Sōdō (Monk’s Hall) 七堂伽藍（僧堂）

Official explanation

The Sōdō is where monks eat, sleep, and perform zazen (seated Zen practice). It is one of Eiheiji Temple’s three sanmoku dōjō (“silent training halls”), areas where monks must remain silent as part of their practice. The Sōdō is considered one of the most important spaces at Eiheiji Temple. It was last rebuilt in 1901.

The altar at the center of the Sōdō bears a statue of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. He is often represented riding a lion and carrying a sword to cut through ignorance, but he can also be depicted as a monk sitting in zazen.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.