Thread by @KyotoDailyPhoto

THOUSANDS OF BOARS HELP WITH THE FOUNDING OF YOSHIMINE-DERA (善峯寺)🐗🐗🐗🐗-

Yoshimine-dera is the 20th (of 33) temple on the famed Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage (千手観音は西国三十三か所巡礼第20番札所). It is known for its early summer hydrangea & autumn colours. 1/13
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The temple's huge grounds (10,000 square metres) sprawl up the upper slopes of Shaka-dake (釈迦岳-631m). In the Middle Ages it was known as Nishiyama-no-miya (西山宮) and was classed as a Monzeki temple (the abbot was of imperial blood), with over 50 main structures. 2/13
#善峯寺

Known affectionately as Yoshimine-san (善峯さん) and Matsu-no-dera (松の寺-the 'Temple of the Pine'), after the famed Yuryu-no-matsu (遊龍の松-Playing Dragon Pine), the temple's principal image is a statue of Juichimen Senju Kannon (十一面千手観世音菩薩). 3/13
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passing through the fields
on a mountain path
heading towards rainy skies
from Yoshimine
the evening showers clear
(野をもすぎ 山路にむかふ 雨の空善峯よりも 晴るる夕立)
-Go-eika (御詠歌 'Pilgrim Poem') written by Emperor Kazan (花山天皇 967-1008) for Yoshimine-dera. 4/13
#御詠歌

It is unclear exactly when Yoshimine-dera was founded, but in 1029 Genzan (源算 982-1099) began to construct a hall to house the image of Juichimen Kannon (十一面千手観音) he had carved at the mountain some years before.
The following year the Hokke-in (法華院) was opened. 5/13

Genzan trained on Mt. Hiei under Genshin (源信), and like his mentor he was a deep believer in the Western Pure Land of Amida (西方浄土の思想). Because of this, at the age of 47 he was inspired to go to the mountains west of Kyoto (西山-Nishiyama) to open a training hall. 6/13

Genzan's start in life was hard. Born prematurely, he was abandoned by his mother who believed him to be possessed by evil spirits. For 3 days he lay exposed, but miraculously when an old couple came across him he was still alive. They raised him. At 9 he went to Mt Hiei. 7/13

Genzan constructed a small hermitage on Yoshimine (良峰), but before he could begin to establish a temple a landslide filled the mountain slopes with immense boulders he could not move. He believed this land to be sacred and so refused to look for a new location. 8/13
#Kyoto

He climbed atop the boulders and sat in meditation*.
7 days and nights passed, when suddenly a monk appeared on the slopes above. He smiled at Genzan and exclaimed "Do not worry, I will help you!". The following evening the mountain began to rumble. 9/13
#Kyoto #Japan #momiji

*If the story is to be believed, the very boulder upon which Genzan sat can still be seen above the temple. It is now known as Zazen-ishi (坐禅石 the 'Meditation Rock') or Senou-ishi (仙翁石 lit. 'Rock of the Venerable Renunciant').
#坐禅石 #善峯寺 #西国三十三 #源算

Out of the forest appeared boars. Thousands of boars. Within a great cloud of dust they threw themselves upon the boulders. Genzan hurried to safety. All through the night the noise was deafening, but as the day broke Genzan could see that the slopes were cleared of rocks! 10/13

By the time Genzan had returned from his hiding place the boars were gone and the land was ready to be built upon. As he stood marvelling, the old monk appeared once more and revealed himself to be the god of the mountain, Achisaka Myojin (阿智坂明神), in disguise. 11/13
#Autumn

In return for his protection, Genzan promised to found his temple on the mountain. He began carving an image of Juichimen Kannon (十一面観世音菩薩) to act as principal image*. 12/13
*Nowadays Genzan's image is not actually principal image, but that is a story for another time.

No sooner had Achisaka Myojin stopped speaking than he transformed into an offering slip and was whisked away by a divine wind to the mountain summit (where he resided). Through the divine help of thousands of boars, Yoshimine-dera (善峯寺) was born. 13/13
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