Not to be confused with Engakuji in Kamakura. Not to be confused with Enryaku-ji in Kyoto. Engaku-ji is one of the most important Zen Buddhist Temple complexes in is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan, about 50 km south-south-west of Tokyo.
Enryaku-ji (延暦寺? Enryaku Temple), a monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded during the late eighth and early ninth centuries by Saichō (767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect to Japan from China. This article concerns the buildings occupied by monastics. For the life inside monasteries and its historical roots see Monasticism. is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. (767&ndash822 was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed History The Tiantai teaching was first brought to Japan by the Chinese monk Jianzhen (鑑眞 Jp Ganjin in the middle of the 8th century, but For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National One of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history, it served as (and still is) the headquarters of the Tendai sect, the Buddhist sect that was popular among the aristocracy of the time and served as foundation for a number of later sects including the Pure Land, Zen, and Nichiren sects. Pure Land Buddhism ( Jìngtǔzōng; 浄土教 Jōdokyō; Korean: ko-Hang 정토종 jeongtojong; Vietnamese: 浄土宗 vi Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, referred to in Chinese as Chan. Nichiren (日蓮 ( February 16, 1222 &ndash October 13, 1282) born, later, and finally Nichiren, was a Buddhist
With the support of the Emperor Kammu, Saichō ordained a hundred disciples in 807. (737&ndash806 was the 50th imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession Maintaining a strict discipline on Mt Hiei, his monks lived in seclusion for twelve years of study and meditation. Meditation is a mental discipline by which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned "thinking" mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness After this period of study, the best students were retained in positions in the monastery, and others graduated into positions in the government and court. At the peak of its power, Enryakuji was a huge complex of as many as 3000 sub-temples and a powerful army of warrior monks (僧兵 Sōhei) who were occasionally engaged in power struggles with other monasteries and political leaders. were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate In the tenth century, succession disputes broke out between Tendai monks of the line of Ennin and Enchin. Ennin (圓仁 or 円仁 (AD 793 or 794 - 864 who is better known in Japan by his Posthumous name, Jikaku Daishi (慈覺大師 was a priest of the (814 &ndash 891 was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at These disputes resulted in opposing Tendai centers at Mount Hiei, the sanmon (山門 Mountain Order) and at Miidera, the jimon (寺門 Temple Order). formally called, is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of Ōtsu, in Shiga Prefecture. 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. were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate
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 and destroying most of Enryakuji's buildings and monks. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history The current buildings date from the latter half of the 16th century to the first half of the 17th century, when the temple was reconstructed following a change of government.
Today, most of Enryakuji's attractions consists of three areas: the Tōdō (東塔 East Hall, also the quarters where the former head priest resides), the Saitō (西塔 West Hall, also the abode of a retired head priest from a separate monastery), and the Yokawa (横川). The monastery's most important buildings are concentrated in the Tōdō.
See also
External links
- Official site (English)
- Japan Atlas: Enryaku-Ji Temple
- Photos of Mount Hiei and the three precincts of Enryaku-ji Temple
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic