Virtual Musashi 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #8 Kanryu-in Temple

 

     Ryuzen-in Temple was founded sometime between 1532 and 1555, and was renamed Kanryu-in later.  The temple enshrines a statue of Arya Avalokitesvara, who is the human-figure prototype of the other 6 metamorphoses.  The statue was said to have been carved by Kasuga, a legendary Buddhist sculptor.

     Its main hall enshrines the Arya Avalokitesvara statue but also the other 5 metamorphoses, who were collectively called Six Avalokitesvara.

     The Buddhist Cosmology consisted of Sad-gati or 6 worlds: the Heaven World, the Human World, the Asura World, the Animal World, the Ghost World, and the Hell World in descending order.  To save people, Avalokitesvara resided in each world, metamorphosing into suitable and appropriate forms.

     In Early Buddhism, Mahabrahma Avalokitesvara resided in the Heaven World, Celestial Avalokitesvara in the Human World, Universal Avalokitesvara in the Asura World, Lion-Fearless Avalokitesvara in the Animal World, Great Affection Avalokitesvara in the Ghost World, and Great Compassion Avalokiteshvara in the Hell World.  As Hindu immersed itself into Buddhism, the 6 became Cintamanicakra, who usually has 6 arms and holds chintamani (a wish-fulfilling jewel) in one of the six, 

Cundi, who has 16 arms and appears to be female, eleven-faced Ekadasamukha, Hayagriva , who has the head of a horse, thousand-armed Sahasrabhuja, and Arya Avalokitesvara.

Address: 1 Chome−２−4 Takahisa, Yoshikawa, Saitama 342-0035

Phone: 048-982-0467