<論説>中世・日鮮交渉と高麗版蔵経 : 大和・円成寺栄弘と増上寺高麗版

Abstract

応仁・文明の乱は寺社の炎上と復興が相継ぎ、国内勧進の困難と高麗版大蔵経に対する憧憬から、更に貿易の利潤を求めて、李朝々鮮に高麗船が派遣せられた。応仁・文明年間に当る成宗朝にあつては、儒教立国を政治の方針としていたが為に、大蔵経は有害無益のものであり、日本の使節に引出物として回腸する事は政治の基本方針にも一致し、大国としての襟度を示すものであつた。かかる大蔵経輸入の典型として文明一四年の円成寺勧進船がある。円成寺復興にともなう大蔵経輸入は、大和東北山中の土豪狭川氏より出た栄弘により将来され、当時の船中における米銭の散用状断簡が「大蔵請来二合船残録」として現存し、入鮮のコースがほぼ明かにされる。この大蔵経は幸にも現在東京・増上寺に秘蔵されているもので、文明年間に於ける将来された本蔵の経歴を示す希有の例といえる。

The civil wars in the Ônin and Bunmei 応仁・文明 eras reduced many Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines to ashes, and they were to be reconstructed one after another. Enough subscriptions for the reconstruction, however, could hardly be hoped for at home. On the other hand some people hankered for Kaoli copies of the Buddhist Scriptures. Neither were profits from trade remained unnoticed. Under these circumstances trading ships, called "Kaoli vessels", came to ply between Japan and Kaoli. In Kaoli under the Li Dynasty which was contemporaneous with our Ônin and Bummei eras, a national policy based on Confucianism was followed, and the Buddhist Scriptures were considered useless, if not harmful. For this reason, to give away Kaoli copies of them to the Japanese visitors was in line with Kaolis basic policy, and in addition would be taken for an act of magnanimity worthy of a great country. A typical case of importing Scriptures into Japan was that by a "Collection ship" a trading ship, owned by the Enjôji 円成寺 Temple in the 14 th year of the Bummei era. This import was conducted in connection with the reconstruction of the temple by Eikô born of the Sagawas, an influencial family in the north-easten part of the Yamato Province. Some fragmentary pages from the "Scripturs Inviting Ship" are saved from destruction and tell us how and where those on board purchased their food, thereby suggesting the route, they took to go to their destination. The scriptures thus brought are by good luck preserved at the Zôjôji Temple in Tokyo. This may be a rare occurrence which clarifies a history of Scriptures imported in the Bummei era.