| Mii-dera 三井寺 |
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 Mii-dera no Bansho (三井寺の晩鐘), the evening bell at Mii-dera.
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| Denomination: | Tendai Jimon |
| Founded: | 672 |
| Founder(s): | Emperor Temmu |
| Address: | 246 Onjō-ji-chō, Ōtsu, Shiga |
| Country: |  Japan |
| Website | |
| Website: | www.shiga-miidera.or.jp/ |
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Portal:Buddhism
Mii-dera (三井寺,御井寺?), formally called Onjō-ji (園城寺?), is a Buddhist temple located at the foot of Mount Hiei, in the city of Ōtsu, in Shiga Prefecture. Buddhist temples in Japan are varied yet there are certain generalizations that can be made and general rules or guidelines that are followed is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. As of February 2007 the city has an estimated population of 329355 with an age average of 40 It is only a short distance from both Kyoto, and Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. formerly known as Ōmi Lake, is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshū) northeast of For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect, it is something of a sister temple to Enryakuji, at the top of the mountain, and is one of the four largest temples in Japan. 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 and, also known as the Enchin and Ennin factions respectively were rival branches of Tendai Buddhism created in the 9th century Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Altogether, there are 40 named buildings in the Mii-dera temple complex.
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History
Founding, and feuds
In the year 672, Onjō-ji was founded, following a dispute over Imperial succession. Events By Place Europe Wamba succeeds Reccaswinth as king of the Visigoths. Emperor Tenji had died, and his son was killed by Tenchi's brother, who was then enthroned as Emperor Temmu. Emperor Tenji (天智天皇 Tenji-tennō) also known as Emperor Tenchi ( Tenchi-tennō) ( 626 - January 7, 672 (the 3rd Day of (c 631 - October 1 686) was the 40th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession Temmu founded Onjouji in honor and memory of his brother. The name "Mii-dera," literally 'Temple of Three Wells,' came about nearly two centuries later. It was given this name by Enchin, one of the earliest abbots of the Tendai Sect. (814 &ndash 891 was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at 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 The name comes from the springs at the temple which were used for the ritual bathing of newborns, and in honor of Emperors Emperor Tenji and Emperor Temmu, and Empress Jitō, who contributed to the founding of the temple. The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. (645 &ndash December 22 702 was the 41st imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession Today, the Kondo, or Main Hall, houses a spring of sacred water. Under Enchin's guidance, from 859 to his death in 891, Mii-dera gained power and importance, eventually becoming (along with Tōdai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, and Enryakuji) one of the four chief temples charged with the spiritual guidance and protection of the capital. (814 &ndash 891 was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at Events By Place Europe January 15 - Battle of Saint-Quentin Aisne: Humfrid defeats Louis the German. Events By Place Europe Arnulf of Carinthia defeats the Normans at the Battle of Leuven. is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. is a Buddhist Temple in the city of Nara, in Nara prefecture, Japan. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded It was during this time also that Enryakuji & Mii-dera split away from one another, developing two branches of the Tendai sect, called Jimon and Sammon. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded 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 and, also known as the Enchin and Ennin factions respectively were rival branches of Tendai Buddhism created in the 9th century For the most part, this was more a geographic rivalry than an ideological schism, but it was an intense one nonetheless, and only grew more severe after Enchin's death. (814 &ndash 891 was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at The rivalry turned violent in the second half of the 10th century, over a series of official appointments to other temples, and similar slights. The zasu of Enryakuji in 970 formed the first permanent standing army to be recruited by a religious body. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded 970 was a year in the 10th century. Events This is an area code in Northwest Colorado Also see 970 Gang By Place Mii-dera can be assumed to have established one very soon afterwards. In 989, a former abbot of Mii-dera by the name of Yokei was to become abbot of Enryakuji; but none of the monks of Enryakuji would perform services under his direction. Events By Topic Education Sankore University is founded in Timbuktu. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded He soon resigned. But in 993, the monks of Mii-dera took revenge, destroying a temple where Ennin, founder of Enryakuji's Sammon sect, had once lived. Events By Topic Religion July 4 — Saint Ulrich of Augsburg is canonized 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 Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded and, also known as the Enchin and Ennin factions respectively were rival branches of Tendai Buddhism created in the 9th century The monks from Enryakuji retaliated, destroying more than 40 places associated with Enchin. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded (814 &ndash 891 was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at In the end, over 1,000 monks of Enchin's Jimon sect fled permanently to Mii-dera, cementing the split between the two Sects. (814 &ndash 891 was a Japanese Buddhist monk the founder of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at and, also known as the Enchin and Ennin factions respectively were rival branches of Tendai Buddhism created in the 9th century Over the course of the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries, there continued to be similar incidents, over the appointment of abbots (zasu), involving many sohei, or warrior monks. were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate Mii-dera was burned to the ground by the sohei of Enryakuji four times in the 11th century alone. were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded There were, however, times that the two united against a common enemy, including an attack on the Kōfuku-ji in Nara in 1081 (avenging the burning of the Mii-dera by Kōfuku-ji monks that same year), and a united attack on Nara once more in 1117. is a Buddhist Temple in the city of Nara, in Nara prefecture, Japan. is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. is a Buddhist Temple in the city of Nara, in Nara prefecture, Japan. is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.
The Genpei Wars
At the end of the 12th century, the attentions of the monks of Mount Hiei were turned towards a greater conflict: the Genpei War. is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. The ( 1180 &ndash 1185) were a Conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans and in late- Heian period Japan. The Taira and Minamoto families supported different claimants to the Chrysanthemum Throne, and in June of 1180, the Minamoto brought their claimant, Prince Mochihito, to the Mii-dera, fleeing from Taira samurai. For other uses of the word Taira see Taira (disambiguation The was a major Japanese clan in historical Japan was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not (d July 1180 also known as the Takakura Prince, and as Minamoto Mochimitsu, was a son of Emperor Go-Shirakawa For other uses of the word Taira see Taira (disambiguation The was a major Japanese clan in historical Japan is the term for the military nobility of Pre-industrial Japan. Mii-dera asked for aid from Enryaku-ji, but was denied. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded The monks of the Mii-dera joined the Minamoto army, and fled to the Byōdō-in, a Fujiwara clan villa, which had been converted to a monastery by Mii-dera monks. was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not For the Arena in Debrecen Hungary see Fonix Hall. For the replica temple in Hawaii see Byodo-In Temple. The Fujiwara clan (藤原氏 Fujiwara-shi) descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of Regents in Japan that monopolized the regent positions (see Battle of Uji (1180). The first battle of Uji is famous and important for having opened the Genpei War. ) Angered at the Mii-dera/Minamoto alliance, Taira no Kiyomori ordered the destruction of Mii-dera, and of many of the temples of Nara. was one of the honorary surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan of the Heian Period ( 794 – 1185 AD on those of their sons and grandsons who were not was a general of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first Samurai -dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. (see Siege of Nara. Following the 1180 Battle of the Uji, in which Minamoto no Yorimasa fought a small Taira army with the help of monks from the Mii-dera and ) The monks of Mii-dera figured once more in the Genpei War, fighting alongside Taira sympathisers against Minamoto no Yoshinaka, who invaded Kyoto in 1184, setting fire to the Hōjūjidono Palace and kidnapping the Emperor Go-Shirakawa. The ( 1180 &ndash 1185) were a Conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans and in late- Heian period Japan. For other uses of the word Taira see Taira (disambiguation The was a major Japanese clan in historical Japan (1154 &ndash 1184 was a general of the late Heian Period of Japanese history. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. The 1184 siege of the Hōjūjidono was part of Japan's Genpei War, and was a key element of the conflict between Minamoto no Yoshinaka and his cousins Emperor Go-Shirakawa (後白河天皇 Go-Shirakawa-tennō) ( October 18, 1127 &ndash April 26, 1192
Following the Genpei War, there was a long period of relative peace, as the temples of Kyoto and Nara, including the Mii-dera, were rebuilt. The ( 1180 &ndash 1185) were a Conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans and in late- Heian period Japan. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. As the temples regained strength, rivalries reappeared, though little to no violence actually erupted between Mii-dera and Enryaku-ji. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded In 1367, when a novice from Mii-dera was killed at a toll barrier established by the temple of Nanzenji, warrior monks from Mii-dera set out to attack Nanzenji; when the Shogun's forces were sent to quell the rebellion, they discovered Mii-dera's monks to be supported by sōhei from Enryaku-ji and Kōfuku-ji as well. or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly Zenrin-ji (禅林寺 is a Zen Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan. or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly Zenrin-ji (禅林寺 is a Zen Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander" were Buddhist warrior monks of feudal Japan. At certain points of history they held considerable power obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded is a Buddhist Temple in the city of Nara, in Nara prefecture, Japan. A year later, another battle erupted, over comments made by the abbot of Nanzen-ji; the monks of Mii-dera, along with their allies, defeated the Shogun's forces once again. or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly Zenrin-ji (禅林寺 is a Zen Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan. is a military rank and historical title in Japan. The Japanese word for "general" it is made up of two Kanji words sho, meaning "commander"
Sengoku period and beyond
In the late 16th century, Mii-dera, along with many of the other nearby temples, sought alliances, for military (defensive) strength, as well as military power. The territories of the Asai and Asakura families were closest to Mount Hiei, but these families, as well as others the temples had allied with, were rivals of Oda Nobunaga. is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history These two families suffered heavy defeats at the hands of Nobunaga and his chief general Hideyoshi Toyotomi, so in 1571 they sought a stronger alliance with the temples. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history That same year, Nobunaga set to destroying everything on Mount Hiei, starting with the town of Sakamoto at the foot of the mountain, and setting his sights on Enryakuji at the summit. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. Not to be confused with Engaku-ji in Kamakura., a Monastery on Mount Hiei overlooking Kyoto, was founded Much of Mii-dera was destroyed, as the warrior monks failed against Nobunaga's large and highly trained samurai army. ( June 23, 1534 &ndash June 21, 1582) was a major Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history
Following these attacks, the monks of Mount Hiei were finally granted a reprieve, and rebuilt their temples once more. is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. Mii-dera has never been attacked or destroyed since then.
Halls & treasures
Within the Kondo and Hondo (the Main Hall and Buddha Hall) of Mii-dera, there are at least six statues of the Buddha, sacred personal possessions of various Emperors, including Emperor Tenji, which are hidden away and shown only on rare, special occasions, as well as one large statue of the Miroku, or Maitreya, Buddha in the center of the Hall. Siddhārtha Gautama ( Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual Teacher from Ancient India and the founder The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. Maitreya ( Sanskrit) or Metteyya ( Pāli) is a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. The Kondo was built in 1599, and is a replacement for the original, built in 672 and destroyed by the Taiko Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Events By Place Europe Wamba succeeds Reccaswinth as king of the Visigoths. In Japan, Sesshō (摂政 was a title given to a Regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his Coming of age, or an Mii-dera also has a Kannon-do, built in 1072, a hall dedicated to Kannon, Bodhisattva of Compassion. Guanyin (觀音 pinyin guānyīn, Wade-Giles kuan-yin) is the Bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists In the Buddhist context a bodhisattva (बोधिसत्त्व bodhisattva;; Vietnamese Bồ Tát; बोधिसत्त bodhisatta Mii-dera is the fourteenth temple in a Pilgrimage of 33 Temples devoted to Kannon in the Kansai area. Guanyin (觀音 pinyin guānyīn, Wade-Giles kuan-yin) is the Bodhisattva of compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan 's main island Honshū.
References
- Sansom, George (1958). 'A History of Japan to 1334'. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
- Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
- Turnbull, Stephen (2003). 'Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
External links
- Official Site, in Japanese
- York Public Library Digital Gallery, early photograph view of Lake Biwa from Mii-dera
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