is a

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

temple in the Saga district of Ukyō-ku,

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

, Japan. It is also known as Saga Shaka-dō. It used to be devoted to the practice of

Yuzu Nembutsu is a school of Pure Land Buddhism that focuses on the recitation of the ''Nembutsu'', the name of the Amitabha Buddha. Followers believe this recitation benefits not just the chanter, but the entire world as well. History The sect began in t ...

, although it has been owned by the

Jōdo-shū Jōdo-shū (浄土宗, "The Pure Land School"), is a Japanese branch of Pure Land Buddhism derived from the teachings of the Kamakura era monk Hōnen (1133–1212). The school is traditionally considered as having been established in 1175 and i ...

sect since the Genroku Period. Initially, the temple belonged to the

Kegon The Huayan school of Buddhism (, Wade–Giles: ''Hua-Yen,'' "Flower Garland," from the Sanskrit "''Avataṃsaka''") is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty (618-907).Yü, Chün-fang (2020). ''Chinese Bu ...

sect; then it became a

Pure Land Pure Land is a Mahayana, Mahayana Buddhist concept referring to a transcendent realm emanated by a buddhahood, buddha or bodhisattva which has been purified by their activity and Other power, sustaining power. Pure lands are said to be places ...

temple. The ''

honzon , sometimes referred to as a Gohonzon ( or ), is the enshrined main image or principal deity in Japanese Buddhism. The buddha, bodhisattva, or mandala image is located in either a temple or a household butsudan. The image can be either a statue ...

'' is an image of

Gautama Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist lege ...

(Shaka-nyorai). The wooden statue is a

National Treasure of Japan Some of the National Treasures of Japan A is " Tangible Cultural Properties designated by law in modern Japan as having extremely high value." Specifically, it refers to buildings, arts, and crafts designated as especially valuable from ...

, and is an example of a ''

hibutsu are Japanese Buddhist icons or statues concealed from public view. ''Hibutsu'' are generally located within Buddhist temples in shrines called . They are unavailable for viewing or worship except for certain religious ceremonies. It is possible i ...

''. Seiryō-ji also possesses National Treasure statues of the

Amitābha Amitābha (, "Measureless" or "Limitless" Light), also known as Amituofo in Chinese language, Chinese, Amida in Japanese language, Japanese and Öpakmé in Tibetan script, Tibetan, is one of the main Buddhahood, Buddhas of Mahayana, Mahayana Buddh ...

(Amida) trinity, and other National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties.京都の神社・寺院お出かけガイド(お宝)

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (Japan) The , abbreviated MLIT, is a ministry of the Japanese government.国土交通省設置法

(Retrieved on May 3, 2009) The tomb of

Minamoto no Tōru was a Japanese poet and statesman. He was born the son of Emperor Saga and a member of the Saga Genji clan. He is sometimes mentioned as the model for Hikaru Genji in important Japanese literary classic ''The Tale of Genji''. Under his title ...

, sometimes mentioned as the model for

Hikaru Genji is the protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's Heian-era Japanese novel ''The Tale of Genji''. "Hikaru" means "shining", deriving from his appearance, hence he is known as the "Shining Prince." He is portrayed as a superbly handsome man and a gen ...

in important Japanese literary classic ''

The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature written by the noblewoman, poet, and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu around the peak of the Heian period, in the early 11th century. It is one of history's first novels, the first by a woman to have wo ...

'', resides here. File:Seiryoji Amida Triad.jpg, Amida Triad File:Seiryoji Buddha.jpg, Shaka Nyorai File:Seiryoji Painting.jpg, Painting depicting the carving of the Seiryo-ji Buddha

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Seiryo-ji Buddhist temples in Kyoto Jōdo-shū temples

See also

References