A Symphony of Colors – The Nison-in Temple in Arashiyama
Perhaps the way that I toured Arashiyama did not comport with the spirit of Zen. By this time, at around noon or so, I had toured the bamboo grove, the Tenryu-ji Temple, the Okochi-Sanso Villa and the Jojakko-ji Temple. Then I was rushing to Nison-in Temple before I would be having my reserved lunch at the Unagiya Hirokawa. I really hurried through these sites. However, at every temple I felt calm. The tranquility in Arashiyama was contagious, despite the throngs of tourists everywhere.
Sightseeing in Kyoto necessarily involves a whole lot of temples. That is because there are thousands of them in the city alone. When you travel in Kyoto during the fall, the temples are also where the red foliage is featured prominently, in a perfect fusion of natural and human footprints. I went through tens of temples in this trip and I never got tired of seeing more. That is because in every temple there is something special to offer, unique either in terms of its history, its basis of faith, its architecture or its ambience. They do not look the same or feel the same at all.
Readers of this series on Japan would notice that I tend not to show photos of the Buddha statues inside the temples. The main reason is that I am Christian and I tend not to like Buddha images. But the other side of the coin is that I am able to enjoy all these temple visits even though I do not share the faith. It is with ready recognition in the value of faith in human society that I came to fully appreciate the Buddhist temples of Japan.
At Nison-in Temple, I felt an indescribable sensation when I heard the ringing of its temple belfry. It was more than calmness — the auditory stimulation touched off a spiritual yearning for joy, gratefulness and fulfillment. And then the bell rang again, and then again, and then again. I realized that people were lining up at the belfry to do a prayerful ritual.
Indeed, it was the sound from the Bell of Happiness, the sonoric reminder of life’s blessings.
A Walk Amongst the Spirits at Nison-in Temple
Photo: Three emperors of Japan were entombed here
At Nison-in Temple, I found an unlikely gem. Beyond the proper grounds for temple structures, I came upon a cemetery. That was where I felt the most at ease that morning, with a sober respect for the spirited, yet also joyful in celebrating the tranquility that lied before my eyes.
A few notable people are buried here at the cemetery of Nison-in. Three emperors were entombed here, Emperor Tsuchimikado, Emperor Go-Saga and Emperor Kameyama. The Mausoleum of Priest Tanku is also inside the temple.
I did not see one soul that ventured into this part of the temple. The seclusion was golden.
A Brief History of the Nison-in Temple
The name Nison-in refers to the two revered images that are the resident deities in the Nison-in Temple, with Amida Nyorai on the left and Shaka Nyorai on the right. According to the temple leaflet, Shaka Nyorai “is the one is the one who sends those seeking rebirth in paradise from this side of the world… Amida Nyorai receives them on the other side. The pair represents the beginning and the end of one’s life.”
The temple came from the early Heian period, circa 834 A.D., by the order of Emperor Saga.
The temple practices Tendai Buddhism, with Chief Abbot Ennin taking leadership. During the Kamakura period, Homen Shonin lived and taught Buddhism in Nison-in. He developed a good relationship with the aristocracy. The third generation Chief Priest Tanku taught Buddhism to Emperor Tsuchimikado and Emperor Go-Saga. Properly speaking, the Nison-in Temple had a long standing relationship with the nobility and imperial court of Japan for many eras, besides being the official temple during Emperor Saga’s reign.
During the Onin War (1467-1477), all of the structures of the Nison-in Temple were destroyed by fire. The Main Hall and the Imperial Envoy Gate were reconstructed in 1521.
A Word on Tendai Buddhism
The Tendai school of Buddhism embraces the Lotus Sutra as its doctrinal foundation. It gained prominence during the Heian period. The chief proponent of Tendai was Japanese monk Saicho, who introduced esoteric elements into the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. By the Kamakura period, Tendai had become a dominant form of Japanese Buddhism. As seen with the Nison-in Temple’s history above, Tendai had official support from the imperial family.
To highlight a point of relevance to the touring of Arashiyama temples, Nichiren Buddhism, as one of the six “Kamakura Buddhism,” was the basis of faith for the Jojakko-ji Temple. It is also located in Mount Ogura, pretty much “next door” in Arashiyama. It arose in response to the corruption and inadequacies of Tendai and its rival Shingon school.
Tendai Buddhism emphasizes the importance of the Lotus Sutra and its unifying nature for all Buddhism. In Tendai’s “One Great Perfect Teaching,” all teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be brought together in one comprehensive perfect system (Wikipedia on Tendai). Tendai Buddhism advocates for the universality of Buddhism.
Sources
Descriptions on site at the Nison-in Temple.
The Wikipedia on Tendai.
The Wikiepedia on Nison-In.