At the top of Mt. Hiei sits Enryaku-ji, perhaps the most influencial Buddhist establishment in Japanese history. Enryaku-ji is the head temple of Tendai school, which was opend by Saicho in early Heian period in 8th or 9th century. Enryaku-ji had been for the top learning place in Japan, like modern day's University of Tokyo or University of Kyoto. Enryaku-ji belongs to Tendai school, but many monks who had studied at Enryaku-ji started new schools of Buddhism. Honen was one of them. For centuries, Buddhism had been for noblemen, scholars, and imperial family, and not for ordinary farmers nor merchants. And Enryaku-ji itself had become complacent and corrupt. While studying at Enryaku-ji, Honen asked himself what the teaching was for if it could not help ordinary people. So he left Enryaku-ji and opened Pure Land school of Buddhism in 11th century. The only teaching of Pure Land Buddhism is to always recite "nam-ami-da-butsu", those meaning I actually don't know. Only this recitation gives yot salvation. Only noblemen had the opportunity to learn difficult Buddhism theory, but Buddhism should be for everyone, who may not have such an opportunity. It is obvious that farmers had been busy tending rice paddies and no time for learning in the old days. So came the simple practice of reciting "nam-ami-da-butsu" for the salvation. The head temple of Pure Land school is located in eastern Kyoto and named Chion-in. Its wooden gate is magnificient.
I got most of these stuff through manga. Yes, the Buddhism teaching is difficult for me, and I have no time and no will to learn Buddhism while I work as a salayman, so simple salvation is convenient for modern people as well as for the people in the past. Am I religious? No and Yes.
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| Mt. Hiei viewed from bank of Kamo river |
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