「枕石寺」
Do you know about Japanese temples? Chinsekiji Temple was the setting for the first act of Kurata Hyakuzo’s play “The Priest and his Disciples.” At 4T-AMKY, Teachers and Students write about Japanese culture, food, history, many spots to visit, and other stuff. Enjoy reading and knowing about deeper Japanese culture!
Chinsekiji Temple
Legend
Chinsekiji Temple is a Jodo Shinshu temple that is located at Kamikawaicho in Hitachiota city in Ibaraki Prefecture. When I read this temple’s origin I thought “Oh! I know this story.” That reminded me of a play I once read by Kurata Hyakuzo, “The Priest and His Disciples.” I had forgotten the details, but the storyline remained in my memory.
According to the temple‘s legend, the story is as follows. One snowy evening in 1212, Shinran Shonin visited Okado Village with two of his disciples and asked Hino Saemon Yoriaki for a place to stay for the night, but he refused them, so they slept in the snow with a stone as a pillow. That night, Yoriaki dreamed that the thousand-armed Kannon appeared in his dream and admonished him to have mercy on travelers. Deeply regretting his actions, Yoriaki welcomed Shinran to teach him, changed his name to Nyusaibo Doen, and founded Chinsekiji Temple.
It was originally built in 1212 in Okado Village, but was moved to Uchida Village in 1232, and then to its current location in 1540. The temple is said to still have the stone that Shinran used as a pillow. When I asked if I could actually see it, I was told that it is open to the public on Mushiboshi Day (Insect Drying Day) in October every year. I thought I would love to see it.
Ranma (transom) paintings
The first thing that caught my attention when I went up to the main hall was the Ranma paintings. I have seen the Ranma with carvings of Tennyo (celestial maidens), but this is the first time I have seen them painted in this way. There was no explanation of the origin or meaning of these paintings, but I was told that they have never been restored. The hall was destroyed by fire in 1829 and rebuilt in 1843, so even then, 180 years have passed. I am deeply moved by the paintings, which are still beautiful.
Since I had entered the temple grounds directly from the parking lot without passing through the gate, I went through the gate on my way back. I wondered, “Could it be that Shinran slept around here with a stone as a pillow?” I was thrilled for a moment. However, it immediately occurred to me that the temple was built in Okado Village, so it could not be here.
After I got home, I tried to reproduce the painting of the Tennyo in the center of the Ranma.
「枕石寺」
伝説
枕石寺は、茨城県常陸太田市上河合町にある浄土真宗のお寺です。お寺の縁起を読んだ時「あ！この話知ってる！」と思いました。それで思い出したのが、以前に読んだ倉田百三の戯曲『出家とその弟子』です。詳細は忘れていましたが、話の筋が記憶に残っていました。
寺伝によるとお話は次の通りです。1212年（建暦2年）のある雪の降る夕暮れ、親鸞聖人が2人の弟子を連れて大門村を訪れ、日野左衛門頼秋(ひのさえもんよりあき)に一夜の宿を求めますが断られ、石を枕に雪の中に寝ました。その夜頼秋の夢に千手観音が現れ「旅人に慈悲を」と諭される夢を見ます。頼秋は深く後悔し、親鸞を迎え入れて教えを受け、入西房道円（にゅうさいぼうどうえん）と名を改め、枕石寺を創建しました。
お寺は、1212年に大門村に建立されましたが、1232年（貞永元年）内田村へと移され、1540年（天文9年）に現在地に移りました。お寺には今も親鸞が枕にしたという石が所蔵されているといいます。実際に見られるものかと尋ねてみると、毎年10月の虫干しの日に一般公開されているということです。是非見てみたいものだと思いました。
欄間絵
本堂に上がるとまず目を引いたのは、欄間に描かれた絵でした。天女の彫刻が施された欄間を見たことはありますが、このように絵が描かれているのは初めて見ました。この絵の謂れや意味の説明はありませんでしたが、一度も修復されたことはないそうです。堂宇は1829年に焼失し、1843年に再建されたとあるので、それからでも180年も時がたっています。今でも美しい絵に深く感動しました。
山門をくぐることなく、駐車場から直接境内へ入ってしまったので、帰りに門をくぐってみました。「もしかしてこの辺りで親鸞が石を枕に寝たのかしら？」と一瞬ドキドキしましたが、お寺は大門村に建立されたわけで、ここであるはずがない、とすぐに思い当たりました。
家に帰ってから、中央の天女の絵を模写してみました。
Ikuyo.K.
