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Location:
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Kawai,Muraoka-ku,Kami-cho,Mikata-gun,Hyogo-ken,Japan 667-1366
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Phone:
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0796-95-1270
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Denomination:
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Koyasan
Singon Buddhism
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Chief Dicty/Honzon:
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Yakushi-nyorai(Medicine Buddha) Bhaisajya-guru in Sanskrit
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Legend:
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The Chorakuji Temple was founded by Gyoki(668-749) in
the 7th century. He carved the Honzon Yakushi in wood and named here the Temple "Yakushi-ji". Later Kobo-Daishi Kukai, the founder of Japanese Shingon
Buddhism, came here to consecrate the temple in early of the 9th
century. In 1541, the temple's building and shrines were ruined and
lost by floods and mud slides. In 1543, restored and changed its name
to the present "Choraku-ji". In
1671 and 1912 many shrines, halls, and buildings were burned down and
lost by fires. In 1919, most of the temple's building structures such
as shrines, halls, and living quarters in precinct were restored and
rebuilt under the direction of two distinguished priests, Rev. Bokusho Kanayama(The later Chief Abbot of Koyasan Shingon sect) and Rev. Chito Kawai(The most
respected saint of the local), and the indefatigable efforts of temple
members. In 1986, Mr. & Mrs. Kiyoshi Tada, pious Buddhists and
owner of the Sogo Taxi Co.LTD., pledged the
donation to the Temple by Installing three golden Buddhas, a tower,
tower, and shrines in memory of their passed family. Their son, Mr.
Seiichi Tada took over his parents's will and
mission of dedicating the deities, shrines, and temple buildings, and
concluded his mission and project in 1993 after spending three Years
and seven months, consuming 22,500,000,000 yen (twenty-five billion U.S.dollars) In spring of
1994, the historical dedication ceremony of the Three Golden Buddhas(Sakyamuni, Bhaisajya-guru,
and Amitabha)was Performed here at the Temple.
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Remarks:
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The
newly dedicated buildings or shrines are: Daimon(Gate), Kairo
(Corridor), Daibutsu-den(Grand Shrine), Goju-no-toh(a Five
Storied Tower), Benten-do Shrine, a belfry,
and Yakushi Shrine.
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DAIMON
(Big Gate)
DAIMON (Big Gate)
A newly dodicated
gate of the Temple designed in the traditional style was constrcted
with the finest technology of modern day architectures. The newly
designed 'Daimon' consists of copper bricks
roof and folded wooden structures of Japanese cypress(hinoki). The traditional gate, Daimon, leads us to an entrance of the main shrine
through a corridor where the three golden Buddhas are enshrined.
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A KAIRO (Corridor)
A gate way to a main shrine
or grand shrine is called 'Kairo' in Japanese.The
newly built corridor is made of Taiwan cypress tree and keyaki(zelkova). Each huge pillar protect visitors from stormy weather and proceed to Daibutsu-den directly.
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B DAIBUTSU-DEN
(Main Shrine)@
It is the main building of
the Temple and called "Daibutsu-den"
in Japanese. This is the place where the three major Buddhas are
enshrined. They are the tallest wooden Buddhas in the world measuring
approximately fifty-one feet in height. The Grand Shrine measures 21,660
square feet and 132 feet tall. It is a replica of the grand shrine of Todaiji Temple in Nara expressing the elegant beauty
of ancient Buddhist art in the 8th century of Japan. Inside the building,
there are a thousand Buddhas and Bodhisattvas ensheined
and displayed against the walls. The Three Golden Buddhas, which are the main features of this temple, are placed at a main
altar of the Shrine with the lotus petal scats. They are known as Sakayamuni (Shaka) at center, Bhaisajya-guru (Yakushi)at right, and Amitabha (Amida) at left.
A. AMIDA BUDDHA
at left measures fifty-one and four inches tall and is termed 'Amida-nyorai' in the Buddhist art referring to
Amitabha Tathagta in the Sanskrit term. The Amida Buddha has shown us symbolically the way of
salvation with the light of great love and compassion through the mudra
of meditation (Jo-in).
B. SAKYAMUNI BUDDHA
scated in the center, which is the tallest one
of Three Buddhas, moasures fifty-three feet and
two inches in height, has shown us the way of onlightenment-libration
from transgression in rebirth-through the mudra of no-fear (Semui). THe Buddha is
referred to as the founder of Buddhism in India and is often referred to
as 'Enlightened One'
C. YAKUSHI BUDDHA
seating at right measures fifty-one feet and four inches tall and is
called populalarly 'Medicine Buddha' for
dispersing the illness or sickness of people.This
deity is named "Bhaisajya-guru" in
Sanskrit term which means literally the master of medicine.The
Buddha holds a medicine pot in his left hand and shows the mudra of
delivering an absence of fear (Semui). He
surely does dispense healing medicines to cure illnesses.
These gorgeous and huge golden Buddhas are made of wood packed with gold
and roferred to as "Tajima-Daibutu"(the Big Buddhas of Tajima County) by
local people. This historicical work and
project was mainly done in Beijin,China
by Chinese sculptors and artists consuming more than three years.
According to the records of the project, one million three hundred twenty
thousand (1,320,000) gold picces were used for
painting and coating the statues. Approximately fifty-five thousand
(55,000) people worked for it in mainland of China. The total cost of the
project for the Chorakuji Temple is estimated
to as twenty-five billion U.S.dollars.
The Shrines and Golden Buddhas were installed in 1993 and dedicated here
in spring of 1994 in honor of the donor Mr.& Mrs.Kiyoshi
Tada and the Sogo Rcaltor Co.LTD.
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C GOJU-NO-TOH
(A Five Storied Tower)
A two hundred thiry-one feet tall
pagoda is located at the south of the Grand Shrine (Daibutsu-den). It is the sccond highest five story tower in Japan. There are
fifty-one deities and Buddhas enshrined in the Tower including Sakyamuni, Amida, and Vairocana(Dainichi) Buddhas at the highest floor (5th story) of the pagoda. These
artistic statucs are made of gold, wood,
marble, and limcstone, and displayed at each
floor of the Tower. Don't miss the panoramic view of the beautiful Tajima
mountains, Yata Creek, a belfry, and overgreen trees surrounding the Temple. From each
floor of the Tower the visitors can see a splended
exotic scenery of Japanese nature and can be fascinated with the nature
and religion of an unknown country in Far East.
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D BENTEN-DO (Shrine of the Sarasvati)
arasvati)
A heaventy deity and guardian for business
growth is called "Benten" in Japanese
and refers to the Hindu deity Sarasvati. The Shrine of Benten is located inside the pond of temple yerd. The female face deity extremely loves water and
likcs to play the music with an oriental
guitar. She is especially worshipped here as a god of entertainment,
academia, money, transportation.
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E YAKUSHI
SHRINE
Yakushi-do, enshrining the
traditional Honzon Medicine Buddha (Yakushi Ruriko Nyorai) carved by Gyoki, is located in north
side of the Temple. The Buddha 'Yakushi' has
been preserved here without domages through the
ages, and is considered to be the secret Buddha,
whici is not shown to the public except once
every seven years. The Deity Yakushi loves to
dispense healing medicines and disperse the illnesses of people.The inside is private
except at the time of the event.
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