Ancient+Japan's+Structures

Japanese temples dating from the Nara (710-794), Heian (794-1195), Kamakura (1195-1333) and Muromachi (1333-1460) periods are often very beautiful and there are a large number of them clustered around the ancient capitals of Nara, Kyoto and Kamakura. Although most temples were destroyed in the Onin Wars (1467-1477), many have been rebuilt several times following their original design. Japanese temple names have the suffix "dera, ji, in", or occasionally "an". The first two indicate a main temple, with "dera" being the Japanese reading of the characters and "ji" being the original Chinese reading. The "in" suffix normally indicates a sub-temple, and "an" denotes an arbour or cottage. Gardens usually have the suffix "en". A "do" suffix, or occasionally "den," is added to the names of halls within a temple. The most common hall names are Hondo, Kondo or Butsuden (Main Hall), Kodo or Daikodo (Lecture Hall), Jikido (Refectory), Amidado (Amida Hall), Mieido (Founder's Hall), Godaido (Hall of the Five Great Deities), Shinden (Imperial Residence), Kaidanindo (Ordination Platform Hall), Kannon-do (Kannon Hall), Reihokan (Treasure Hall, Museum), Priests' Quarters (Honbo, Daihojo), Shakamunido (Shaka Hall) and Haiden (Worship Hall). An Okuno-in is an inner sanctuary dedicated to a specific person, usually Kobo Daishi, Japan's great saint, or a temple's founder. Monzeki temples are those whose head priest was by tradition a member of the imperial family. They are identified by five parallel white lines on the outer wall. Originally introduced from Korea in 538, Japanese Buddhism is of the Mahayana (Greater Vehicle) tradition. The Nara period saw massive temples built in the capital and increasing political power wielded by priests. Six schools of Buddhism flourished at this time - Sanron, Jojitsu, Hosso, Kusho, Ritsu and Kegon - based mostly on the study of commentaries or treatises on particular sutras. After the capital was moved to Kyoto in 794, only two temples were allowed in the city, Toji and Saiji. New forms of Buddhism were then brought back from China by Japanese monks. Saicho founded the Tendai sect on Mount Hiei, northeast of Kyoto, and Kukai founded the Shingon sect, initially at Toji and later centred on Mount Koya. Tendai was based on the Lotus Sutra and Shingon was a development of Chinese esoteric teachings. Both sects were patronised mainly by the aristocracy. Their temples were in the mountains and the sacred images displayed in dim halls or hidden from view.
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At the end of the Heian period in 1195, the shoguns took over and moved the capital to Kamakura. New sects - Jodo (Pure Land) and Jodo Shin (True Pure Land) based on devotion to Amida Buddha - brought Buddhism and hope for rebirth in the Pure Land to the common man. These were followed the Soto and Rinzai Zen sects focussing on mediation and koans as the means to reach enlightenment. Because of its application in swordsmanship and archery, Zen was patronised by the shoguns and their samurai. The last major sect to emerge - Japan's only indigenous form of Buddhism - was Nichiren, based on devotion to the Lotus Sutra and popular with the common man.

Jodo temples are often large buildings situated in urban centres and enshrining a large image of Amida. Zen temples feature a very different architecture, fequently with numerous sub-temples and "dry gardens" of moss or gravel. The Zen sects revere Shakyamuni (the historical Buddha), his disciples and other famous enlightened monks. A wide variety of Buddhist statuary can be seen in Nara and Heian period temples. These can be categorised as buddhas (//nyorai//, enlightened beings), bodhisattvas (//bosatsu//, beings who have postponed their final enlightenment to help others) and "guardians of Buddhism" (Hindu deities imported into Buddhism). Pure Land temples generally enshrine an image of Amida Nyorai while Zen and Nichiren temples revere images of Shakyamuni (Shaka Nyorai). The principal object of worship in a temple is known as the //honzon//. Shakyamuni is the most well-known still in existence today.
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