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Saidai-ji
or the "Great Western Temple" is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple was first established in AD 765 as a counterpart to Tōdai-ji and it is the main temple of the sect of Buddhism after the sect's founder, , took over administration in 1238. It has undergone several reconstruction efforts since then during the succeeding centuries. One building, the Aizen-dō, houses a statue of Aizen Myō-ō Aizen may refer to: * Aizen Myō-ō (愛染明王), a popular deity in Japanese Buddhism. * Sōsuke Aizen is a fictional character from the manga series ''Bleach'' created by Tite Kubo and the main villain of the first half of the series (and t ..., while the main image is of Shakyamuni Buddha, erected by Eison in 1249. Building list * Main Hall (Hondō – 本堂) – Important Cultural Property. It was rebuilt in 1808. *Shiō-dō (四王堂) – It was rebuilt in 1674. *Aizen-dō (愛� ...
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Eison
(1201–1290) was a Japanese Buddhist monk who founded the Shingon Risshu sect. Eison entered religious training when he was eleven years old, studying initially at Daigo-ji and later at Kongōbu-ji. At the age of 34, while at Saidai-ji, he made the decision to become a fully ordained monk. However, since the process of ordination in Shingon Buddhism had been lost by this point in time, Eison decided to self-ordain, and along with three companions performed his own ordination ceremony at Tōdai-ji in 1236. After spending some years as a travelling priest, Eison returned to Saidai-ji and founded the Shingon Risshu sect. Saidai-ji prospered under his governance, receiving increased donations and revenue despite Eison's vows of poverty. In later years, Eison also accepted donations of land from the Retired Emperor Kameyama. These generous donations may have been the result of Eison's response to the Mongol invasions of Japan, in which he performed esoteric rituals to repel the ...
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Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture, Japan. As of 2022, Nara has an estimated population of 367,353 according to World Population Review, making it the largest city in Nara Prefecture and sixth-largest in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara is a core city located in the northern part of Nara Prefecture bordering the Kyoto Prefecture. Nara was the capital of Japan during the Nara period from 710 to 794 as the seat of the Emperor before the capital was moved to Kyoto. Nara is home to eight temples, shrines, and ruins, specifically Tōdai-ji, Saidai-ji, Kōfuku-ji, Kasuga Shrine, Gangō-ji, Yakushi-ji, Tōshōdai-ji, and the Heijō Palace, together with Kasugayama Primeval Forest, collectively form the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Etymology By the Heian period, a variety of different characters had been used to represent the name Nara: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and . A number of theories for the origin of the name "Nara" have b ...
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List Of National Treasures Of Japan (crafts-others)
The term " National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897, although the definition and the criteria have changed since the introduction of the term. The crafts items in the list adhere to the current definition and have been designated National Treasures according to the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties that came into effect on June 9, 1951. The items are selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their "especially high historical or artistic value". The list presents 132 entries from Classical to early modern Japan, spanning from the 7th century Asuka to the 18th century Edo period. The number of items is higher, however, since groups of related objects have been joined as single entries. The listed objects are of many types and include household goods, objects related to Buddhism, armour and harnesses. Some of the oldest objects were imported from China at the time. The listed items ...
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Shingon Risshu
The is a comparatively small medieval sect of Buddhism in Japan that arose in the Kamakura period as an offshoot of Shingon Buddhism. Its founder was a monk named Eison (叡尊 1201-1290), a disciple of Jōkei, and carried further by Eison's disciple Ninshō (忍性 1217-1303). Shingon Risshū is marked by a greater emphasis on the vinaya than traditional Shingon Buddhism while still adhering to tantric practices. Its home temple is Saidai-ji or the "Great Western Temple" is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple was first established in AD 765 as a counterpart to Tōdai-ji and it is the main te .... References * {{Authority control Shingon Buddhism ...
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Nanto Shichi Daiji
Nanto Shichi Daiji (南都七大寺), literally "the seven great temples of the southern capital (meaning Nara)", is a historical common name generally referring to the powerful and influential seven Buddhist temples located in Nara. There have been some changes as to which temples are included over the years, since there have been fluctuations in power. The following is a list as it stood at the early stage, all of which were originally built by imperial order: This book is a collection of travel records to the seven great temples in Nara, published in Heian Period. A copy of the 13th century is shown at Nara National Museum. Designated National Treasure. *Daian-ji (大安寺) *Gangō-ji (元興寺) *Hōryū-ji (法隆寺) (located close to the border of modern Nara city, in the town of Ikaruga, Nara) *Kōfuku-ji (興福寺) *Saidai-ji (西大寺) *Tōdai-ji (東大寺) *Yakushi-ji (薬師寺) Sometimes the temples were called "the fifteen great temples of the southern capital" to ...
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Nara Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Nara Prefecture has a population of 1,321,805 and has a geographic area of . Nara Prefecture borders Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Osaka Prefecture to the northwest, Wakayama Prefecture to the southwest, and Mie Prefecture to the east. Nara is the capital and largest city of Nara Prefecture, with other major cities including Kashihara, Ikoma, and Yamatokōriyama. Nara Prefecture is located in the center of the Kii Peninsula on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast, and is one of only eight landlocked prefectures. Nara Prefecture has the distinction of having more UNESCO World Heritage listings than any other prefecture in Japan. History Nara Prefecture region is considered one of the oldest regions in Japan, having been in existence for thousands of years, and is widely viewed as the Japanese cradle of civilization. Like Kyoto, Nara was one of Imperial Japan's earliest capital cities. The current form of Nara Pr ...
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List Of National Treasures Of Japan (paintings)
The term " National Treasure" has been used in Japan to denote cultural properties since 1897. The definition and the criteria have changed since the inception of the term. These paintings adhere to the current definition, and were designated national treasures when the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties was implemented on June 9, 1951. As such, they are restricted in transfer and may not be exported. Owners are required to announce any changes to the National Treasures such as damage or loss and need to obtain a permit for changes in location, transfer of ownership or intended repairs. The items are selected by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology based on their "especially high historical or artistic value". This list contains 166 paintings from 7th-century Asuka period to the early modern 19th-century Edo period. In fact the number of paintings presented is more than 166, because in some cases groups of related paintings are combined to ...
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List Of National Treasures Of Japan (sculptures)
In the mid-6th century, the introduction of Buddhism from Korea (Baekje) to Japan resulted in a revival of Japanese sculpture. Buddhist monks, artisans and scholars settled around the capital in Yamato Province (present day Nara Prefecture) and passed their techniques to native craftsmen. Consequently, early Japanese sculptures from the Asuka period, Asuka and Hakuhō period, Hakuhō periods show strong influences of continental art, which initially were characterized by almond-shaped eyes, upward-turned crescent-shaped lips and symmetrically arranged folds in the clothing. The workshop of the Japanese sculptor Tori Busshi, who was strongly influenced by the Northern Wei style, produced works which exemplify such characteristics. The Shaka Nyorai, Shakyamuni triad and the Guze Guanyin, Kannon at Hōryū-ji are prime examples. By the late 7th century, wood replaced bronze and copper. By the early Tang dynasty, greater realism was expressed by fuller forms, long narrow slit eyes, soft ...
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Glossary Of Japanese Buddhism
This is the glossary of Japanese Buddhism, including major terms the casual (or brand-new) reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject. Words followed by an asterisk (*) are illustrated by an image in one of the photo galleries. Within definitions, words set in boldface are defined elsewhere in the glossary. __NOTOC__ A * ''agyō''* (阿形) – A type of statue (of a Niō, komainu, etc.) with its mouth open to pronounce the sound "a", first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet and symbol of the beginning of all things. See also ''ungyō''. * Amida Nyorai (阿弥陀如来) – Japanese name of Amitabha, deity worshiped mainly by the Pure Land sect.''Kōjien Japanese dictionary'' * – A Hermitage. * arhat – see arakan. * ''arakan*'' (阿羅漢) – the highest level of Buddhist ascetic practice, or someone who has reached it. The term is often shortened to just ''rakan'' (羅漢). B *bay – see ken. *'' bettō'' (別当) – Previously the title ...
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Hondō
Main hall is the building within a Japanese Buddhist temple compound ('' garan'') which enshrines the main object of veneration.Kōjien Japanese dictionary Because the various denominations deliberately use different terms, this single English term translates several Japanese words, among them ''butsuden'', ''butsu-dō'', ''kondō'', ''konpon-chūdō'', and ''hondō''. ''Hondō'' is its exact Japanese equivalent, while the others are more specialized words used by particular sects or for edifices having a particular structure. Kondō (Asuka and Nara periods) The term started to be used during the Asuka and Nara periods. A ''kondō'' is the centerpiece of an ancient Buddhist temple's ''garan'' in Japan. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it may derive from the perceived preciousness of its content, or from the fact that the interior was lined with gold. This is the name used by the oldest temples in the country.Iwanami Nihonshi Jiten A ''kondō'', for example Hōryū-ji's ...
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List Of National Treasures Of Japan (writings)
Lists of National Treasures of Japan cover different types of National Treasure of Japan. They include buildings and fine arts and crafts. Buildings and structures * List of National Treasures of Japan (castles), for structures that are part of a castle *List of National Treasures of Japan (miscellaneous structures), for other structures and buildings *List of National Treasures of Japan (residences), for residential buildings and structures *List of National Treasures of Japan (shrines), for structures that are part of a Shinto shrine *List of National Treasures of Japan (temples), for structures that are part of a Buddhist temple Fine Arts and Crafts *List of National Treasures of Japan (ancient documents), for ancient documents *List of National Treasures of Japan (archaeological materials), for archaeological finds *List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts) ** List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts: others), for craft items that are not swords ** List of National Trea ...
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Religious Organizations Established In The 8th Century
Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or religious organization, organizations, that generally relates humanity to supernatural, transcendence (religion), transcendental, and spirituality, spiritual elements; however, there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion. Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from the Divinity, divine, Sacred, sacred things, faith,Tillich, P. (1957) ''Dynamics of faith''. Harper Perennial; (p. 1). a supernatural being or supernatural beings or "some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life". Religious practices may include rituals, sermons, commemoration or veneration (of deities or saints), sacrifices, festivals, ...
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