【Japan tourism】 Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage trip [No.77] Soutazan Myououin Douryuuji

2023年3月29日2023年4月15日

Douryuuji Temple is also known as the “eye repair medicine Yakushi", and many people visit to pray for healing of eye diseases, and dedicate a tag with “eyes" written on it.

Duoryuuji

Proncipal image	Yakushi Nyorai
Honzon mantra	On korokoro sendari matougi sowaka
Denomination	Shingon Buddhism Godai sect

Place

Temple lodging： none

Phone：0877-32-3577

Gosyuin(red stamp)

History

It is said that in 712 (Wado 5), the feudal lord Michitaka Wake carved a small Yakushi Nyorai statue out of mulberry wood and built a hall. The name of the mountain, Mt. Souta, is also derived from here.

Michitaka saw a giant mulberry tree with a circumference of nearly 5m, emitting a mysterious light at night. Suspicious of this light, I shot an arrow. Then she heard her woman scream, and her wet nurse collapsed and died. Legend has it that Michitaka, grieving, carved a Buddha statue out of the mulberry tree and enshrined it in the hall.

In 807 (Daido 2), Choyu Wake, a son of Michiryu, begged Kobo Daishi, who had returned from Tang Dynasty, to sculpt a statue of Yakushi Nyorai about 90 cm. Then, the statue of his father, Michitaka, was placed in the womb of the statue of Yakushi Nyorai and made it the principal image.

After that, Choyu became the second chief priest and built Shichido Garan with his own property, and named the temple “Doryuji" after his father who founded it.

The third chief priest was Kobo Daishi’s younger brother, Shinga Sojo (Houkou Daishi), who succeeded him and built Nijusanbo. Chisho Daishi became the fourth generation, and built the Gomado with the statues of the Five Great Myoos and the Holy Kanzeon Bodhisattva.

In the generation of the next fifth generation, Rigen Daishi, Doryuji Temple became the 'Houso Prayer Place’.

Highlight

【Sentokuin Hall】It is located in the back left of the main hall, and is said to help with eye diseases at the grave of Samazou, Kyogoku. Samazou was blind, but he recovered his eyesight through the miracle of the Yakushi Nyorai and became active as a doctor.

It is about 8 km (about 15 minutes by car) to the next 78th bill place “Goushouji"!