Eikan-dō (Zenrin-ji)｜永観堂 (禅林寺)

The history of Eikan-dō began with Shinjō (797–873), a disciple of the famous monk Kukai, known posthumously as Kōbō Daishi.  Desiring to found a temple to worship the five Wisdom Kings, Shinshō purchased land from the aristocrat Fujiwara no Sekio in 853.  However, at that time it was still prohibited to build temples in Kyoto proper, as the capital had been moved from Nara to Kyoto precisely to avoid the influence of powerful temples on politics.  The temple’s status remained in limbo for the next ten years until Emperor Seiwa granted permission and Zenrin-ji was officially founded.  Though it is more commonly known by the names Eikan-dō or Zenrin-ji, its official name is Shojuraigō-san Muryoju-in Zenrin-ji. 

In the beginning, Eikandō-do was an esoteric Shingon temple in keeping with Kukai’s teachings, but gradually transitioned to Pure Land Buddhism as the popular sect gained prominence in the capital.  In the beginning of the Kamakura period, the monk Jōhen studied the books of Hōnen, the founder of Pure Land Buddhism, in order to critique the new religion.  However, he ended up converting to Pure Land practices himself, and after Hōnen’s period as the 11^th Head Priest Jōhen followed as the 12^th.  One of Hōnen’s other disciples, Shoku (1177-1247), followed as Head Priest after that, continuing to teach Pure Land Buddhism.  From the leadership of the Shoku’s disciple, Jō’on, Eikan-dō became the head temple of the Seizan branch of the Pure Land School.  Since then the temple has served as a training site for the Seizan branch. 

Like many temples, Eikan-dō was completed razed during the Ōnin War (1467-1477), and it took generations of priests until the 16^th century to see the temple rebuilt.  However, Eikan-dō faced further troubles during the Meiji Period under the policy of State Shinto which promoted the indigenous religion over Buddhism.  Despite the hardships in their history, nowadays the temple is doing well and continuing to promote Pure Land teachings in Kyoto.