Bishamonten and Tokugawa Ieyasu | Questions and Considerations Regarding the Founding and Origin Story of Tamonzan Tengen-ji Temple
Unraveling the origins of the Bishamonten, said to be the battlefield guardian deity of Lord Ieyasu, and thinking about the background behind it is something we can do for the future to connect our memories.
#ThingsWeCanDoForTheFuture, #LetsConnectOurMemories
1. Major Events
2. Related Historical Documents
3. Bishamonten associated with Lord Ieyasu
4. Four Questions and Considerations
Question 1: The founding period of Tamonzan Tengen-ji Temple
Why was Tamonzan Tengen-ji Temple founded in 1719, long after the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the Shogunate, when the chaotic warring states period had become a distant memory, to enshrine Lord Ieyasu's battlefield guardian deity?
<<Consideration>>
This period saw the implementation of the Kyoho Reforms under the reign of the eighth Shogun, Yoshimune (1716–1745), in response to issues that had become significantly apparent since the fifth Shogun, such as the deterioration of Shogunate finances, the destabilization of the farming and samurai classes, and the decline of Shogunate authority. In particular, it is speculated that one reason was that Shogun Yoshimune held a deep reverence for Lord Ieyasu, and shedding light on the Bishamonten, which was Lord Ieyasu's battlefield guardian deity, was considered to contribute to enhancing the prestige of Lord Ieyasu.
Question 2: The reason the statue was entrusted to the Zen sect
The Tokugawa family had used the Jodo sect as their family temple since the time of the Matsudaira clan. It is said that in his later years, Lord Ieyasu also leaned toward the Tendai sect. So, why was it a Rinzai Zen temple that enshrined this Bishamonten?
<<Consideration>>
A famous figure in the relationship between the Tokugawa family and Zen is Takuan Soho (1573-1645). He was a Rinzai monk famous for Takuan pickles, active from the Azuchi-Momoyama to the early Edo period. He was deeply trusted by the third Shogun, Iemitsu, and founded Tokai-ji Temple in Shinagawa, Edo. Also, the relationship between the Shogunate senior retainer
Yagyu Munenori (1571-1646) and Zen is also profound. Munenori's father was the renowned master swordsman Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi, and he learned the Shinkage-ryu (Yagyu Shinkage-ryu) from his father. He excelled in the Shinkage-ryu sword techniques inherited from Sekishusai and served as a fencing instructor for three generations: Lord Ieyasu, Lord Hidetada, and Lord Iemitsu. His sword skills were said to be unparalleled in history. He established the Shinkage-ryu, founded by his father, as the official style of the Tokugawa Shogunate and spread it throughout the country. As a result, the Yagyu school became one of the largest fencing schools of the time. Not only as a master of swordsmanship, he advocated a unique martial arts philosophy that emphasized spirituality, such as the 'sword that gives life' (katsujinken) and 'mutodori' (a technique to disarm an opponent without holding a weapon). It is said that this philosophy was deepened through his interactions with the monk Takuan. Given these connections between Zen and the samurai class, it is speculated that the enshrinement of this Bishamonten was entrusted to the Zen sect.
Question 3: Inclusion in Shogunate official documents
Why was the ' Engishu' (1727), an official Shogunate document, included the ' Origin Story of Tamonzan Bishamonten-o'?
<<Consideration>> The Kyoho Reforms
included not only financial reconstruction and agricultural administration but also the organization of knowledge, laws, and literature as important pillars. Furthermore, the compilation of legal codes (Kujikata Osadamegaki), the organization and dissemination of academic and practical books, and the encouragement and control of publishing were carried out. The compilation of the ' Engishu' by the Daigaku-no-kami (Head of the University) is considered to be one of these efforts. It is presumed that the origin story of the battlefield guardian deity, which demonstrates the prestige of Lord Ieyasu, was also included there.
Question 4: Spread to folk belief
Why was this Bishamonten featured in the ' Engi Sosho' (1754), a collection of origin stories of temples and shrines, and the ' Edo Meisho Zue' (1834), an Edo tourist guidebook, several decades after the founding of Tamonzan Tengen-ji Temple?
<<Consideration>>
The purpose of founding Tamonzan Tengen-ji Temple was not only to shed new light on the prestige of Lord Ieyasu but also to spread the virtues of Bishamonten widely among the people. It was called the ' Bishamondo of Hiroo' and gathered wide faith as a deity of victory and financial luck. Its inclusion in the 'Engi Sosho' and 'Edo Meisho Zue' is presumed to be evidence of this.
