|
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
A semi-legendary holy man noted for his practice of mountain asceticism during the second half of the 7c. Typically he is represented wearing a white hooded robe and a pair of clogs, which have one support instead of the usual two. He holds a staff and Buddhist prayer beads in his hands and is usually seated on a rock base accompanied by two demons oni 鬼.
En no Gyouja was known as a diviner at Mt. Katsuragi 葛城 on the border of Nara and Osaka. Mentioned in early Japanese texts, the NIHON RYOUIKI 日本霊異記, and the SHOKUNIHONGI 続日本紀 as having magical powers that enable him to cast spells, he is also said to have had two demon attendants who gathered water and firewood for him. In 699 he was accused of misleading the people and expelled to Izu 伊豆. Though his life story is riddled with folklore, he is idealized as the founder of shugendou 修験道, a syncretic religious order which combined elements of ancient pre-Buddhist worship of mountains sangaku shinkou 山岳信仰 with the doctrine and ritual of Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教.
It is believed that he climbed and consecrated many mountains, making sanctuaries in such places as Kinbusen 金峯山 and Oomine 大峰 in Nara. He was given the posthumous name of Shinben Daibosatu 神変大菩薩 (Miraculous Great Bodhisattva).
Artwork depicting En no Gyouja dates from the Kamakura period or later and is often found in temples of the Shingon 真言 sect, strongly influenced by Oomine mountain asceticism.
(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System. No reproduction or republication without written permission.
掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。