GeorgiannaStrand at 09:26, 21 February 2025

2025-02-21T09:26:37Z

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[[Image:houdou.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Hōdō Sennin]]

'''Hōdō''' (法道) or '''Hōdō [[Rishi|Sennin]]''' (法道仙人) was an Indian hermit and sage.

According to legend, from the 6th to 7th centuries CE, Hōdō traveled from India peninsula through Tang China and the [[Korea]]n kingdom of [[Baekje]] and eventually arrived in [[Japan]]. He is recognized as the founder of temples in the mountains of [[Harima Province]] and is associated with several ''chokugan-ji'' (勅願寺), Buddhist temples built at the request of the reigning emperor.<ref name=":0" />

Tradition holds that when Hōdō came to Japan, he was accompanied by the deity [[Gozu Tennō]] (牛頭天王; [[Sanskrit]]: ''Gośīrṣa devarāja''), who was later enshrined at [[Hiromine Shrine]] and [[Yasaka Shrine]] and is venerated in the [[Gion faith]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Faure |first=Bernard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gYOUEAAAQBAJ&dq=H%C5%8Dd%C5%8D+gozu+tenno&pg=PA307 |title=Rage and Ravage: Gods of Medieval Japan, Volume 3 |date=2021-12-31 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |isbn=978-0-8248-8936-4 |language=en}}</ref>

While engaged in ascetic practice on [[Mount Rokkō]] at the [[Kumoga Iwa]] Rock (雲ヶ岩), Hōdō is said to have been approached by the deity [[Vaiśravaṇa]] riding on purple clouds. It was after this encounter that Hōdō built Tamon-ji in [[Hyōgo Prefecture]] to enshrine the Kumoga Iwa Rock, [[Rokkō-Hime-Daizen-no-Kami]] (六甲比命大善神), and the [[Shinkyō Iwa]] Rock.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | encyclopedia = Nihon Jinmei Daijiten (日本人名大辞典) | title = 法道 | url = http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | accessdate = 2012-10-03 | year = 2012 | publisher = Shogakukan | location = Tokyo | language = Japanese | trans-title = Hōdō | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070825113418/http://rekishi.jkn21.com/ | archivedate = 2007-08-25 }}</ref> [[Ashiya Dōman]] describes himself as a student of Hōdō.

==Other names==
Legend says that Hōdō would fly through the air with food and money in an iron bowl to offer to those in need, which gained him the nickname '''Hihatsu no Hōdō''' (飛鉢の法道 lit. "Flying Bowl Hōdō").

It is also said that on one occasion, he happened upon a ship carrying rice that had been paid as land tax. Hōdō asked for one bowl of rice, which the tax man refused. As a result, when Hōdō flew away, the bags of rice rose into the air and followed him. The tax man pursued the ascetic into the mountains and apologized for his miserliness. He promised to provide Hōdō with one bowl of rice for the return of his rice bags.

As the area around Ichijō-ji is known for its high-quality rice production, it is said that this originated from the bowl of rice procured by Hōdō. For this reason, he is also known as '''Kūhatsu Sennin''' (空鉢仙人, lit. "Empty Bowl Sage"), as he always gave away whatever he had obtained in his iron bowl.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ichijōji Legends |url=http://sacredjapan.com/Temple%2026/Legends26.htm |website=Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage |accessdate=2019-07-01}}</ref>

==Affiliated temples==
[[Image:Gayain02.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Gaya-in]]

*[[Senkō-ji (Tonami)|Senkō-ji]], in [[Tonami, Toyama|Tonami]], [[Toyama Prefecture]]
*[[Kannon-Ji (Fukuchiyama)|Kannon-ji]], in [[Fukuchiyama, Kyoto|Fukuchiyama]], [[Kyoto Prefecture]]
*[[Gayain|Gaya-in]], in [[Miki, Hyōgo|Miki]], [[Hyōgo Prefecture]]
*[[Kyōkai-ji (Miki)|Kyōkai-ji]], in Miki, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Ichijō-ji]], in [[Kasai, Hyōgo|Kasai]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Fukō-ji (Kasai)|Fukō-ji]], in Kasai, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Okusan-ji (Kasai)|Okusan-ji]], in Kasai, Hyōgo Prefecture

[[Image:Cyokoji01.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Chōkō-ji]]

*[[Nyoi-ji (Kōbe)|Nyoi-ji]], in [[Kobe|Kōbe]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Shakubu-ji (Kōbe)|Shakubu-ji]], in Kōbe, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Tenjō-ji|Tōri Tenjō-ji]], in Kōbe, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Kinkō-ji (Kōbe)|Kinkō-ji]], in Kōbe, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Hōju-ji (Kōbe)|Hōju-ji]], in Kōbe, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Tamon-ji (Kōbe)|Tamon-ji]], in [[Kōbe]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Chōkō-ji]], in [[Katō, Hyōgo|Katō]], Hyōgo Prefecture

[[Image:Tori-Tenjyoji02s2816.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Tōri Tenjō-ji]]

*[[Zenryū-ji]], in Katō, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Kiyomizu-dera (Katō)|Kiyomizu-dera]], in Katō, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Kōmyō-ji (Katō)|Kōmyō-ji]], in Katō, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Saihō-ji (Tamba-Sasayama)|Saihō-ji]], in [[Tamba-Sasayama]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Tōkutsu-ji (Tamba-Sasayama)|Tōkutsu-ji]], in Tamba-Sasayama, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Sairin-ji]], in [[Nishiwaki, Hyōgo|Nishiwaki]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Bodai-ji (Sanda)|Bodai-ji]], in [[Sanda, Hyōgo|Sanda]], Hyōgo Prefecture

[[Image:Nyoiji13s1890.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Nyoi-ji]]

*[[Jōshō-ji (Tanba)|Jōshō-ji]], in [[Tanba, Hyōgo|Tanba]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Hōraku-ji (Kamikawa)|Hōraku-ji]], in [[Kamikawa, Hyōgo|Kamikawa]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Shippō-ji (Kamikawa)|Shippō-ji]], in Kamikawa, Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Enman-ji (Taka)|Enman-ji]], in [[Taka, Hyōgo|Taka]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Hōdō-ji (Asago)|Hōdō-ji]], in [[Asago, Hyōgo|Asago]], Hyōgo Prefecture
*[[Chōkoku-ji (Kurayoshi)|Chōkoku-ji]], in [[Kurayoshi, Tottori|Kurayoshi]], [[Tottori Prefecture]]
*[[Senryū-ji (Shikokuchūō)|Senryū-ji]], in [[Shikokuchūō]], [[Ehime Prefecture]]
*[[Rakan-ji]], in [[Nakatsu, Ōita|Nakatsu]], [[Ōita Prefecture]]

==See also==
*[[Sennin]]
*[[Vaiśravaṇa]]
*[[Emperor Kōtoku]]
*[[Wakan Sansai Zue]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commonscatinline|Hōdō}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodo}}
[[Category:Indian Buddhists]]
[[Category:Japanese people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:India–Japan relations]]
[[Category:Shinbutsu shūgō]]
[[Category:Gion cult]]
[[Category:Onmyōji]]

{{Gion cult}}

Hōdō - Revision history

GeorgiannaStrand at 09:26, 21 February 2025