Kannon for your Eyes

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Kannon for your Eyes
and Fudo Myo-O

Indian-style one-thousand armed Kannon, with very slender eyes



More photos of the statues in the temple precincts
source :small-life.com

Minami Hokkeji (Tsubosakadera 壷阪寺)
Nr. 6 of the Saikoku Kannon Pilgrimage
Nara
壷阪寺（南法華寺)
西国三十三ヶ所観音霊場の第六番札所


The temple was founded in 701 by priest Benki of Genkoji Temple. Parts of it have been made from white stone imported from India.


quote
According to the chronicle of Minamihokkeji Temple possessed by Tsubosakadera Temple, the holy priest Benki felt the presence of the Kanzeonbosatsu (the Goddesss of Mercy) in his prized quartz pot while he was attracted by this sacred mountain and practiced asceticism. He enshrined this pot on top of the slope and help religious service for it, engraved the image of Kanzeonbosatsu and enshrined it as Tsubosaka Kannon.

This is the etymology of Tsubosaka (slope of pot) .Thereafter when the emperor Gensho was on the throne, the temple became an imperial family temple and was given the name of "Minamihokkeji Temple".

The holy priest Benki thereafter returned to secular life, became a man of culture and was named venerable Sohshu Kasuga (secretary general of Kasuga) and appointed the supervisor of clerical staff of Kasuga.The same description is found also in the record of March 19 in the first year of Taiho in Vol.2 of "Shoku Nihongi".

Minamihokkeji Temple is the name of a group of temples, and according to an old head priest of the Temple, it was at the zenith of its prosperity in Heian era when a grand cathedral of total 36 halls and 60 houses including the main buildings, five brand halls and a baptismal hall were constructed. The brand appearance of Tsubosakadera Temple was described with admiration in the storybook of Sei Shonagon abreast of Koya Temple.

However, most of the halls and houses of priests perished due to disastrous fire attacks several times, and at present there remain only a part of the buildings such as halls of worship, three-storied pagoda (they are both registered important cultural assets of Japan at present) and octagonal hall which were reconstructed in Muromachi Era. They are now standing beautifully in harmony with quiet appearance of the mountainsides.

Tsubosakadera Temple is a temple which many people have worshiped as sacred temple since ancient times. In the description of December 23 (Hinoetatsu) of the 14th year of Showa Era (A.D.885) of the Japanese chronicle "Shoku Nihongi", the Temple was ranked to one of the official temples and in the description of March 5 of the 8th year of Teikan (A.D.859) of"Sandai Jitsuroku (the authentic history of three dynasties)", it was ordered to hold "Tendokue (Ceremony to reading of Buddhist sutra skippingly) ". Thus, the Temple has been known since old times as a sacred temple in the mountain.

This Temple is the sixth of 33 scared place of Kannon in the West of Japan and the principal image Juichmen Kanzeon Bosatsu (Eleven-faced Goddess of Mercy) (wood-carved sitting image) enshrined in the Temple has been extensively worshipped as the goddess marvelously responsive to eye diseases. Emperors Gensho, Ichijo and Kanmu and man other famous historical persons prayed for the recovery from their eye diseases. In fact, many miracles of marvelous efficacy were recorded in "Kanreiroku　(the Collection of Miracles of Inspiration)" (written in Heian Era).

source : 　www.tsubosaka1300.or.jp



CLICK for more photos

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Fudo Myo-o to ward off all evil　不動明王


壷阪寺　Tsubosaka dera, Nara

〒635-0102 奈良県高市郡高取町壷阪3番地
source : Tsubosaka dera Homepage


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Pilgrimages in Japan - Mark Schumacher

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... ... ... Kannon Bosatsu 観音菩薩


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