Mahavira Hall
The main hall (Japanese本 堂, Hondo, often :金堂, Kondō, literally: Golden Hall ) or Buddha Hall, the building is in the Buddhist temples of Japan, referred to, which houses the most important religious objects of worship. In the various Buddhist schools in Japan this main hall is called differently. On the one referred to by the name you used to when a school of Buddhism occurred, on the other hand, it is also an indication of structural and use-related characteristics of each particular building style. Terms frequently used are Kondō, Hondo, Butsuden, Butsudō or Compon Chudo. War in Japanese antiquity the orientation of the main hall within the temple complex nor a strict symmetry, as they took over from the Asian mainland, subject, so fit be made at least with the advent of Esoteric Buddhism also topographical and broke away from this strict rule.
One of the most impressive main hall is the Daibutsuden the Kegon school at Todai -ji. Although the main hall was destroyed several times, and the current smaller building from the year 1709 comes, it is still the largest wooden building in the world.
In the main hall there is the Gohonzon as the main object of worship.
The Kondō the Asuka and Nara period
The name of the main hall as Kondō (金堂), translated as " Golden Hall ", is to be found until the Edo period. At its core, however, is the name typical of temples of the Asuka and Nara period. The name is probably due to the gilt decoration of the interior and the design of religious objects of worship.
In the early days of Buddhism in Japan, oriented the main hall, like any other building of a temple complex, yet strictly follow a north -south axis. While there is only one main hall in most temples, have the oldest ( still existing ) Buddhist temple as the Hōryū -ji and Asuka- dera more. In the case of Asuka- dera, there were three, which the conjecture suggests that he was more than just a Buddhist temple and school as a center of learning at the beginning of its history. After his transfer or foundation, in the new capital of Nara, and renaming as gango -ji he had at times even seven main halls and several pagodas ( Tō ).
Typically, the Kondō of a central core (母 屋, Moya ), which was also home to the most important shrines, as well as an interior walkway, Hisashi (厢) and an outer named Mokoshi. Partly because of its limited extent, partly dogmatic reasons the particular Buddhist school, was for amateurs, at least during religious ceremonies, as well as no space inside the Kondō provided. At a time in which the exercise and knowledge of Buddhism was only reserved for a learned and privileged segment of the population, this may have not yet had a major impact.
The HONDO the Heian period
The Hondo (本 堂), translated "Main Hall ", is an evolution of Kondō, which began in the ninth century. The term is closely associated with the emergence of the Tendai and Shingon and thus also provides a definition of the " Six Nara Schools", the Nanto roku - Shuu (南 都 六 宗), dar. These six schools ( Ritsu, Jōjitsu shū, Kusha Shuu, Shuu Sanron, Hosso Shuu, Shuu Kegon ) are thus also for the assimilation and establishment of Buddhism in Japan.
Was Buddhism in the Nara period still largely a matter of the nobility, so grew up in the Heian period his followers in many parts of society. The introduction of new teaching directions, as well as the growing number of believers, made a new, larger type of the main hall, the Hondo necessary. Acquisitions, the ( lay ) faithful of the Nara period was still mostly outside the Kondō in religious ceremonies in part, so dedicated to them with the advent of Hondo part of the building's interior, the Gejin.
Other temples we the Yama -dera also use the name Compon - Chudo for this type of building. Here it should be noted that different names for the main hall are by no means rare, as they will be less underscore the type of building but rather the significance of the building of the Temple or each Buddhist school.
Butsuden the Kamakura period
The Butsuden (仏 殿) or Butsudō (仏 堂) usually refers to the main hall in the schools of Zen, which found its way to Japan during the Kamakura period, and can be translated as " Buddha Hall ". Schools of Zen here are mainly Soto or Rinzai.