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Daruma Pilgrims Gallery
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Mii Temple 三井寺（園城寺）
This is Temple Nr. 14 on the Saigoku Pilgrimage to 33 Temples of Kannon Bosatsu.
(Not to mix it up with Kimii-Dera, Nr. 2.)
The brother of Murasaki Shikibu was an abbot of this temple and her father took the vows there.
Mii-dera Temple (Onjo-ji Temple)
Mii-dera is the temple that exercises control over the Tendai-jimon sect of Buddhism. Originally it was the main inner temple of the Tendai-jimon sect. Separating from the other temples on the mountain Hiei-zan in 13th century, it became an independent temple.
Cherry Blossom Season 三井寺の桜The front of the temple gate, which is made of a stone wall, conveys the history of the contention between Mii-dera and Enryaku-ji (the latter being the temple that exercised control over the Tendai sect).
Golden Hall 三井寺金堂
The Golden Hall, Kon-do, designated as a National Treasure, is a hall that enshrines an image of Miroku-Bosatsu, a Bodhisattva who is supposed to appear in the future world as the successor of the Buddha. Other structures here have been designated as Important Cultural Properties, including the Nio-mon (a gate with images of Deva kings on either side), on both sides of the entrance to which stand Buddhist images, and the three-storied pagoda.
The sound of the bell at this temple has been admired for its beauty in literature since ancient times. With 1,500 cherry trees in the grounds, this temple is also famous for its cherry blossoms.
© Japan National Tourist Organization
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This famous temple has been the subject to many woodblock prints too.
Here is one by Hiroshige. Click on the thumbnail to see more.
Mii no Banshô, Evening bell at Mii Temple
三井の晩鐘
Japanese Pilgrimages Sacred to the KANNON BODHISATTVA (Avalokitesvara)
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Priest Raigo of Mii Temple
Transformed by Wicked Thoughts into a Rat
Yoshitoshi, Taiso, 1839-1892
Raigō (1004-1084) was an actually historical figure around whom has been spun a fascinating tale. A Buddhist monk of the Tendai sect he was attached to the temple of Mii-dera at Lake Biwa. "Various chronicles relate that by virtue of Raigō's prayers a son was born to the retired emperor Shirakawa (1053-1129), in return for which Shirakawa offered to grant the priest any wish. When Raigō requested the establishment of an ordination platform at Onjō-ji [an alternate name for the temple at Mii-dera], however, the retired emperor reneged on his promise, for fear of the armed monks of the rival Tendai temple Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei, who enjoyed a monopoly on ordination. Casting a curse on Shirakawa, Raigō shut himself in the Buddha Hall of the temple and began a fast in protest."
John Stevenson continues the story: "Shirakawa sent conciliatory messages, but Raigo was implacable and eventually starved himself to death. Prince Atsuhisa [the son born to Shirakawa] died soon afterwards. Raigo's vengeful spirit changed into a thousand rats which infested the temple, destroying the Emperor's sacred books and scrolls and doing untold damage."
© Prints of Japan
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Masks and Costume for the Noh Play "Miidera"
Exhibition Tokyo National Museum
September 2008
Miidera temple, also known as Onjoji, is located in Omi province (Shiga prefecture) by Lake Biwa, and was famous for the sound of its bell. In the Edo period (1603-1868) the "Evening Bell from the Temple of Mii" was counted as one of the "Eight Views of Omi".
The Noh play "Miidera" revolves around a woman whose son was kidnapped by a slave dealer. She was finally able to meet the child again with the help of the bell of Miidera.
The woman, who lost sanity after her son was kidnapped, is staying at Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto. The actor in her role wears a karaori with an autumn grass design in subdued colors without hakama (traditional Japanese trousers), and uses a mask of a middle-aged woman such as shakumi or fukai. One day, the insane woman has a dream in which she is told that if she goes to Miidera, she will be able to meet her child. Delighted, she prepares and sets out for a trip to the temple. When she arrives at Miidera, it is jugo-ya (full-moon night), and temple priests, wearing sunboshi caps and mizugoromo coat over noshime garments, are enjoying the full moon with a boy attendant. The sound of the temple bell, struck by the sexton wearing a kataginu vest and hanbakama trousers, can be heard. Being expected to perform an interesting trick, the woman who lost her child is invited to the moon-viewing party. The insane mother, now in a mizugoromo coat and koshimaki (a garment worn in wrap-around-the-waist fashion), is elated by the beautiful moonlight and begs for permission to strike the bell. Finally the permission is granted and she begins to strike the bell. The boy attendant, who was enjoying the full moon, realizes the woman is his mother. When the boy asks the insane woman about her hometown, she recognizes his voice as her son's. Overjoyed, the mother and son leave for home.
The drama, featuring animated scenes of bell striking alternated with elegant moon-viewing scenes, is a popular work and is still often performed in autumn today.
source : www.tnm.go.jp
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Found in my archives :
Let us look at the Japanese word for monk or priest, boozu 坊主.
This is originally the word for the head priest of a temple or retreat (ichiboo 一坊、一寺) and only later was used for any monk. Some priests and monks were called Tera Hooshi (tera booshi) or Yama Hooshi at Temple Enryaku-Ji (寺法師、山法師), but in contrast to them, the priests and monks from Temple Mii-Dera were called boozu or Honorable Priest, goboo 御坊.
Later during the Edo period, young priests who worked for a local lord (daimyoo) or the Edo government were also called boozu. Nowadays, any young boy with a shaven head is a boozu.
(Quoted from Saijiki for Buddhist Events )
© PHOTO Shigero Otsu-E During the wars between the temples of Mt. Hiei and Miidera, the famous soldier-priest Benkei took the huge bronze bell from the temple and carried it up to Mt. Hiei.
Photo of the temple bell
This story is famous in the paintings of Otsu, like the one on the left.
More in my article about the
Pictures from Otsu 大津絵
More about temple bells and haiku
More about the strong Benkei and haiku
A Deity venerated at Miidera
Matarajin, Madarajin, Matara-Shin 摩多羅神
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.................. H A I K U
三井寺の門たたかばや今日の月
Mii-dera no mon tatakaba ya kyoo no tsuki
The Gate 三井寺仁王門
I want to knock
on the gate of Mii Temple ...
the moon of tonight
Matsuo Basho
Tr. Gabi Greve
mon o tataku can literally mean to knock. It is also used for a student or newcomer who wants go get permission to study with a master at a temple or in a school or home.
kyoo no tsuki, a mid-autum kigo referring to the full moon of autumn.
Memorial Stone of this haiku
© PHOTO Y. Morimoto
... ... ...
Mii Temple
knocking on the gate for a wish
today's moon
Tr. Jane Reichhold
Mii Temple,
I'd love to knock on its gate:
tonight's moon
Tr. David Barnhill
shall we go and knock
on the gate of Mii Temple?
the moon of tonight
Tr. Makoto Ueda
Combining information from Barnhill and Ueda, this hokku was written in 1691, on the 15th of Eight Month (September 7). It was written at an evening moon-viewing party which Basho hosted at his hut at Gichuu Temple 義仲寺, a few miles from Mii Temple on the southern shore of Lake Biwa. The hut (cottage) was called the Mumyoo ("nameless 無名") Hut.
According to Ueda, "Basho loved the cottage, so much so that he was later to will that his body be buried there when he died."
The hokku draws on lines by Chia Tao (Jia Dao) (779-843)
Birds sleep in trees by the pond.
Under the moon, a monk knocks on the gate.
(trans. Barnhill)
One Japanese commentator (Nobutane) imagines walking "along the beach from Gichuu Temple to Mii Temple and look[ing] over the lake from the hill where the latter temple is located. From there, one can see all of the eight famous views of Lake Biwa."
And another commentator (Shida) imagines Basho enjoying the moon from a boat on Lake Biwa. "From the lake, he could tell whereabouts Mii Temple was located. The boating under the moon was so enjoyable that he did not want to go straight home. He wondered if monks at Mii Temple too were not viewing the moon and reciting poetry, and he felt like stopping by the temple and chatting with them over a cup of tea."
And yet another commentator (Iwata) says that this hokku's "profundity is further increased by its peripheral allusion to the noo plays 'Miidera' (Mii Temple) and 'Tooru'."
(commentator translations by Ueda)
Compiled by Larry Bole
Translating Haiku
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Nio-O Statues from Temple Horyu-Ji
からびたる三井の仁王や冬木立
karabitaru Mii no Nioo ya fuyu kodachi
The two Deva Kings
Stand weather worn,
Among the wintry groves of Mii Temple.
からびた（乾ききった）仁王像と冬木立がよく響くのである。
Kikaku 其角
Tr. R.H. Blyth
all dried out
the Deva Kings' statues at Mii temple -
trees in winter
Tr. Gabi Greve
Details about
Deva Kings at the Temple Entrance... and haiku
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hi kuretari ..... descending with day
mi’i dera kudaru ..... from Mii Temple,
haru no hito ..... the people of spring
Katō Gyōdai (1732-92)
Tr. Michael Haldane
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七景は霧にかくれて三井の鐘
shichi kei wa kiri-ni kakurete Mii-no-kane
Eight views?--Ah, well,
mist hid seven when I heard
Mii-dera's bell.
Tr. Henderson
The Discussion is HERE
The Four Directions in Haiku
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External LINKs
http://www.taleofgenji.org/onjoji.html
http://www.pref.shiga.jp/minwa/03/03-04.html
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