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Jan 2023 08
Ishido-ji Temple
石塔寺

Ishido-ji Temple | Covered with moss and a deep impression. The compassion of the Buddha never perishes.

石塔寺 | 「こけむしてあはれぞ深き石塔寺ほとけの誓ひ世々にくちねば」

A Tendai sect temple with a view of Mt. Nunobiki in front. The name of the mountain is Asoka Ozan, and it is said that Prince Shotoku founded the mountain. You can see beautiful and precious stone pagodas that are unique in Japan.

前方に布引山を望む天台宗寺院。阿育王山(あしょかおうざん)という山号で、開基は聖徳太子によると伝わる。日本では他に類を見ない、美しく貴重な石塔群を見ることができる。

The temple gate with the plaque of "Ashoka Ozan". As with the nearby Tendai sect temples, Ishito-ji Temple lost its buildings and documents to Oda Nobunaga's War, and the whole mountain was once devastated.

「阿育王山」の額が掛かる山門。石塔寺は、近隣の天台宗寺院と同じく織田信長の元亀の兵火等により、伽藍や文献は焼失し、一時は全山が荒廃したという。

When you pass through the temple gate, you will see the main hall. In the early Edo period, the current portion of the temple estate was restored by Gyoken, a disciple of Tenkai Daisojo, and the dedication has been handed down to modern times.

山門をくぐると、本堂が。江戸時代初期、天海大僧正の弟子行賢によって現在の寺領の部分が復興され、近代に至っても奉献は引き継がれている。

Climb up the long stone steps surrounded by the red pine forest. The stone pagodas on the side of the stone steps are an impressive sight that differs from other temples and shrines.

赤松林に囲まれた長い石段を登る。石段の脇の石塔は、他の寺社仏閣とは趣を異にする印象深い光景。

At the top of the stone steps is a three-storied stone pagoda with a unique shape. This stone pagoda is said to have been built in the early Nara period, and is the oldest and largest three-storied stone pagoda in Japan, and has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The tower body is vertically elongated, and the roof is loosely swollen.

石段を登りきったところに聳えるのは、特異な形状の三重石塔。この石塔は奈良時代前期の作とされ、三重石塔としては日本最古・最大のもので国の重要文化財に指定されている。縦長の塔身に、屋根は緩く膨れ、一番下の塔身は二枚石を合わせることで上部の安定をはかっている。

According to the temple legend, after the death of Shakyamuni, King Ashoka of India built 84,000 pagodas for the prosperity of Buddhism, enshrined the Buddha's ashes, and scattered them all over the world. Two of them reached Japan, one was buried at the bottom of Lake Biwa, and the other was buried in the mountains.

寺伝によると、釈尊の滅後、インドの阿育王(アショーカ王)が仏法興隆のため8万4000の塔婆を造り、仏舎利を納めて世界中に撒いたのだとか。その内2基が日本に届き、1基は琵琶湖の湖底に、もう1基が当山中に埋もれていたという。

During the Heian period, Jakusho, a monk from Mt. Hiei, went to study in Song. While training at Mt. Seiryo, he heard from a Song monk that the Ashoka Pagoda was buried in Omi, and informed Japan by letter. Three years later, Gikan of Masui-ji Temple in Banshu obtained this letter and presented it to Emperor Ichijo.

平安時代、比叡山の僧・寂照法師が、入宋留学し清涼山にて修行中、日本の近江渡会山に阿育王塔が埋もれることを宋僧より聞き、手紙にて日本に知らせた。3年後、播州の増井寺僧義観がこの手紙を入手し、ときの一条天皇に奏上した。

A search of this area was carried out by order of the emperor, and a samurai named Mitsumori Noya discovered a mysterious mound on the mountaintop, and when he excavated it together with his imperial messenger Taira no Tsunemasa, discovered a large pagoda in the ground. The emperor was very pleased and built a new Shichido Garan (A large temple with seven halls), and in 1006, the temple name was changed to Ashoka Stone Pagoda Temple.

天皇の勅命によりこの辺りの探索が行われ、野谷光盛なる武士が山頂に不思議な塚を発見、勅使の平恒昌と共に発掘したところ土中より大塔を発見した。天皇は大変喜び、七堂伽藍を新たに建立し、寛弘3年(1006年)に寺号を阿育王山石塔寺と改めた。

After that, this area gathered the faith of people from foreign countries, and in order to mourn their own paradise or the bodhi of their ancestors, the five-ring pagoda and stone Buddhas were dedicated in the sacred area around the Ashoka Pagoda, which is a Buddhist stupa. It became a large number over the years.

その後もこの地域は、異郷他国の人々の信仰を集め、自身の極楽往生、あるいは先祖の菩提を弔うために、仏舎利塔である阿育王塔の周りの霊域に、五輪塔や石仏が奉納されるようになり、その後長年の時を経て多くの数になった。

The spectacle of tens of thousands of stone pagodas covering the entire square is overwhelming and fantastic. A group of mysterious stone pagodas with a somewhat exotic atmosphere that differs in style from ancient Japanese stone Buddhas. You can feel the high level of skill and aesthetics of the people who came to Koto and had a deep connection with it.

広場一帯を、何万という数の石塔の群が埋めつくす光景は、圧巻で幻想的だ。日本古来の石仏とは様式を異にする、どこか異国情緒漂う謎めいた石塔群。湖東の地と関係の深い渡来人の高い技術や美意識さえ感じ取ることができる。

about this venue

Ishido-ji Temple
石塔寺

Location: 860 Stone Pagoda, Higashiomi City, Shiga Prefecture
Phone: 0748-55-0213

所在地:滋賀県東近江市石塔町860
電話:0748-55-0213

〈重文〉三重塔 宝塔 五輪塔(2基)