Engaku-ji

The Engaku -ji ( Kyūjitai :圆觉 寺, Shinjitai :円 覚 寺named after the Yuanjue jing (Chinese圆觉 经, Pinyin Yuanjue jīng, Sūtra of perfect enlightenment '; jap円 覚 経, Engaku - kyō ) ) is a Buddhist temple in the Japanese city of Kamakura ( Kanagawa Prefecture) and one of the main temple of the Rinzai shū. It is located in the north of the city in Yamanouchi town close to the Kita- Kamakura station ( North Kamakura ) on the outgoing line from Tokyo Yokosuka.

The temple was completed under the builder of the regent Hōjō Tokimune (1251-1284) in 1282. Originally the temple for Chinese Chan monk Lanxi Daolong (兰溪 道 隆, Lanxi Dàolóng; jap兰 渓 道 隆, Rankei Dōryū; 1213-1278 ) provided, but died before completion of the construction. The temple was therefore reclassified the victims of the Mongol invasions of Japan and Tokimunes own Zen teacher, Wuxue Zuyuan (无 学 祖 元, Wuxue Zǔyuán; jap无 学 祖 元, Mugaku Absorbed; 1226-1286 ) as the head. Further, significant and active on Engaku -ji Chinese Chan monks were Daxiu Zhengnian (大 休 正念, Dàxiū Zhèngniàn; jap大 休 正念, Daikyu Shōnen; 1214-1289 ) and Qingzhuo Zhengcheng (淸 拙 正 澄, Qingzhuo Zhengcheng; jap 清 拙 正 澄, Seisetsu Shōchō; 1274-1339 ).

The Engaku -ji belonged early to the Gozan system and remained the entire Kamakura period one of the most important Zen temple and a major center Sino- Japanese culture. Later the temple fell out of favor with the rulers and had to Edo period deny his existence, as the Tokugawa began to support him without government funding. Many of the then destroyed by earthquake and fire buildings were at that time under the monk Seisetsu shucho (诚 拙 周 樗; 1745-1820 ) rebuilt, so the temple was a large part of its present form. Other important monks at the temple in the modern era have included Imakita Kosen (今 北 洪川; 1816-1892 ), under which the temple became one of the most influential Zen temple of eastern Japan, and his student Shaku Soen (释 宗 演; 1859-1919 ), who in on the World Parliament of Religions Chicago, the Western world made ​​known to the Japanese Zen.

1923, much of the building was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake. The reconstruction lasted several decades.