Virtual Fushimi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #30 Tosen-ji Temple

     The Guidebook for the Sights in Kyoto was written by Akisato Riho, a haiku poet in Kyoto, and drawn by Takehara Shunchosai (?-1801), a painter in Osaka, and published in 1780 by Yoshino-ya Publisher.  The Guidebook for the Left-out Sights in Kyoto was published in 1787 by the same writer and painter.

     According to the Guidebook for the Left-out Sights in Kyoto, Tosen-ji Temple had been found by Priest Tocho, was being run by a nun at the time, and the main deity was the seated statue of Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light), which was made by Priest Eshin, and which was over 240 centimeters tall.  Eshin was another name of Genshin (942-1017).

     Genshin's father was Urabe Masachika.  The Urabe Clan had been living in Katsuragi County, had been serving the god of Katsuragi, and had been working for the Imperial Court as fortune-tellers.Fortune-telling is "uranai" in Japanese.  Genshin was born in 942.  His mother was said to have belonged to the Kiyohara Clan.  She must have been one or two generations older than Sei Shonagon (966-1025), who was also said to have belonged to the same clan.  Genshin could be said to have come from a line of intellectuals.

     In 948, Genshin’s father died.  In 950, he entered Mt. Hiei to study samatha-vipasyana and vajrayana under the strong influence of his mother, who was very religious.  In 955, he entered the buddhist priesthood.  In 956, he made a lecture on the Shorter Sukhavativyuha Sutra for Emperor Murakami.  The emperor praised him, and gave him fabrics and textiles, which he presented to his mother.  She, however, sent them back with a tanka poem,

     “Wished you’d make it in the next world.

     "Sorry to know  you make it in the world."

To answer the admonition, Genshin secluded himself in Eshin-in Temple, Yokokawa, Kyoto.

     In 985, he finished writing The Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land. In 1017, he passed away, or was reborn in the Pure Land.

     It is unknown when, why, or if he really carved the statue by himself for Tosen-ji Temple.