Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Arigato, Japonia! 9. Templul Eikan-do / Arigato, Japan! 9. Eikan-do Temple


At the beginning it was a villa which a noble donated to a priest. He turned it into a temple, which was called Zenrin-ji, meaning The Temple of the Zen Forest and it was dedicated to help the poors.
During the XIth. century a priest named Eikan became more and more known due to his dedication and kindness. The name of the temple changed into Eikan-do, meaning The Eikan's Hall. In 1225 this temple belonged to the Jodo Seizan sect of Budhism, which cherishes the reciting of Budha's Amida Nembutsu prayer. It is said that Eikan recited it 60000 times a day!

The temple is well known for the Budha Amida statue looking back and for the autumn colors of the leaves. Then the grounds are full with people. Unfortunately I can't show you either of these characteristics: the staue is in the hondo, the main hall, were photographing is always prohibited in Japanese temples, and...it is spring! But there are some fantastic cherries here...

As there is not "the right" time, there are few visitors, so I can walk and admire at large. I stop a little to admire a small but exquisite garden, which I have only for me! It is quiet, sunny and - suddently - the chanting of the monks, coming from a hall, raised to the sky...It was a magic moment.

In front of the Karamon, the gate used by the imperial messengers, a little karesansui garden attracted my attention.

It's time now to climb the wooden corridor, Garyu-ro, to the Taho-to Pagoda where you have the city at your feet! A nice panorama of Kyoto. Unfortunately the sun was in my face, so the photos are not great.


Leaving the temple, I stopped once again to the cherry-trees, as being my first day in Kyoto, I had not enough of them:)

La inceputurile sale, in perioada Heian (710-1185), un nobil din partea locului a donat unui preot o vila, pe care acesta a transformat-o intr-un templu, numit Zenrin-ji, adica Templul padurii Zen, apartinand sectei Shingon a budhismului ezoteric. In secolul al XI-lea, un preot al templului, Eikan, devine cunoscut datorita bunatatii sale si ajutorului constant oferit oamenilor saraci si napastuiti. Templului incepe sa i se spuna Eikan-do, adica Sala lui Eikan sau Vederea Salii Eternitatii. Acesta este acum un templu care apartine, din 1225, sectei Jodo Seizan, una dintre numeroasele secte ale budhismului, care are in centrul invataturii sale recitarea rugaciunii lui Budha Amida, Nembutsu. Se spune ca Eikan recita Nembutsu de 60000 de ori pe zi!

Templul Eikan-do este cunoscut in intreaga Japonie pentru doua lucruri: statuia lui Budha Amida, care priveste peste umar, spre spate si coloritul de toamna al frunzelor de aici, care determina un adevarat exod. Din pacate, nu va pot arata nici una, nici alta. Statuia se afla in hondo, sala principala, unde in nici un templu japonez nu este permis sa faci fotografii, iar anotimpul este evident, primavara...Asta nu inseamna insa ca nu ma intampina, de la intrare, niste ciresi fantastici.
 poarta principala de intrare
 templul este asezat pe pantele Muntelui Higashiyama
Prin curtea templului erau foarte putini oameni asa ca m-am putut bucura de incantatiile care rasunau dintr-una dintre cladiri. Era soare si liniste, iar privelistea era minunata. Talpile goale simteau caldura lemnului de pe micile terase ale cladirilor, o senzatie foarte placuta si odihnitoare.
 poduri acoperite din lemn, care unesc intre ele diverse cladiri
 calugari budhisti
 apa purificatoare
Ma asez sa privesc in liniste o mica gradina si sa ma odihnesc.
 Observasem in curte, in fata cladirilor, niste felinare mari, din piatra si bronz, deosebit de estetice.
Karamon este poarta templului folosita de catre curierii imperiali. Ea este decorata cu un motiv floral si are in fata sa o mica gradina karesansui.
 Karamon
Dupa ce m-am odihnit pe terasa, am urcat prin Garyu-ro, un coridor de lemn care urmeaza fidel pantele muntelui, pana la Pagoda Taho-to. "Garyu" descrie foarte bine forma de dragon adormit a coridorului, aceasta fiind semnificatia cuvantului.
 Taho-to
 Garyu-ro
De sus, Kyoto ti se asterne la picioare. Din pacate eram la ora la care soarele era in fata asa ca fotografiile nu va spun mai nimic dar pot sa va asigur ca e frumos:)
La plecare, nu uit sa ma mai opresc o data la ciresii de care - fiind abia prima mea zi la Kyoto - nu ma mai satur...



10 comments:

Doug Hickok said...

An amazing collection of images of a beautiful setting. You have the most wonderful adventures TH :^) My favorites are the garden... I love Japanese gardens!

Traveling Hawk said...

Me too, Doug! Thanks for the visit.

Randy said...

Beautiful gardens.

Traveling Hawk said...

Yes, they are, Randy. Thanks for the visit.

Kumiko said...

Wonderful pictures!
I've never been to this temple,but the Karesansui garden is very beautiful.
And Garyu-ro is great.
Thank you for sharing!

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Kumiko! I am glad I presented you a temple you didn't know! You should go there in the autumn, it is famous for the leaves colors.

Helma said...

I am still amazed about all the information you have ever put in Traveling Hawk, because I never knew that so many temples. I wistr course, that there were temples but that it would be so much is really new for me.

I think the information is also really nice to read that there.

Greetings, Helma

Traveling Hawk said...

Thank you, Helma! There are over 200 temples and shrines in Kyoto.

Liliana said...

Ai idee ce erau acele pătrăţele de pânză colorate? Par a fi uniformele unor călugări, însă ştiam că acestea sunt portocalii cu brâu roşu. Să înţeleg că în Japonia sunt purtate şi alte culori?

Traveling Hawk said...

Cu patratelele de panza colorata se impodobesc templele (nu sunt uniforme) si nu trebuie sa arate neaparat asa: pot fi si de o singura culoare sau pot avea desene. De altfel, in Japonia, calugarii poarta negru si gri. Culorile difera in diverse tari.