【京都案内３】京都ファン必見！　「宇治平等院」へおこしやす

今回のアプリ【京都案内３】では、宇治平等院を取り上げました。

平等院は京の都から見て宇治川の向こう側に位置しています。当時は宇治川を三途の川に見立て、その西にある西方浄土にたとえられた場所だったということです。西は日が沈む方角なので死者が住む場所、すなわち浄土がある場所と考えられていたのです。
古来から貴族が死を迎えるまで晩年を心安らかに過ごす場所としてもこの地が選ばれてきました

平等院には、日本を代表する浄土式庭園があります。
それまで主流だった寝殿造庭園をベースに、当時の思想の変化を受けて造営されるようになったのが浄土式庭園です。それらは主に平安時代から鎌倉時代にかけて築かれた日本庭園の形式のひとつであり、現存する一番有名なものが宇治平等院鳳凰堂とその前庭である園池なのです。

その様式は仏教の浄土思想の影響を大きく受けたもので、極楽浄土の世界を再現しようとしたものです。主に金堂や仏堂をはじめとした寺院建築物の前に園池が広がる形をとっており、庭園の池の占める割合が非常に大きいのも特徴の一つです。

このような庭園が造られるようになった時代背景には末法（まっぽう）思想という考え方が存在します。
仏法は、仏教を広めた釈迦の没後、2000年は平穏に過ごせるが、その後は恐ろしい末法の世がはじまると説きました。末法思想は平安貴族を震え上がらせました。表向きは華やかな生活を送りつつも、死という切実な不安から逃れることが出来なくなっていったのです。平等院が創建されたのはちょうどこの頃でした。

この時期は末法の年の接近にともない、大飢饉や疫病が起こり都は地獄さながらの状況だったようです。末法の世では、死後成仏出来なくなるという不安が強まりました。貴族たちは死後の世界である浄土のなかで最も美しい極楽浄土に往生出来ることを願いました。その願いをかなえるために造られたのが浄土式庭園と呼ばれる庭園建築だったのです。
平等院は、末法が始まるギリギリの釈迦入滅2000年目にあたる1052年、関白・藤原頼通によって創建されました。
現在の平等院の地は、源氏物語のモデルとなった源融（みなもとのとおる）（嵯峨天皇の皇子）の宇治院があった場所とされています。この地は999年に藤原時代の栄華を築いた藤原道長が手に入れ、息子の頼通によって平等院が建てられたのです。

藤原頼通と言えば「この世をば　わが世とぞ思ふ 望月の かけたることもなしと思へば」の歌で有名な人ですよね。（この世は自分のためにあるようなものだ。満月の欠けたことがないように）満月の欠けたことがないようにとは、もう自分の思うようにならないことは一つもないということです。
いかにも栄華を極めているといった勝者の歌です。

鳳凰堂（阿弥陀堂）には阿弥陀如来像が祀られていて、当時最高の腕をもつ仏師定朝（じょうちょう）の作です。
阿弥陀如来像は極楽浄土の主人で亡くなった人の魂を救いとるとされている仏様です。その姿は亡くなった人をこの世に迎えに来た来迎の瞬間を表しています。内部の壁の側面には阿弥陀如来像に寄り添うように52体の雲中供養菩薩の木像が舞っています。

近年、阿弥陀堂内の修復中に創建当時に工事をした人達の落書きが多数見つかったそうです。その絵はどれも庶民の訴えが描かれたものだったようです。大通りを泣きながら裸足で走る庶民の姿や苦痛にあえぐ貧民の顔などが多数描かれていたと言います。貴族の華やかな生活の陰で大飢饉と疫病に苦しみながら強制的に奉仕させられていた名もなき庶民の訴えが描かれているのです。

きらびやかな平等院鳳凰堂は日本が誇る国宝であり世界遺産にも指定され世界的にも有名な場所です。10円玉にも描かれていて我々日本人ならその存在を知らない人はいないでしょう。この豪華で贅沢な平等院を拝観する際には忘れず思い出してください。 In this application [Kyoto guide 3], we picked up the Uji Byodo.

Byodo is located on the other side of the Uji River as seen from the city of Kyoto. Likened at the time the Uji River to the Styx, it is that it was though was location to the west Pure Land which is in the west. West the sun sets direction of because where the dead live, that I was considered a place where there is a Pure Land.
Even in his later years until the aristocracy from ancient times is welcome death as a place to mind in peace spend this land has been selected

The Byodo, there is a Pure Land gardens to represent Japan.
Based on the Shinden-zukuri garden was a mainstream until it is the Pure Land garden that came to be erecting in response to the change of the time of thought. They are one of the form of mainly was built from the Heian period over the Kamakura period Japanese garden, I thing the most of existing famous is a Sonoike a Uji Byodoin Temple and its front yard.

The style which was greatly influenced by the Buddhist Pure Land thought, is what you are trying to recreate the world of paradise. Takes the form of Sonoike is spread in front of the main temple buildings were, including the main hall and the Buddhist temple, it is one of the also features a very large proportion of the pond of the garden.

There is the idea of ​​latter days (latter days) thought to such a historical background of the garden came to be built.
Buddhism is, after the death of Buddha to spread the Buddhism, but in 2000 spend peacefully, then preached to the world of the horrible latter days begins. Latter days thought was so terrified the peace aristocracy. Ostensibly even while sending a glamorous life, it became not be able to escape from the compelling anxiety of death. Byodo that was built was just this time.

This time with the approach of the year in the latter days, the city occur large famine and plague seems to have been the hell just like situation. In the world of the latter days, it was intensified anxiety that can not be after death Buddhahood. Nobles was wish to be able to death in the most beautiful paradise among the Pure Land is a life after death. It was built to fulfill the wish it was a garden architecture, called the Pure Land garden.
Byodo is, the last minute of Buddha dying 2000 year to hit 1052 years latter days begins, it has been founded by Kanpaku-Yorimichi Fujiwara.
The land of the current Byodo has been a place where there is Uji Institute of Minamoto no Tōru that became the model of the Tale of Genji (Toru of Minamoto) (Prince of Emperor Saga). This land is put into a hand Michinaga Fujiwara laid the glory of the Fujiwara period in 999 years, it Byodo by the son of Yorimichi was built.

I'm a famous person in speaking of Yorimichi Fujiwara of "If Omoe and without also upcoming over Mochizuki that Omou each and our world if the world" song. (This world is like there for myself. So as not to missing of the full moon) and so as not to lacking of the full moon, is that there is no one that does not become to think anymore of myself .
Really is the winner of the song, such as are extremely glory.

In Phoenix Hall (Amida) is enshrined is Amitabha image, it is the work of sculptor Jōchō (superior) with the highest arm at that time.
Amitabha image is the Buddha, which is the Nikki save the souls of people who died in the master of paradise. The figure represents the moment of raigō came to pick in this world the person who died. It is on the side of the inside of the wall you are flying a wooden statue of the clouds memorial service Bodhisattva as 52 bodies snuggle up to Amitabha image.

In recent years, it seems graffiti of people that the construction work at the time built in during the repair in the Amida is found a large number. The picture seems to have was something that none complained of the common people has been drawn. Weeping main street is called the, such as the poor of face-stricken to the common people of the appearance and pain running barefoot has been drawn a large number. I gorgeous shade in the appeal of the great famine and the name that had been forced to serve while suffering the plague Nowhere common people of life of the aristocracy are drawn.

Glittering Byodoin Temple is a famous location is specified in the world to be world heritage a national treasure that Japan is proud of. People I do not know of its existence if the Japanese have also drawn to the 10 yen coin would not. Please recall not forget is when admission a luxury Byodo at this luxury.