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法多山 尊永寺
愛染堂
Coloring artisan
Hattasan Sonei-ji
Construction of Aizendo
Tenkyū-Aizen-Myō-ōIt is thought that the deity Aizen-Myō-ō was brought to Japan by the priest Kūkai, but there are no surviving images from that time, and despite being a Buddhist deity of esoteric Buddhism, he does not appear in the Mandala of the Two Realms, and the circumstances surrounding his arrival in Japan and the date of his arrival are unknown.There is a passage in the scripture “Kongoburokakuissaiyugayugikyo” that mentions Aizen-Myō-ō, and it is thought that the Aizen-Myō-ō that has come down to us today is a faithful representation of this passage.
The deity is depicted with its entire body dyed red, with a red circle as a halo, sitting cross-legged on a red lotus throne above a golden vase. It is depicted with three eyes and six arms in a rage expression. It wears a crown with a lion's head on its hair, which stands on end in anger. In his six hands, he holds a five-pronged vajra, a five-pronged bell, a lotus flower, and a bow and arrow. (Incidentally, his left hand often does not hold anything.)
In the late Heian period, faith in and the making of statues of the deity became popular, and it was believed to be effective for almost any wish, including respect, good health, exorcism, and safe childbirth. In particular, it became popular as a deity that had the power to transform human desires, such as lust, into enlightenment (the desire for enlightenment is the desire for enlightenment), and it became a popular object of worship for matchmaking and as the main deity of love. (As a side note, it was also worshipped as the guardian deity of prostitutes and dye shops.)
The Tenkyū-Aizen-Myō-ō statue that we have just completed is depicted with the figure holding a bow and arrow above its head, poised to release an arrow into the heavens. This is in accordance with the description in the sutra, which says, “It is as if shooting the light of the stars,” and the statue has been created to depict the figure releasing its arrow into the heavens, with its energy fully charged, and with the various wishes of the people contained in the arrow.
愛染明王は経典が弘法大師によりもたらされたと考えられていますが、その当時の図像などは残っておらず、密教の仏様にもかかわらず両界曼荼羅には現れず、その成立や伝来した経緯もたどれず、日本でのみ拝まれています。
『金剛峰楼閣一切瑜伽瑜祇経』という経典に愛染明王に触れる箇所があり、その特徴を忠実に表現したものが今に伝わる愛染明王だと思われます。
御姿は全身を赤色に染め、赤い円相を光背にして、金の宝瓶の上の赤い蓮華座に結跏趺坐しておられます。三つの目をつけた一面と六本の腕をもつ忿怒形に造られます。髪が逆立つ怒髪の上に獅子の首を表した冠を戴き、六本の手には五鈷杵、五鈷鈴、蓮華、そして弓と矢を持ちます。（ちなみに一本の左手は持物を持たない事が多い）
平安時代の後期になると信仰と造像が盛んになり、敬愛、息災、調伏、安産など殆んどの願いに効験があるとされて、信仰されました。特に人間の煩悩としての愛欲をそのまま仏の悟りに変える力（煩悩即菩提）を持つ仏様として、男女の縁結びの信仰、恋愛の本尊として愛染参りが盛んになりました。（余談ですが遊女と染物屋の守護神としても祀られていました）
Tenkyū-Aizen-Myō-ōIt is thought that the deity Aizen-Myō-ō was brought to Japan by the priest Kūkai, but there are no surviving images from that time, and despite being a Buddhist deity of esoteric Buddhism, he does not appear in the Mandala of the Two Realms, and the circumstances surrounding his arrival in Japan and the date of his arrival are unknown.There is a passage in the scripture “Kongoburokakuissaiyugayugikyo” that mentions Aizen-Myō-ō, and it is thought that the Aizen-Myō-ō that has come down to us today is a faithful representation of this passage.
The deity is depicted with its entire body dyed red, with a red circle as a halo, sitting cross-legged on a red lotus throne above a golden vase. It is depicted with three eyes and six arms in a rage expression. It wears a crown with a lion's head on its hair, which stands on end in anger. In his six hands, he holds a five-pronged vajra, a five-pronged bell, a lotus flower, and a bow and arrow. (Incidentally, his left hand often does not hold anything.)
In the late Heian period, faith in and the making of statues of the deity became popular, and it was believed to be effective for almost any wish, including respect, good health, exorcism, and safe childbirth. In particular, it became popular as a deity that had the power to transform human desires, such as lust, into enlightenment (the desire for enlightenment is the desire for enlightenment), and it became a popular object of worship for matchmaking and as the main deity of love. (As a side note, it was also worshipped as the guardian deity of prostitutes and dye shops.)
The Tenkyū-Aizen-Myō-ō statue that we have just completed is depicted with the figure holding a bow and arrow above its head, poised to release an arrow into the heavens. This is in accordance with the description in the sutra, which says, “It is as if shooting the light of the stars,” and the statue has been created to depict the figure releasing its arrow into the heavens, with its energy fully charged, and with the various wishes of the people contained in the arrow.
