東大寺を管轄した時代の浄土宗 --『教導職要用記』を手がかりとした予備的考察--

Abstract

With the Meiji Restoration, Buddhism in Japan has generally been considered to have faced difficult times under the new government's anti-Buddhist policies (haibutsu kishaku). However, more than the damages from this blow, the hardships caused by the agechirei (the land confiscation laws issued in the first decade of the Meiji period), the decay and merger of temples without members or head priests, and the repeal of special privileges for priests were far greater. In addition to this, the Meiji government demanded that Buddhist priests teach new virtues that incorporated Shinto, such as "reverence for the gods and patriotism" (keishin aikoku). The Pure Land sect Jōdo Shū, which temporarily administered Tōdai-ji, was also involved in these edification activities. The Records on the Agency for Religious and Moral Instructions (Kyodoshoku yoyoki, 1873 to 1877) from the Pure Land temple Konkai Komyo-ji in Kyoto, however, reveal that Jodo shu was not forcibly involved in these activities. The head priest of Konkai Komyo-ji attempted to strengthen the sect's solidarity by preaching to the priests and members of its branch temples throughout Japan and assigning them with official positions within this edification policy. Moreover, among the priests of the sect, there were those who raised the question of reconstructing the hierarchical order of Jōdo Shū according to one's ability to teach. Although this policy ended in four short years, the experience gained from this by the various Buddhist organizations was not insignificant and eventually connected to explorations of solutions for self-governing and social enterprises. Tōdai-ji's modern period can perhaps also be reexamined within this context.