Hōnen-in (法然院) was built close to the site of a simple hermitage where Hōnen (法然 1133-1212) and his disciples (Jūren 住蓮 and Anraku 安楽), worshiped the bodhisattva Amida (阿弥陀仏) 6 times each day and night on Shishigatani (鹿ヶ谷).
'Sange' (散華) is a ritual offering of flowers. Early each morning at Hōnen-in 25 flowers (commonly camellia) are dedicated to a statue of Amida carved by Genshin (源信 942-1017).
The flowers represent the 25 bodhisattva who help Amida take the souls of the dead to paradise.
As visitors enter Hōnen-in they pass through the Byakusadan (白砂壇), 2 terraces of white sand (roughly 7m long, 3m wide and 10cm high).
Said to symbolize water, the sand purifies the body and soul. Every 4 or 5 days a priest rakes new patterns, reflecting the weather or season.
The shield bug (カメムシ 'kamemushi') sliding door was inspired by an old belief that an outbreak of shield bugs heralds a long, hard winter ahead (カメムシが大発生するとその冬は寒く大雪になる).
One of the temple's most stunning features is a rather new addition...a sliding door painted with very lifelike shield bugs (カメムシの絵).
Titled 'Yokyō' (余興 'entertainment' or 'performance'), it was created by Mizuno Hiroyo (水野浩世).
💔🙏AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER👑🗡️
Banbukyō-ji (萬無教寺 aka Manmukyō-ji) sits on the Philosopher's Path beneath Zenki-san (善気山).
Thanks to its links to Hōnen, it is better known as Hōnen-in (法然院), and because of the many camellia that grow here it's nicknamed Tsubaki-no-dera (椿の寺).
Hōnen-in (法然院) was built close to the site of a simple hermitage where Hōnen (法然 1133-1212) and his disciples (Jūren 住蓮 and Anraku 安楽), worshiped the bodhisattva Amida (阿弥陀仏) 6 times each day and night on Shishigatani (鹿ヶ谷).
As visitors enter Hōnen-in they pass through the Byakusadan (白砂壇), 2 terraces of white sand (roughly 7m long, 3m wide and 10cm high).
Said to symbolize water, the sand purifies the body and soul. Every 4 or 5 days a priest rakes new patterns, reflecting the weather or season.
#Honenin #autumn #紅葉 #Kyoto #京都 #Japan #ThePhilosophersPath #哲学の道 #Tetsugakunomichi
Camellia Tea Ceremony
Joeri Coppens