Eishozan Myoryuji, Kamakura - Japan

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joshoshami
November 04, 2009

Full name: Eishozan Myoryuji (叡昌山妙隆寺)
Denomination: Nichiren Shu (日蓮宗)
Location: Three hundred meters north-eat of JR Kamakura Station.

History: The area is said to have once been occupied by residences of the descendants of the Chiba clan (千葉), influential retainers in the Kamakura period. Tradition at the temple maintains that it was built by Nichiei (日英), who in 1385 was invited by Chiba Tanesada (千葉胤貞) to serve as the founding priest.

Ground and structures: The Main Hall houses images of Nichiren (日蓮, 1222-82), Nisshin (日親), the second head priest, and Shaka Nyorai. The hall this side on the right of the Main Hall houses a statue of Jurojin (寿老人), one of the Seven Lucky Gods of the Kamakura-Enoshima area, who brings longevity as well as safety and health to worshipers. Another stone statue of Jurojin, attended by a deer, stands in front of the entrance to the temple office on the left.

On the right side of the grounds are a pond called Chinoike (血の池), "Blood Pond," where Nisshin trained himself rigorously. (See Story')
　　　Further along on the same side is a small hall called Nisshindo (日親堂), which houses a stone image of Nisshin himself.
Story: At the age of 21, Nisshin told himself that he had to be strong enough to endure trials of any kind if he was to spread the teachings of Buddha. To prepare himself, achieve this, he would first bathe in the pond on the grounds here and chant sutras, then paint a mandala in India ink mixed with blood obtained by pulling out his nails. While chanting, he would also plunge his hands into boiling water. Later, in Kyoto, he wrote out his philosophy in a book called Rissho Chikokuron (立正治国論) and submitted the dissertation to the sixth shogun, Ashikaga Yoshinori (足利義教, 1394-1441) as a means of correcting the shogun's policy. In response, he was arrested and punished by having a heated pot fitted on his head. This earned him the nickname, Nabekamuri Nisshin, literally "Pot-Wearing Nisshin."

On the right side of the main hall is a stone monument dedicated to the actor Maruyama Sadao (丸山定夫, 1901-45).

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