As a child, there was a strangely intriguing 'red bridge' that I would pass by in the car. Don't you have a place that lingers in your memory, where you thought, 'What is that?' amidst the everyday scenery?
As an adult, I happened to stop by that place during a solo drive, and I saw many people digging into the ground, eagerly conducting archaeological research. The moment I saw that scene, I remember being strongly moved, thinking, 'I want to unearth the romance of history too!' That was the starting point for my deep engagement with Aizu's history.
That place is the nationally designated historic site 'Keijitsu-ji (Eijitsu-ji) Ruins' in Bandai Town.
The 'Hiei Mountain of Tohoku' that existed in Aizu
Kejitsu-ji was founded in the early Heian period (807) and has been a major temple that has recorded history in this area for nearly a thousand years until it was abandoned in the early Meiji period. At its peak, it was a massive religious city with records stating that 'there were 3,800 sub-temples, and the roofs of the halls lined up as far as the eye could see,' and it once had such influence that it was called the 'Hiei Mountain of Tohoku.'
The person who founded this great temple was a Buddhist monk named 'Tokuitsu.' He lived at the same time as Kukai and Saicho, but he was also a figure who engaged in a 'great controversy' that shook the history of Japanese Buddhism in this remote land of Aizu, far from the central areas (Nara and Kyoto).
[Buddhist Mystery] Can anyone become a Buddha? 'The Largest Buddhist Controversy in Japan'
At that time, Saicho, the founder of the Tendai sect, preached that 'anyone can attain enlightenment and become a Buddha (Ichijo).' In contrast, Tokuitsu, who was in Aizu, directly countered this. He argued that 'there are inherent differences in people's abilities and natures, and unfortunately, there are those who cannot attain enlightenment (Sanjo, Gosei Kabetsu Theory).'
The greatest confrontation in the history of Japanese Buddhism: 'San'itsu Gonjitsuron Controversy'
This is called the 'San'itsu Gonjitsuron Controversy' and was a historical debate that fiercely exchanged opinions in writing for five years.
In response to Saicho's ideal of 'everyone being saved,' Tokuitsu's claims may sound a bit harsh. However, Tokuitsu was an elite who mastered the cutting-edge study of 'Yogacara,' which logically analyzes the workings of the human mind and consciousness. His rebuttal was not just an idealistic theory, but a serious reflection on the 'realities of human existence.'
Saicho, who advocates ideals, and Tokuitsu, who observes reality. If you had lived in this era, which teaching would you resonate with more deeply?
Why did Tokuitsu choose 'Aizu and Bandai'?
So, why did such a genius monk choose Aizu in Tohoku instead of the glamorous stage of the capital? There are several reasons to consider.
One reason is the existence of the rich nature of Mount Bandai and the belief in sacred mountains. And it was a transportation hub. However, more interestingly, Tokuitsu intentionally distanced himself from 'central Buddhism connected to state power.' He believed that by separating from politics and vested interests, he could build a 'pure land of faith and practice' in this quiet land of Aizu.
Prayers to 'Yakushi Nyorai' that resonate with local people
As evidence, the principal image he chose for Kejitsu-ji was not the 'Amitabha Buddha for going to paradise after death,' which later became popular, but 'Yakushi Nyorai, who saves people facing illness and suffering in this world.'
He aimed to heal the immediate suffering of local people fighting against harsh nature and epidemics. This was the vision of Buddhism that Tokuitsu aspired to.
A journey to revive the temple complex and uncover unknown history
Kejitsu-ji was later caught in the waves of history, being destroyed by the Genpei conflicts and the battles of Date and Ashina, and the anti-Buddhist movements of the Meiji period, and once fell into a slumber beneath the earth. However, now, after years of excavation, the main hall and the middle gate have been beautifully restored in three dimensions, allowing one to feel the grandeur of that time.
In "Tabinoito", we offer a 【Academic Style】 tour that unravels grand historical dramas not found in textbooks while feeling the local atmosphere.
The vision of an ideal world imagined by a monk named Tokui, the background of Japan's largest Buddhist debate, and why I was drawn to this place. Would you like to embark on an "adult historical exploration" that stimulates intellectual curiosity together? I look forward to solving historical mysteries with everyone on-site.
