Virtual Eastern Edo 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #26 Genku-ji Temple

 

     Honen (1133-1212)  founded Jodo-shu Sect, the first independent branch of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism.

     Priest Ryomon (?-1642), who didn’t eat grain or corn, and who wore shabby and humble clothes, built a hermitage in Yushima in 1590.  Fushimi Tamenori presented the picture of Honen (1133-1212), the founder of Pure Land Buddhism in Japan, to the temple and it was named Genku after the real name of Honen.

     Tamenori had been adopted by Fushimi Nagakage (1565-1658) and his real father was Tsunoto Tametsugu, whose father, Tamenaga, worked and fought for Hojo Ujitaka (1522-1562), who was based in Kozukue Castle in Musashi Province.

     Tamenaga was a descendant of Tsunoto Tamemori (1163-1243), who got Honen’s picture from Honen himself.  Tamemori fought for Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) from the very start of Yoritomo’s rebellion against the Taira Clan, and fought and worked for Yoritomo even after the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate.  All through the rebellion and the establishment, samurai who followed Yoritomo suffered constant internal conflicts and infighting.

     On October 3rd, 1290, Yoritomo left Kamakura for Kyoto to demonstrate his power to the Royal Families and Aristocrats there.  He entered Kyoto on November 7th with a 1000-strong cavalry, which included Tamenaga, who was worried over the power games within the shogunate.  In Kyoto, Tamenaga met Honen and embraced his teaching.  Even after he returned to Kamakura, Tamenaga kept chanting Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya, and he wrote to Honen when he had any question on Honen’s teaching.  Honen kindly answered his questions, with 9 answer letters of him left even today, and sent his painting and an Amitabha sitting statue whose eyes coloured by Honen to Tamenaga.  The painting was presented to Genku-ji Temple and the statue is kept in Yabo-Tenman-gu Shrine.

     When Sugawara Michizane (845-903) was shunted to the Kyushu Region in 901, his third son, Kageyuki (876－921) was shunted to the Kanto Region.  After Michizane died in indignation, people were afraid of his curse and dedicated Tenman-gu shrines across the country, and Kageyuki founded one in Yabo, Musashi Province.  In the Edo Period, the shortened form of Yabo-Tenman-gu Shrine, Yabo-Ten, came to mean thoughtless.

     Kageyuki’s offspring in Musashi Province started the Tsunoto Family, and Tamenaga was Kageyuki’s 5th-generation descendant.

     Honen wrote to Tamenaga:

  “As you praise Amitabha, it is excellent to remember Amitabha and to chant Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya all the time.”  

     “As you can chant Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya even when you walk, even when you sit, and even when you lie, you should chant Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya whenever, wherever, and however.  Even when your clothes, your mouth, or your body is dirty, keep your mind clean and just chant Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya.  It is essential and crucial not to forget to chant Namo Amitabhaya Buddhaya.”　

Address: 6 Chome-19-2 Higashiueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0015

Phone: 03-3844-1131

Yabo-Tenman-gu Shrine

Address: 5209 Yaho, Kunitachi, Tokyo 186-0011

Phone: 042-576-5123