|
This is the story about how the Images of Buddhas, the Trinity came to Zenkoji Temple.
Once upon a time there was a millionaire named Gakkai in Vaisali
country, India.
He lived in a really nice house and had a lot of treasures.
Though he didn't have any children for a long time, a princess was born at last
when he was 51.
Her name was Nyoze and she was loved so much by her parents. Especially her father, Gakkai
was of a small mind and had not been religious at all after the princess
was born. Even when Buddha was giving a sermon, he didn't go to listen to him.
The the gods, who make the plagues spread, decided to give him a
punishment for his many ill deeds. At last, a mysterious epidemic spread around Bishari and
his princess also became seriously sick. He tried to do his best to cure her disease,
however, there was no sign of her recovery. He called a famous good doctor, Dr. Giba and
he attempted to cure his princess in vain.
The only answer was to go to Dairinshoja to ask for help from Buddha.
|
 |
The rich man said to Buddha with tears in his eyes, "Please save my princess!." Buddha said, "it's beyond my power.
But there is Paradise to the west and you can meet Amida Nyorai( the Guddha of Infinite Life and Light) there. On
both sides of him, there are two his disciples, Kannon and Daiseishi. Buddha said, "If you go to the west
soon and call their names with your whole heart, the three Deities will appear promptly and not only
your princess but also all the people in this country will be saved."
When the rich man chanted a prayer to the three Buddhas ten times, offering flowers and lights to
call on him, there appeared Amida Nyorai above the west entrance. He sent a light out, which reached the princess Nyoze,
and she suddenly recovered from her serious disease. People wondered why all the patients as well as Nyoze totally
got well at the same time.
 |
The rich man wanted the merciful Trinity to stay in this world and talked about this matter with
Buddha, who advised him to make the image of Amida with the most precious gold,
Jambudvipa Gold, which is in the Ryugu Palace under the sea. Buddha sent a messenger,
Mokuren there, who had the strongest magical powers. At first, the king, Ryu didn't agree to give
Gakkai the gold, but Mokuren finally persuaded him to do so.
|
|
Buddha put this gold in the golden bowl and prayed. Then Amida
Nyorai and other two Deities appeared from the west and lit up the gold. Soon after that
they boiled like hot water and turned into the same image of Amida
Nyorai. The millionare was so delighted that he built a fine temple in
which to place it. This new image of the Trinity itself was the future Zenkoji's Amida Nyorai
in Japan, which would be worshiped highly by many people.
 |
The Trinity saved a lot of people in India and
eventually moved to Baekje in Korea after 1400 years later. After Gakkai
died, he was reborn into the Korean king's family due to the merit he
gained in holding a memorial service for three Deities, and he became King Seimei. However,
after this he always behaved badly. Then Amida Nyorai came to Seimei from Tenjiku and said, "When you were Gakkai in
India, you worshiped me and saved people. So you were born to the king's family. But instead of
appreciating that good fortune he always behaved badly." King Seimei
changed his mind when he heard that and became religious again. He put the Images of
Trinity in the palace to worship.
 |
 |
Years passed and the images of three Buddhas said to King Seimei, " Since I have saved many people in Korea for a long time. So I would like to
go to Japan and do the same thing there." Then the king Seimei sent him to Emperor Kinmei in Japan.
Emperor Kinmei asked his men to come together to talk with him about the
problem of worshipping the Images of Trinity that came from a foreign country. State minister, Iname Soga said,
"We should not neglect the kindness of the Korean King and the Amida
Buddha should be worshiped in Japan." On the other hand, Okoshi Mononobe insisted, "
We don't need to do that because our nation has worshiped our own gods
since ancient times." Finally the Emperor gave Iname this images of
Trinity and tried letting him worship it. Iname built a small temple in his garden and enshrined
it there. This was the first temple
for the Trinity called Mukuhara.
 |
In those days, an epidemic spread widely in Japan. Okoshi said to the emperor,
"This misfortune was caused because Soga worshiped the image of Buddhas from a foreign country. "
and he set fire on Mukuhara Temple.
Though the temple was burnt down, it was so strange that the image of Buddhas was not damaged at all.
Then Okoshi took it out from the ruins of fire and burnt it again and banged it.
But nothing happened to the image and so he finally threw it into the river
in Naniwa, Osaka. After that, Iname's son Umako took over his father's spirit and worshiped the
Trinity reverently. He attacked and killed his enemy, Okoshi's son Moriya.
He encouraged Buddhism with Prince Shotoku, and then,
for the first time, Buddhism became much more popular among people in Japan.
 |
 |
Some years passed. There was a man called Yoshimitsu Honda in Shinano (
the former name of Nagano). When he visited the capital for his business and came to the bank of the river in Naniwa
(the former name of Osaka), he heard the voice calling him, "Yoshimitsu, Yoshimitsu." He thought it strange and stopped. Then an image of
Amida Buddha jumped from the water and said, "Yoshimitsu, you were Gakkai in India and
King Seimei in Korea. Now you were reborn here in Japan and have a close connection with
me. Take me on your back to Shinano." Then Yoshimitsu did as
the Buddha requested and carried it on his back all the way to Shinano..Yoshimitsu carried the
image of Buddhas to his hometown, Ina, in the southern part of
Shinano. He placed it on the mortar, the cleanest place in his house. After a while,
Amida Buddha appeared in his dream and said, "I want to move to Imoi, Minochi country, in the province of
Shinano." So Yoshimitsu decided to do as the Buddha said and built a small temple
for him in Imoi .
Yoshimitsu's first son was named Yoshisuke. Unfortunately he passed away when he was young. He thought it
a pity to pass away before parents. Yoshimitsu asked the God of Hell
Yamaraja to make his son revive, and he did. While Yoshisuke was
returning to the present world, he saw a woman falling into Hell. To his
surprise, it was the Japanese Emperess Kogyoku. He felt so sorry for
her and asked Amida Nyorai to save her life by exchanging his life for
hers. Then Nyorai asked Yamaraja (God of Hell, who judges the
person's deeds and give punishments) to return the Emperess
to this world.
The Empress was so pleased and ordered Yoshisuke to be the governor of Kai and
Yoshimitsu to be the governor of Shinano. A fine temple was built in
Yoshimitsu's garden, but
Amida Buddha liked to stay with Yoshimitsu in his house, which was also included into the temple. Then it was named "Zenkoji Temple" after
Yoshimitsu, whose Chinese characters can also be pronounced,
"Zenko."
|
