Virtual Upper Tada Manor 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #4 Daishu-ji Temple

 

     Mount Ofuna has been a holy place since ancient times.  Priest Illa (?-583) is said to have built a hermitage on the top of the mountain, and named it Funa-dera. 

     Emperor Futotamashiki (538-585) invited Illa from Baekje.  When he arrived at Kojima, Kibi Province, he was “consulted” by Mononobe Nieko, Otomo Nukateko, and Abe Me.  When he arrived at Namba in December, 583, he is said to have been assassinated by Baekje officials, Dei and Yunu, who had accompanied Illa.

     After Illa's assasination, his wife and children were confined in Kudara Village, Ishikawa County, Kawachi Province; their rowers and others were confined in Otomo Village, Ishikawa County, Kawachi Province; and his assassinators Dei and Yunu were confined in Ata Village, Kudara County, Settsu Province, at Nukateko's suggestion that troubles could break out if they lived together.  Baekje was called Kudara in Japanese.

     Isn't it surprising and mysterious that Dei and Yunu weren't executed?  Did they really kill Illa?  If not, who assassinated Illa after his consultation or inspection?

     Anyway, if what was recorded in the Nihon Shoki, or the Chronicles of Japan, whose compilation was finished in 720, was true, Illa had no spare time to found a temple.

     It is unknown when Funa-dera was renamed Ofuna-dera, or Daishu-ji, but the temple was burned down presumably in 1579, when Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) invaded Settsu Province.

     Priest Betsuden revived the temple, moving it to its present place in 1677.

     Betsuden had Daishu-ji Temple belong to Obaku Chan School, which is one of 3 main schools of Japanese Chan Buddhism, in addition to Linji School, which was imported in the 12th century, and Caodong School, which was imported in the 13th century.  The Obaku School was founded in Japan in 1654 by the Chinese priest Yinyuan (1592–1673), who immigrated to Japan during the Manchu conquest of China.  He arrived in Japan on July 5th, 1654.  So, Betsuden could have been  the 2nd generation Obaku priest.

Address: 605-1 Hazukawa, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1411

Phone: 0795-690-196

Mount Ofuna

Address: Hazukawa, Sanda, Hyogo 669-1411