Hokke-do (Important Cultural Property) 法華堂（重文）

Official explanation

The Hokke-do is used for one of the four types of samadhi meditation described in the Makashikan text, the “half-walking and half-sitting samadhi.” In order to attain the wisdom of the Buddha, for twenty-one days the practitioner walks around the inside of the hall performing full body prostrations in worship of the Buddha and in repentance, as well as sitting in mediation. The hall is still used by practitioners today. The central image is that of the bodhisattva Fugen, the Bodhisattva of meditation and practice.

In his “Regulations for Mountain Students,” Saicho required all Tendai monks to spend twelve years on Mount Hiei, choosing to practice either the Tendai course, or the esoteric course. The four types of samadhi concentration were the most fundamental practices for the monks who chose to study and practice the Tendai meditation course. Saicho intended to build a hall for each of the four types of samadhi concentration. The Lotus Samadhi Hall in the Eastern Pagoda district was the only hall completed during his lifetime. After his passing, Ennin and other disciples fulfilled Saicho’s wishes. There was a Lotus Samadhi hall in each of Enryakuji’s three districts, but today only the hall in the Western Pagoda (Saito) area remains.

Read the full explanation

C: Chinese

J: Japanese

S: Sanskrit

Hokke-do (Lotus Hall )

Makashikan (C. Mohe zhiguan)

Fugen (S. Samantabhadra)

Regulations for Mountain Students (J. Sange gakushoshiki)

Tendai Lotus/Samatha-vipasyana course (J. shikan-go)

Esoteric Vairocana course (J. Shingon mikkyo; shana-go)

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.