. Japan - Shrines and Temples - Index .
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Kegon-shū 華厳宗 Kegon Sect Buddhism
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Kegon (華厳宗) is the Japanese transmission of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.
Huayan studies were founded in Japan in 736 when the scholar-priest Rōben (良辯 or 良弁), originally a monk of the East Asian Yogācāra tradition, invited Shinshō (traditional Chinese: 審祥; ; pinyin: Shenxiang; Japanese pronunciation: Shinjō; Korean: Simsang) to give lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra at Kinshōsen Temple (金鐘山寺, also 金鐘寺 Konshu-ji or Kinshō-ji), the origin of later Tōdai-ji.
When the construction of the Tōdai-ji was completed, Rōben entered that temple to formally initiate Kegon as a field of study in Buddhism in Japan, and Kegon-shū would become known as one of the Nanto Rikushū (南都六宗) or Six Buddhist Sects of Nanto). Rōben's disciple Jitchū continued administration of Tōdai-ji and expanded its prestige through the introduction of imported rituals.
Kegon thought would later be popularized by Myōe (明惠), who combined its doctrines with those of Vajrayana and Gyōnen (凝然), and is most responsible for the establishment of the Tōdai-ji lineage of Kegon. Over time, Kegon incorporated esoteric ritual from Shingon Buddhism, with which it shared a cordial relationship. Its practice continues to this day, and includes a few temples overseas.
- source : wikipedia
. Toodaiji 東大寺 Todai-Ji - Nara .
and Priest 良弁僧正 Roben Sojo (689 - 773)
The temple is famous for its Kegon-E 華厳会 Kegon Rituals.
. Saint Myoe Shonin 明恵上人 (1173 - 1232) .
and temple 高山寺 Kozan-Ji
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- - - - - There are various temples named Kegon-Ji in Japan.
. Kegonji 華厳寺 temple Kegon-Ji .
岐阜県揖斐郡揖斐川町谷汲徳積 Tanigumi Hozumi, Ibigawa, Gifu
. Suzumushidera 鈴虫寺 / 妙徳山 Myotokuzan Kegon-Ji .
京都府京都市西京区松室地家町31 Kyoto
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Kegon Engi-E 華厳縁起絵 Picture Scroll of the Kegon sect
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Here is a painting of a large boat moving across a stormy sea on top the back of a fierce dragon. Can you believe that such a dynamic work was painted in Japan more than 750 years ago? This fantastic sight may seem amazing and mysterious, but perhaps you may be more surprised to learn that this dragon is actually the transformation of a beautiful woman named Shanmiao (J., Zenmyo).
Legends of the Kegon Sect, Scroll Three : (Kozan-ji)
Shanmiao was the daughter of a rich man, who lived in a port town in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907). She fell in love with a handsome Korean monk from Silla, Uisang (J., Gisho), who was studying Buddhism in China. One day, while begging for alms, Uisang happened to visit Shanmiao's house, where she confessed her love to him. Uisang tried to dissuade her: "I am a monk so I cannot accept your feelings for me. Please open your heart and transfer those feelings to support the Buddhist teachings instead."
Eventually, Uisang completed his studies and was about to return to Korea. Shanmiao, learning of this, gathered all the Buddhist utensils that she had been collecting and rushed to the harbor, but it was too late. The ship had already set sail into the distance. Seeing this, the distressed Shanmiao threw her Buddhist utensil box in the direction of the ship and jumped into the sea. She then miraculously transformed into a dragon and protected Uisang on his voyage home.
This painting comes from Legends of the Kegon Sect (also known as Illustrated Biographies of the Kegon Sect Patriarchs), in seven volumes, which tells of the patriarchs of the Buddhist Hwaeom (J., Kegon) sect in Korea, Uisang (625-702) and Weonhyo (J., Gangyo, 617-686), based on their entries in a Chinese collection of biographies on early eminent Buddhist priests. This set of illustrated handscrolls belongs to Kozan-ji, a temple renowned for its beautiful autumn leaves in Toganoo, located in northwest Kyoto, Japan. Kozan-ji was revived, at the beginning of the Kamakura period (1185-1333), as a training center for the Kegon sect in Japan by the influential monk Myoe (1173-1232), who is thought to have initiated the making of these handscrolls.
The long, continuous narrative style of emaki, or illustrated handscroll, effectively draws its viewers into the story. Here, too, this scene-the climax of Uisang's tale-develops rhythmically from Shanmiao grieving over Uisang's departure, casting her Buddhist utensil box into the sea, then plunging herself into the waves and transforming into the dragon. A heightened sense of anticipation gradually develops for the viewer.
This illustrated biography, which highlights the episode of Shanmiao's devotion to Uisang, perhaps reflects Myoe's admiration for Uisang and his wanting to become like the great Korean master with whom he shared similar spiritual views. Uisang's accomplishment of studying in China, which was Myoe's long, unfulfilled wish, and Uisang's gaining a female Buddhist adherent in China, appears to have left a strong impression on Myoe, who worshipped Shanmiao like a deity and held firm to be loyal like her. Uisang's biography explains the meaning of Shanmiao's miracle and is thought to been produced in order to reveal Myoe's feelings.
By the way, who do you think was Myoe's model for Shanmiao? In the first year of the Jokyu era (1221), after the shogun Minamoto no Sanetomo was assassinated and the Kamakura government experienced turmoil, the Retired Emperor Gotoba raised an army to overthrow the government. However, the government forces quickly brought down this revolt. This political struggle, known in Japanese history as the Jokyu Rebellion, led to the deaths of many courtiers in Kyoto, and during this time, many court women asked Myoe for help. Shanmiao may have represented these women to Myoe, and so he had them become nuns and built a temple named Zenmyo-ji (Shanmiao Temple), in which they could live. He may have also taught these women about Shanmiao's tale and converted them to the Kegon faith. We can imagine that these women, who lost their husbands in war, seeing this story, may have sympathized with Shanmiao and, through Myoe, devoted themselves to Buddhism.
- source : Kyoto National Museum - Junji Wakasugi, 1997-
華厳宗祖師絵伝 (華厳縁起)
小松茂美 Komatsu Shigemi (1925 - 2010)
Illustrated Legends of the Kegon Patriarchs
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- A scene from the scroll:
Two traveling monks were sleeping in a cave, not realizing this was in fact a grave.
The first night nothing happened, but on the second night, an Oni demon appeared in their dreams and attacked them.
(Dead human beings can turn into an Oni if they have left problems in this world that need to be solved.)
洞窟の中で鬼に襲われる夢を見る
. Onipedia - 鬼ペディア - Oni Demons - ABC-List - Index - .
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. Japanese Legends - 伝説 民話 昔話 – ABC-List .
During the Kegon-E 華厳会 Kegon ritual of painting eyes for the statue of the Great Buddha at the temple 東大寺 Todai-Ji an old man passing by, who had carried a bamboo basket with saba 鯖 mackerels was summoned to read the Kegon Sutra....
... The mackerels turned into 80 volumes of the 華厳経 Kegon Sutra....
- - - - - Read the full story here :
. saba no ki 鯖の木 the mackerel tree .
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