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*''Established: [[855]], [[Shinsho sozu|Shinshô sôzu]]''
*''Japanese'': 永観堂禅林寺 ''(Eikandou Zenrinji)''
Eikan-dô Zenrin-ji is a [[Buddhist temple]] in [[Kyoto]]'s Higashiyama district, the head of the Seizan [[Jodo shu|Pure Land]] Zenrin-ji sect.
The temple was founded in [[855]] when [[Fujiwara Kanyu|Fujiwara Kanyû]] turned over his private villa to [[Shinsho sozu|Shinshô sôzu]], a disciple of [[Kukai|Kûkai]], who converted the space into a temple.
A later head priest of the temple, [[Eikan]] ([[1033]]-[[1111]]), established a hospital called Tônan-in on the grounds of the temple. It is this Eikan after whom the temple's fuller name, Eikan-dô Zenrin-ji (lit. "Eikan Hall, Temple of Forest of Zen") derives. The temple's chief object of worship, an [[Important Cultural Property]] known as ''Mikaeri-Amida'', is a statue of [[Amida Buddha]], famous for its very unusual pose, looking back over its own left shoulder. A story tells that one day (supposedly [[1082]]/2/15), while reciting ''[[nenbutsu]]'', Eikan encountered Amida himself, who stepped down from the altar and began to walk ahead of Eikan. Stunned, Eikan failed to keep up, and Amida glanced behind him, admonishing him for dawdling.
The temple was founded as a [[Shingon]] temple, but the 12th head of Zenrin-ji, [[Johen|Jôhen]] ([[1166]]-[[1224]]), became a devotee of the teachings of [[Honen|Hônen]], and appointed [[Shoku (Jodo)|Shôkû]], a direct disciple of Hônen, to follow him as head of Zenrin-ji. Shôkû then converted Zenrin-ji from Shingon Buddhism to Hônen's Pure Land sect (''Jôdo-shû''), and established it as the head of a new Zenrin-ji sect within Jôdô-shû.
Zenrin-ji lost many of its buildings to fire during the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] ([[1467]]-[[1477]]), but from [[1492]] onwards, successive heads of the temple, including Kenryû, Yushun, Kôzen, and Hoshuku, led efforts to rebuild the compound.
===Treasures===
The temple's many treasures include:
*The ''Mikaeri Amida'' sculpture (Important Cultural Property)
*Gilt bronze lotus-shaped gong ([[Tang Dynasty]], [[National Treasure]])
*A painting of Amida coming over the mountains (''yamagoe Amida zu'', National Treasure)
*Sixteen [[Arhats]] painting (ink & colors on silk, [[Kamakura period]], Important Cultural Property)
*Painting of the raging sea on gilded paper, by [[Hasegawa Tohaku|Hasegawa Tôhaku]] (''hatô-zu''<!--波濤図-->, Important Cultural Property)
*[[Shaka Trinity]] painting by [[Kano Motonobu|Kanô Motonobu]] (colors on paper, Important Cultural Property)
*Painting of Shaka and Ten Disciples, attr. [[Zhang Sigong]]<!--張思恭--> (color on silk, Important Cultural Property)
*Painting of Amida and Twenty-Five [[Bodhisattva]]s ''[[raigo|raigô]]'' (Important Cultural Property)
*Amida Trinity painting (
{{stub}}
==References==
*"Zenrin-ji and its History," English-language pamphlet obtained on-site.
[[Category:Temples]]
[[Category:Heian Period]]
*''Japanese'': 永観堂禅林寺 ''(Eikandou Zenrinji)''
Eikan-dô Zenrin-ji is a [[Buddhist temple]] in [[Kyoto]]'s Higashiyama district, the head of the Seizan [[Jodo shu|Pure Land]] Zenrin-ji sect.
The temple was founded in [[855]] when [[Fujiwara Kanyu|Fujiwara Kanyû]] turned over his private villa to [[Shinsho sozu|Shinshô sôzu]], a disciple of [[Kukai|Kûkai]], who converted the space into a temple.
A later head priest of the temple, [[Eikan]] ([[1033]]-[[1111]]), established a hospital called Tônan-in on the grounds of the temple. It is this Eikan after whom the temple's fuller name, Eikan-dô Zenrin-ji (lit. "Eikan Hall, Temple of Forest of Zen") derives. The temple's chief object of worship, an [[Important Cultural Property]] known as ''Mikaeri-Amida'', is a statue of [[Amida Buddha]], famous for its very unusual pose, looking back over its own left shoulder. A story tells that one day (supposedly [[1082]]/2/15), while reciting ''[[nenbutsu]]'', Eikan encountered Amida himself, who stepped down from the altar and began to walk ahead of Eikan. Stunned, Eikan failed to keep up, and Amida glanced behind him, admonishing him for dawdling.
The temple was founded as a [[Shingon]] temple, but the 12th head of Zenrin-ji, [[Johen|Jôhen]] ([[1166]]-[[1224]]), became a devotee of the teachings of [[Honen|Hônen]], and appointed [[Shoku (Jodo)|Shôkû]], a direct disciple of Hônen, to follow him as head of Zenrin-ji. Shôkû then converted Zenrin-ji from Shingon Buddhism to Hônen's Pure Land sect (''Jôdo-shû''), and established it as the head of a new Zenrin-ji sect within Jôdô-shû.
Zenrin-ji lost many of its buildings to fire during the [[Onin War|Ônin War]] ([[1467]]-[[1477]]), but from [[1492]] onwards, successive heads of the temple, including Kenryû, Yushun, Kôzen, and Hoshuku, led efforts to rebuild the compound.
===Treasures===
The temple's many treasures include:
*The ''Mikaeri Amida'' sculpture (Important Cultural Property)
*Gilt bronze lotus-shaped gong ([[Tang Dynasty]], [[National Treasure]])
*A painting of Amida coming over the mountains (''yamagoe Amida zu'', National Treasure)
*Sixteen [[Arhats]] painting (ink & colors on silk, [[Kamakura period]], Important Cultural Property)
*Painting of the raging sea on gilded paper, by [[Hasegawa Tohaku|Hasegawa Tôhaku]] (''hatô-zu''<!--波濤図-->, Important Cultural Property)
*[[Shaka Trinity]] painting by [[Kano Motonobu|Kanô Motonobu]] (colors on paper, Important Cultural Property)
*Painting of Shaka and Ten Disciples, attr. [[Zhang Sigong]]<!--張思恭--> (color on silk, Important Cultural Property)
*Painting of Amida and Twenty-Five [[Bodhisattva]]s ''[[raigo|raigô]]'' (Important Cultural Property)
*Amida Trinity painting (
{{stub}}
==References==
*"Zenrin-ji and its History," English-language pamphlet obtained on-site.
[[Category:Temples]]
[[Category:Heian Period]]