1) 龍神 / Ryujin : Dragon God
2) 女人高野 / Mount Kōya for Women
3) 山岳寺院 / Mountain Temple
1) 龍神 / Ryujin : Dragon God
3) 山岳寺院 / Mountain Temple
1) 龍神 / Ryujin : Dragon God
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| 手水舎の龍 手水舎に龍が使用されることは多々あります。 龍神信仰がある室生山 (621m) にある室生寺なら、もちろん龍なのでしょう。 |
公式サイト : ★ / ★ (室生寺の創建)
680年に役小角 (エンノオズノ/ 634 -701 ) [ 役行者 (エンノギョウジャ) ] が寺を
開き、真言宗の開祖、空海 (弘法大師 / 744 - 835) が再興したという伝承があります。
役行者が登場すると、その段階で胡散臭くなるというか、謎めくというか、楽しくなってしまいます。
室生寺の東方には竜神を祀る室生竜穴神社 (ムロオリュウケツジンジャ) があり、
室生寺の草創にも龍神の力が関わってると考えられています。
竜穴神社は、室生寺よりも古い歴史を持ち、水の神"龍神"を祀っています。
寺のサイト：★ では、創建を下のように記し、龍神の力には触れていませんが、
暗黙の了解なのかもしれません。
"奈良時代の末期、皇太子の山部親王 (後の桓武天皇) [(737 - 806 / 在位 : 781 - 806)] の病気平癒の祈願のため、行いの正しい五人の僧がこの聖なる山中で祈祷をして優れた効果がありました。
そうしたことから国家の為に建立したのが室生寺です。"
興福寺の僧・賢憬 (ケンケイ/ 714 - 793 ) が '正しい五人'の代表格らしく、朝廷の命令でここに寺院を造ることになりました。
賢璟の没後、同じ興福寺の僧である弟子の修円 (シュエン/ 771 -853) に造営は引き継がれ、五重塔が建てられました。
ほかの建物は、その後の建立と考えられています。
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Dragon of Chōzuya
is a Shinto or a Buddhist water basin to wash hands
and mouth before visiting shrines or temples.
Murō-ji Temple is on Mount Murō (621m) a place for Ryujin : Dragon God faith,
so of course a dragon is here. |
Ryujin : Dragon God
Official Website: ★ in Japanese
There is a legend that En no Ozunu (En no Gyōja / 634 - 701) established
a temple in 680 and the founder of Shingon Buddhism sect, Kūkai (also known as Kōbō-Daishi / 744 - 835) revived this temple.
There is a legend that En no Ozunu (En no Gyōja / 634 - 701) established
a temple in 680 and the founder of Shingon Buddhism sect, Kūkai (also known as Kōbō-Daishi / 744 - 835) revived this temple.
When I come across the name, En no Gyōja, I have a feeling of a world with suspiciousness and mystery and it is pleasant for me.
To the East of Murō-ji Temple there is a Murō Ryu Ketsu (a dragon cave) Shrine dedicated to the Ryujin : Dragon God and it is believed that the power of the Dragon God (Ryujin Shinto) is also involved in the foundation of Murō-ji Temple, see below.
Murō Ryu Ketsu Shrine has a history older than Murō-ji Temple and enshrines the Water Dragon God.
Ryu Ketsu means that there is a cave and it is said the Dragon lives there.
On the Website of the temple: ★ in Japanese about their foundation, below, they do not refer to Dragon God, it might be tacit understanding.
"When the Prince Yamabe (Emperor Kanmu) [(737 - 806 / r 781 - 806)] was sick towards the end of the Nara Period, the Five Good Monks were collected, they prayed for his recovery from his illness on the Holy Mount and it had an excellent effect.
Later they built this Temple for the Country."
(Translation by me)
The monk of Kofukuji Temple, Kenkei (714 - 793) seems to have been
a representative of the 'Five Good Monks', so the Imperial Court commanded him and he started the act of building the temple here.
After the death of Kenkei, the construction was handed over to the disciple,
Shuen (771 - 853), and the Five Storey Pagoda was built.
Other buildings are considered to have been built later.
Ryu Ketsu means that there is a cave and it is said the Dragon lives there.
On the Website of the temple: ★ in Japanese about their foundation, below, they do not refer to Dragon God, it might be tacit understanding.
"When the Prince Yamabe (Emperor Kanmu) [(737 - 806 / r 781 - 806)] was sick towards the end of the Nara Period, the Five Good Monks were collected, they prayed for his recovery from his illness on the Holy Mount and it had an excellent effect.
Later they built this Temple for the Country."
(Translation by me)
The monk of Kofukuji Temple, Kenkei (714 - 793) seems to have been
a representative of the 'Five Good Monks', so the Imperial Court commanded him and he started the act of building the temple here.
After the death of Kenkei, the construction was handed over to the disciple,
Shuen (771 - 853), and the Five Storey Pagoda was built.
Other buildings are considered to have been built later.
2) 女人高野 / Mount Kōya for Women
室生寺は、女人禁制だった高野山に対し、女性の参詣が許されていたことから
「女人高野」とも言われ、現在もその別名は引き継がれ、チケットにも記されています。
Murō-ji Temple has accepted women worshippers compared to Mount Kōya
which was forbidden to women, so Murō-ji Temple also has been called Nyonin Kōya : Mount Kōya for Women and this is mentioned in the ticket :
"女人高野".
which was forbidden to women, so Murō-ji Temple also has been called Nyonin Kōya : Mount Kōya for Women and this is mentioned in the ticket :
"女人高野".
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| 通常のチケット 優しい印象のデザインです。 General Tickets The design gives a gentle impression. |
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| 特別拝観 のチケット / Special Access Tickets |
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| パンフレットのデザインも美しい。 Leaflet design is also beautiful.  |
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| 英語版も充実しています。 The English version is also substantial.  |
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| ファイルも用意されていて、驚きました。 これは特別拝観の記念品。 I was surprised that souvenir files were also given. This is a special access souvenir. |
3) 山岳寺院 / Mountain Temple
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Mount Murō is North of Uda River's branch, Murō River.
The buildings and towers of Murō-ji Temple are dotted up from the foot of Mount Murō.
 The tour did not have time to visit every building.  |
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| 宇陀川の支流室生川 Uda River's branch, Murō River  |
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| 室生川にかかる太鼓橋 Arched Bridge over Muro River  |
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| シャクナゲ? 境内はシャクナゲの名所として知られているそうです。 これはシャクナゲでしょうか？ Rhododendrons? It is said that the precincts are known for their rhododendrons. Is this a rhododendron? |
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護摩堂
室生寺は真言宗派なので、護摩堂があるのですね〜。
火を用いて祈ったり、清めたりします。
Goma Hall : Homa Hall
Homa ceremony
is only in Mikkyō : Esoteric
Buddhism.
Murō-ji
Temple is Shingon
Buddhism sect,
one of Mikkyō
so
Homa Hall is here.
They pray
and cleanse with fire.
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| 仁王門 昭和時代の再建 Nio Gate : Deva Gate Reconstructed in the Showa Period  仁王像 / Nio Statues   内側から / From Inside |
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| 尺八の音色 境内で尺八の音色が響いていました。この方が吹いてました。 大道芸人ではなく、修行僧なのですよね？？？ Shakuhachi The sound of the shakuhachi echoed in the precincts.This person was playing. He is not a street performer, is he a monk in training? |
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| 鎧坂 (ヨロイザカ) 勾配がきつい坂ですが、かなりご高齢な方も、ほかの方も登ります。 Yoroi Hill The gradient is a tough slope, but quite elderly people, as well as other people climb. |
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Kondō ; National Treasure
Normally
visitors can only look at the statues from the outside of the
building,
though we could enter the hall and see the statues of Buddha , because we had special access tickets.
Photography prohibited.
You can see the statues here →★
いくつもの仏像を見る機会に恵まれた旅です。
Rはここの仏像が一番好きだと言っていました。
私は十二
神像 (★)
が好きです。十二 神はもともとは悪魔でしたが、 "仏と仏法の 真理に降伏し善神となって仏と信者を守護するようになった" と言います。 It was a comfortable trip with an opportunity to see many Buddha statues.
R said
that he likes these statues the most.
I like Twelve Heavenly
Generals (★) .
It
is said that the Twelve were originally
devils, they surrendered to the truth of Buddha and Buddhism and
became good gods to protect Buddha and believers.
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| 本尊は釈迦如来 The principal image is Shaka Nyorai : Tathāgata. 冊子の写真 / This is from the Leaflet |
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| 釈迦如来像を外から Statue of Shaka Nyorai : Tathāgata From Outside |
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軍茶利明王石仏 (グンダリミョウオウセキブツ)
江戸期に制作。
10本の手を持っています。 奥は天神社
Edo Period
The King has ten hands.
On the left : a Shrine
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如来には10の別名があり、如来の十号または十号と呼ばれるそうなので、
10本の手があるのですね〜。
Wisdom
King is a priest and title in Esoteric Buddhism and it is
also said that Wisdom
King did transform from Tathāgata.
Tathāgata has
10 different names, so it has 10 hands.
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| 金堂近くにはたくさんの如来像があります。 これらはお墓？ There are many Tathāgata statues near Kondo. Are these graves?  |
灌頂堂
(カンジョウドウ)があります。
撮影のみ。
時間があれば寄ってもよかったのですが、
五重塔やその先の景色を見て見たい方が優先しました。 Kanjo Hall : Main Hall
If
people climb more stone steps above Kondō,
there
is the Main Hall.
I
just photographed.
If
we had time I would have visited the Main Hall,
however,
my priority was looking at the Five Storey Pagoda
and
seeing its further views rather than the Main Hall.
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 Five Storey Pagoda
Built
around 800.
National
Treasure, Important
Cultural Property
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高さは16
m強、初重は1辺の長さ2.5メートルの小型の塔です。
屋外の五重塔としては日本で、最小です。
また法隆寺五重塔に次ぐ古塔でもあります。
The Pagoda is a small tower ; the height is over 16m, the centre tower is only 2.5m square at the base.
This is the smallest five storey pagoda outdoors in Japan and is the second oldest pagoda after the five storey pagoda of Hōryū-ji Temple.
相輪
日本の相輪には、'水煙
(スイエン)'が付きます(下の写真参照)が、
この塔では水煙の代わりに
宝瓶
(ホウビョウ)という、壺状のものがあり、その上に八角形の宝蓋 (ホウガイ)という傘状のものが乗っている珍しい形式です。 寺の創建にかかわった修円がこの宝瓶に室生の龍神を封じ込めたとされています。 |
Sōrin
In
Japan, normally Sōrin (below)
includes a Suien ; 'water
smoke',
but
in this pagoda (above) instead
of Suien,
there
is a pot-shaped thing called Houbyou,
and an
umbrella-shaped thing above called Hougai.
This
is an unusual form.
It
is said that the monk Shuen confined Dragon God into the
pot, Houbyou.
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| 一般的な相輪 / Standard Sōrin 画像は下記より / This from below ★ |
