Stone Pagodas is a photograph by Eva Lechner which was uploaded on October 22nd, 2021.
Stone Pagodas
The highlight of this temple is the view of thousands of stone Buddhist images and stone pagodas that are crammed into the temple ground. Those... more
by Eva Lechner
Title
Stone Pagodas
Artist
Eva Lechner
Medium
Photograph
Description
The highlight of this temple is the view of thousands of stone Buddhist images and stone pagodas that are crammed into the temple ground. Those images and pagodas used to be tomb stones and the fact makes the character of the Jodo-shu sect temple quite unique and somewhat uncanny.
The history of this temple is not very clear but following is what I gather so far.
In ancient times, they disposed of dead bodies by exposing them to the elements (aerial sepulcher) here in Adashino. Then the area changed to be a burying ground and they placed stone Buddhist images or stone pagodas as tomb stones.
About 1200 years ago, Kobo-daishi (Kukai, 774-835) established a Shingon-shu sect temple called Kochizan-Nyorai-ji in Adashino to pray for those unknown souls. Years later, Honen (1133-1212) opened a dojo in the same place for intoning Nenbutsu, or Buddha-invocations. The dojo was called Nenbutsu-ji.
Uploaded
October 22nd, 2021