise Yamada.
The temple was directly connected to the Ise Shrine and was visited by
Emperor Tenmu (631-686),
Empress Jitō (645-703) and 聖武天皇
Emperor Shōmu (701-756) during their travels to Ise.
In Tenchō period (824-834) it became a practice ground for Shingon school of Buddhism
after
Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi, 774-835), the founder of Shingon sect,
taught the principles of Esoteric Buddhism during his visit.
In the times of
Emperor Junna (786-840) the temple was chosen as an official place
that would pray for the Emperor. 宇多天皇
Emperor Uda (867-931) also visited Daijingū-ji during his travels
and used to stay at the abbot’s chambers.
Since his visit the official name of the temple was changed to 法皇院
Hōkō-in (Cloistered Emperor’s Temple).
In 1052 冷泉天皇
Emperor Goreizei (1025-1068) organized a mass chanting of sutras by 1000 monks in the temple.
The prayer was conducted together with a ritual offering of a wand with hemp and paper streamers to Ise Shrine.
Until the mid-19th Century Daifukuden-ji was officially praying
for each generation of the Emperor and for the Imperial family members.
Because of that the temple was allowed to use the Imperial family crest – a chrysanthemum.
During the Kōan period (1278-1289) the temple burned down.
It was rebuilt in the Kambe (currently Daifuku) area of Kuwana
thanks to the cooperation of the official of the Ise Shrine
and a protector of Yamato province 額田部実澄
Nukatabe no Sanezumi (he was a descendant of
Kadokane – developer and landowner of Kuwana Kambe area), and
Ninshō,
a monk and founder of Gokuraku-ji temple in Sagami province.
Emperor Gouda (1267-1324) donated new land to the temple,
made it his official praying place and gave it a new name – 福田寺
Fukuden-ji.
It earned respect of
Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358),
the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate,
and was given a new character meaning “big, great” to add to its name.
Since that moment the temple’s official name became
Daifukuden-ji.
During the
Meiō period (1492-1501) Daifukuden-ji countless times
suffered from fires caused by war and at one point it fell into ruin.
The temple was rebuilt as a complete seven-structured temple compound in 1501,
after its abbot
Eiki gathered donations around the country.
In 1503 its main statue was also remade and enshrined.
Thanks to the official document issued by the Imperial house in 1567
and prohibiting anyone from entering the temple’s grounds,
Daifukuden-ji was speared during the battles between 1570 and 1592.
However due to impoverishment of the surrounding lands, the temple had fallen into decay again.
In the following years the temple’s buildings were flooded many times,
that is why in 1662 the abbot named
Shinnin decided to move the temple to its current location.
There are two halls in the temple.
The one seen up front when entering the temple through the main gate is the Main Hall.
Inside
Buddha Amida (Buddha of Infinite Light), also called
Hiki Amida (Pulled Amida),
is enshrined as the main statue. There are also three statues of his attendants:
Jūichimen Kannon (Eleven-Faced Kannon),
Shō Kannon (Sacred Kannon),
Bodhisattva Monju (Bodhisattva of Supreme Wisdom), and a statue of
Kūkai.
On the south side of the Main Hall stands the
Hall of Prayers.
There are two statues inside, a personal statue of Kuwana province daimyo
松平定信 Matsudaira Sadanobu (1759-1829)
depicting
Shōten (Kankiten, Ganesha, a god of conjugal harmony and long life),
and a statue of bad luck expelling
Fudō Myō-ō (Immovable Wisdom King).
Daifukuden-ji is visited by many people during the days of the temple’s
festival known as Shōten of Kuwana.
The festival is held on the 1st and 16th day of every month.
Daifukuden-ji has many treasures in its possession.
Among them a
Hassō Jōdō Ezu (painting of the eight major events in the life of the Buddha Shaka)
form Kamakura period (1192-1333), a painting titled 當山再建勧進縁起
Tōzan Saiken Kanjin Engi
(Story of preaching and reconstruction of Daifukuden-ji)
created by 三条西実隆
Sanjōnishi Sanetaka in Muromachi period (1333-1573), and
忍性上人自画像 Ninshō Shōnin Jigazō (Self portrait of the Holy priest Ninshō),
which are all designated as National Important Cultural Properties.
The statue of Shō Kannon is also called
合せ観音 Awase Kannon (Joint Kannon).
According to the legend
Goddess Amaterasu (Goddess of the Sun) and
Kasuga Myōjin (the deity of Kasuga Shrine in Nara) decided to send a divination
and ask two Korean Buddhist sculptors – brothers 稽文會と稽主勲
Kei Mone and Kei Shukun,
to each make a half of a statue of Shō Kannon and bring it to Japan.
They did as asked and both of them met at the riverbank of Miyagawa river,
each carrying a half of a statue.
When they tried to join the halves, they discovered that they match perfectly.
It is said that this statue of
Joint Shō Kannon was created according to the joint will
of two Shinto gods – Goddess Amaterasu and Kasuga Myōjin.
Daifukuden-ji is a temple number 1 of Mie Shikoku 88 Temples Pilgrimage
and one of the
Ise Seven Temples of Luck enshrining Daikoku
(God of Wealth, Farmers, Food, and Good Fortune).
. source : isekannon.jp/otera_list ... .
..............................................................................................................................................
shuin 朱印 stamp
..............................................................................................................................................
Also on the following pilgrimage :
. Mie Shikoku Henro 三重四国八十八ヵ所霊場 Pilgrimage . - Nr. 01
and
Ise Seven Temples of Luck enshrining Daikoku (God of Wealth, Farmers, Food, and Good Fortune).
伊勢七福神霊場「大黒天」
.......................................................................
- - - - - Reference of the temple
- source : google
- reference source : isekannon.jp/english ... -
- reference source : nippon-reijo.jimdofree ... -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
This bangai temple is of the pilgrimage
. Ise Saigoku 33 Kannon 伊勢西国三十三所観音巡礼 .
. Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩 Avalokiteshvara .
. Juichimen Kannon 十一面観音 Senju Kannon 千手観音 Kannon with 11 faces and 1000 arms .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
. Temples with legends .
. Japanese Legends - 伝説 民話 昔話 – ABC-List .
. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .
[ . BACK to DARUMA MUSEUM . TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
- - #daifukudenji #fukudenji ##isesaigoku ##isesaikoku ##isekannon -
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
