Yakuri-ji

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Main hall
Yakuriji plan (see text)

The Yakuri-ji ( Japanese 八栗寺 ) is a temple of the Shingon direction of Buddhism in the city of Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture . It is the 85th temple on the Shikoku pilgrimage route and is commonly called Yakuri-san (八 栗 山).

history

The temple was laid out in the Enkyu era (782-806) by priest Kūkai , who gave the temple a self-made thousand-armed Kannon as a devotional figure. Originally the temple was called Yakuni-dera (八 国寺), but Kūkai buried eight chestnuts (kuri) there before traveling to China. On his return in 806 he found the chestnuts, now grown into eight strong trees, and gave the temple its current name.

The high-altitude temple can now also be reached by mountain railway. It is located on a hill below the rocky peak of Gokenzan (五 剣 山), which was a Buddhist place of prayer from time immemorial and to which, according to tradition, a pilgrimage route led to the Middle Ages. In 1583 Chōsokabe Motochika's troops invaded here and fought Nakamura Sōboku (中 村 宗 卜) in the nearby Yakuri Castle, which was then present. Almost all of the temple's buildings were lost.

When peace returned to the country with the Edo period , Prince Matsudaira Yorishige (松 平 頼 重; 1622–1965) had the main hall rebuilt during the Shōhō era (1644–1648) and gave the temple a thousand-armed Kannon as a devotional figure. In 1709, the 3rd prince, Matsudaira Yoritoyo (松 平 頼 豊; 1680–1735) had the temple complex expanded, giving it approximately its present-day appearance.

The attachment

If you have the compact temple gate, here designed as a Niō gate (仁王 門; 1), you come to the main hall (本 堂, Hondō; 2) with the Gokenzan in the back. On the left is the Shōtendō (聖 天堂; 3), in which the Kūkai attributed to Kannon is venerated. She is venerated by many believers because her worship is believed to lead to prosperity and numerous offspring. To the right of the main hall, 50 m away, is the "Temple Founder's Hall" Daishidō (大師 堂; 4) and the Treasure Pagoda (多 宝塔, Tahōtō; 5). Next to the Shōtendō is a large administration building (6), which includes a service area at the front.

photos

  • Temple gate

  • Shōtendō

  • Daishidō

  • treasure
    pagoda

  • Bodhi tree

  • Gokenzan

Remarks

  1. ↑ Siddhartha is said to have experienced his enlightenment under a bodhi tree .

literature

  • Kagawa-ken no rekishisampo henshu iinkai (Ed.): Yakuri-ji . In: Kagawa-ken no rekishi sampo. Yamakawa Shuppan, 2013. ISBN 978-4-634-24637-9 . Pages 80 to 81.
  • Oguri, Doei: Kukai. Shikoku hachijuhachi kosho no arukikata. Chukei no Bunko, 2011. ISBN 978-4-8061-4067-2 .

Web links

Commons : Yakuri-ji  - collection of images, videos and audio files

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Coordinates: 34 ° 21 ′ 35.6 ″  N , 134 ° 8 ′ 22.3 ″  E