There are hundreds of temples and shrines in Kyoto, its hard to chose which to visit. I had stumbled across a website called preparetravelplans.com with an article “10 Hidden Gems in Kyoto” which is how we found the Kimono Forest the other day. Of course, the skeptics among you will be rolling your eyes and thinking “hey, it’s out there on a website, how hidden could these things be?”
Perhaps you would be surprised at how many tourists simply go to the few big places listed in every major guidebook, printed on every guide map available from the Tourist Information center, or specified by Trip Advisor and other major travel sites. Many folks just want to check the box. Okay, I do sound like a snob.
Anyway, back to the subject of this post. A Buddha statue where the head is turned looking back over its shoulder. That puts this temple, Eikan-dō Temple, front and center. Plus it’s in the hills and boasts views of Kyoto from a two story pagoda behind the main temple.
What’s the story? According to the brochure at the temple:
“In the early hours of February 15, 1082, in the freezing cold of the morning, the then chief priest of Eikando, the Abbot Eikan(1033-1111), while intoning the Nembutsu, was walking around a statue of Amida.
He suddenly came to as the dawn was breaking, Amida came down from his pedestal, and began walking away, beckoning to Eikan. Eikan could do nothing but stare, speechless and unmoving. Then Amida looked back at Eikan and called to him in a soft voice. “Eikan! Come with me!” Eikan decided to pass on to others the merciful heart he had received from Amida and prayed, “Please, keep that form forever!” After that, a statue in this form was made. “
The turning-back Amida became the main icon of present day Eikando.
Not a Buddhist scholar here, my naive idea of Buddhism has been blown to bits. I thought there was ONE Buddha whose teachings guided one to enlightenment. Boy was that a simplistic and inaccurate view. There are many many sects and each may follow the teachings of its own Buddha.
When Eikan-dō Temple was first created as part of an esoteric Shingon sect (a little Buddha plus a little Shinto). Now it is of the Pure Land sect.
From the temple literature:
“In Buddhism, it is thought that untold Buddhas exist in the limitless universe. For example, in the far west there is the world of the Pure Land Paradise. There it is said that the Buddha Amida preaches the teachings. Amida is the Buddha who saves us all. In the very distant past, in order to attain the highest enlightenment, Amida established 48 vows. Among them, the most important for our sect is the 18th. This vow is that, if anyone says the name of Amida from the heart, he will be reborn in the Pure Land Paradise and become a Buddha.”
That’s interesting, Ella. I guess THE Buddha that most of us talk about is Gotama (sp?) Buddha, the one who was born in India and was enlightened under the bodhi tree. I have heard other Buddhas mentioned but it barely penetrated my consciousness. I’d like to think that countless beings have gained that kind of freedom from hatred, greed, and delusion, but, I do have a hard time believing it. It’s easier to believe that one very special, very smart guy did it.
Yes. As I understand it, Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) was the founder of Buddhism and usually called “THE” Buddha. But buddha (lowercase b) is a title, not a name, and there are limitless past and future buddhas (a Buddhist belief). When Buddhism spread to Japan, China and other places, it expanded. In Japan, Shinto had an influence. In Bali, Hindu had an influence. Each Buddhist sect seems to be following a different buddha.
Amazing ! Thank you!
De nada. But now I wish I knew a whole lot more.