Enryaku-ji
Encyclopedia
is a Tendai
monastery
located on Mount Hiei
in Ōtsu
, overlooking Kyoto
. It was founded during the early Heian period
. The temple complex was established by Saichō
(767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayana
Buddhism
to Japan
from China
. Enryaku-ji is the headquarters of the Tendai sect and one of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history. The founders of Jōdo shū
, Sōtō Zen
, and Nichiren
Buddhism all spent time at the monastery. Enryaku-ji is also the home of the "marathon monks
."
, the Buddhist monk Saichō ordained a hundred disciples in 807. Maintaining a strict discipline on Mt. Hiei, his monks lived in seclusion for twelve years of study and meditation
. After this period, the best students were retained in positions in the monastery and others graduated into positions in the government. At the peak of its power, Enryaku-ji was a huge complex of as many as 3,000 sub-temples and a powerful army of . In the tenth century, succession disputes broke out between Tendai monks of the line of Ennin
and Enchin
. These disputes resulted in opposing Tendai centers at Enryaku-ji and at Mii-dera
, known respectively as the and the . Warrior monks were used to settle the disputes, and Tendai leaders began to hire mercenary armies who threatened rivals and even marched on the capital to enforce monastic demands.
As part of a program to remove all potential rivals and unite the country, warlord Oda Nobunaga
ended this Buddhist militancy in 1571 by attacking Enryaku-ji
, leveling the buildings and slaughtering monks. Enryaku-ji's current structures date from the late 16th century through the first half of the 17th century, when the temple was reconstructed following a change of government.
Today, most of Enryaku-ji's buildings are clustered in three areas: Tō-tō (東塔, "East Pagoda"), Sai-tō (西塔, "West Pagoda"), and Yokawa (横川). The monastery's most important buildings are concentrated in Tō-tō.
) in Japan.
Because of circumstances that Yakuza
ceremonies have been used for their fund-raising and power demonstrating, Shiga Prefectural Police requested Enryakuji to reject their ceremony. But Enryakuji denied it and not only received their donation which consists of crime-related money but also accepted nearly 100 senior leaders to attend.
After reports from the Asahi Shimbun
and Yomiuri Shimbun
newspapers, Enryakuji faced a nationwide scandal. They were also criticized by the Japan Buddhist Temple Association (representing 75,000 buddhism temples), which led the movement against the Yakuza. Finally on May 18th all representative directors of Enryakuji resigned, apologizing on their website and in e-mails which were sent to 3,000 branch temples.
Tendai
is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
located on Mount Hiei
Mount Hiei
is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto, lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures, Japan.The temple of Enryaku-ji, the first outpost of the Japanese Tiantai sect of Buddhism, was founded atop Mount Hiei by Saichō in 788. Both Nichiren and Honen studied at the temple before...
in Ōtsu
Otsu, Shiga
is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1898. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 338,629 with an average age of 40.7 years and a population density of 905.28 persons per km²...
, overlooking Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. It was founded during the early Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. The temple complex was established by Saichō
Saicho
was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan, based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei near Kyoto. He is also said to have...
(767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Enryaku-ji is the headquarters of the Tendai sect and one of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history. The founders of Jōdo shū
Jodo Shu
, also known as Jōdo Buddhism, is a branch of Pure Land Buddhism derived from the teachings of the Japanese ex-Tendai monk Hōnen. It was established in 1175 and is the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan, along with Jōdo Shinshū....
, Sōtō Zen
Soto
Sōtō Zen , or is, with Rinzai and Ōbaku, one of the three most populous sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.The Sōtō sect was first established as the Caodong sect during the Tang Dynasty in China by Dongshan Liangjie in the 9th century, which Dōgen Zenji then brought to Japan in the 13th century...
, and Nichiren
Nichiren Buddhism
Nichiren Buddhism is a branch of Mahāyāna Buddhism based on the teachings of the 13th century Japanese monk Nichiren...
Buddhism all spent time at the monastery. Enryaku-ji is also the home of the "marathon monks
Kaihogyo
The is a set of the ascetic physical endurance trainings for which the Japanese ‘marathon monks’ of Mt. Hiei are known. These Japanese Monks are from the Tendai school of Buddhism, a denomination brought to Japan by the Monk Saichō in 806 from China....
."
History
With the support of Emperor KammuEmperor Kammu
was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806.-Traditional narrative:Kammu's personal name was . He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe , and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne...
, the Buddhist monk Saichō ordained a hundred disciples in 807. Maintaining a strict discipline on Mt. Hiei, his monks lived in seclusion for twelve years of study and meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
. After this period, the best students were retained in positions in the monastery and others graduated into positions in the government. At the peak of its power, Enryaku-ji was a huge complex of as many as 3,000 sub-temples and a powerful army of . In the tenth century, succession disputes broke out between Tendai monks of the line of Ennin
Ennin
Ennin , who is better known in Japan by his posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi , was a priest of the Tendai school.- Birth and origin :...
and Enchin
Enchin
' was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at the foot of Mount Hiei...
. These disputes resulted in opposing Tendai centers at Enryaku-ji and at Mii-dera
Mii-dera
', formally called ', is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of Ōtsu, in Shiga Prefecture. It is only a short distance from both Kyoto, and Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. The head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect, it is something of a sister temple to Enryakuji, at...
, known respectively as the and the . Warrior monks were used to settle the disputes, and Tendai leaders began to hire mercenary armies who threatened rivals and even marched on the capital to enforce monastic demands.
As part of a program to remove all potential rivals and unite the country, warlord Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
ended this Buddhist militancy in 1571 by attacking Enryaku-ji
Siege of Mount Hiei
The 1571 was, according to Stephen Turnbull, so one-sided that it should more rightfully be called a massacre than a siege or battle. Oda Nobunaga led 30,000 men in destroying towns and temples on the mountain and near its base. This event would mark the end of the great power of Mt. Hiei's...
, leveling the buildings and slaughtering monks. Enryaku-ji's current structures date from the late 16th century through the first half of the 17th century, when the temple was reconstructed following a change of government.
Today, most of Enryaku-ji's buildings are clustered in three areas: Tō-tō (東塔, "East Pagoda"), Sai-tō (西塔, "West Pagoda"), and Yokawa (横川). The monastery's most important buildings are concentrated in Tō-tō.
Collusion with organized crime syndicates
In April 4 2006, Enryakuji performed ceremony for former leaders of Yamaguchi-Gumi which is one of the largest organized crime syndicates (YakuzaYakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
) in Japan.
Because of circumstances that Yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
ceremonies have been used for their fund-raising and power demonstrating, Shiga Prefectural Police requested Enryakuji to reject their ceremony. But Enryakuji denied it and not only received their donation which consists of crime-related money but also accepted nearly 100 senior leaders to attend.
After reports from the Asahi Shimbun
Asahi Shimbun
The is the second most circulated out of the five national newspapers in Japan. Its circulation, which was 7.96 million for its morning edition and 3.1 million for its evening edition as of June 2010, was second behind that of Yomiuri Shimbun...
and Yomiuri Shimbun
Yomiuri Shimbun
The is a Japanese newspaper published in Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, and other major Japanese cities. It is one of the five national newspapers in Japan; the other four are the Asahi Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and the Sankei Shimbun...
newspapers, Enryakuji faced a nationwide scandal. They were also criticized by the Japan Buddhist Temple Association (representing 75,000 buddhism temples), which led the movement against the Yakuza. Finally on May 18th all representative directors of Enryakuji resigned, apologizing on their website and in e-mails which were sent to 3,000 branch temples.
See also
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)
- List of Buddhist temples in Kyoto
- For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese BuddhismGlossary of Japanese BuddhismThis is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries...
. - List of National Treasures of Japan (temples)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (ancient documents)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
- List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)
- Tourism in JapanTourism in JapanTourism in Japan attracted 8.3 million foreign visitors in 2008, slightly more than Singapore and Ireland. Japan has 16 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle and Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto . Kyoto receives over 30 million tourists annually...