The Todaiji = "Great Eastern Temple" (National Treasure)
奈良の大仏は、今の時代の私たちに必要なものだと思います。西暦741年から752年にかけて、聖武天皇は奈良の大仏を造営しました。総勢260万人が造営に参加。像の高さは約15メートル、周囲は70メートル。目の長さは1メートル。大仏殿は世界最大の木造建築物です。当時は天然痘の大流行、飢饉、大地震、戦争など社会不安にさらされていた時代。そうした不安を取り除くために、聖武天皇は国分寺や東大寺大仏を建立し、国を安定させようという思いがあったに違いありません。今だからこそ、さぁ、一緒に奈良の大仏を巡りましょう。 I believe the Great Buddha of Nara is necessary for us in this era. In 741-752 AD, Emperor Shomu created the Great Buddha of Nara. A total of 2.6 million people have joined the construction. The statue's height is about 15 meters, and the circumference is 70 meters. The eye length is 1 meter. The Great Buddha Hall is the largest wooden building in the world.
At that time, it was a time when we were exposed to social unrest such as a pandemic of smallpox, famine, a big earthquake, and war. Therefore, there must have wanted to stabilize the country by establishing Kokubunji Temple and Todaiji Daibutsu by Emperor Shomu to remove such anxiety.
Now is the time, come on, let's tour the Great Buddha of Nara together.
The Todaiji "Great Eastern Temple" (National Treasure)
1)
There is a mountain range to the east of the ancient capital of Nara.
At the foot of these mountains, surrounded by thick green forests, is Todaiji Temple.
The Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) occupies the center of the Todaiji Temple.
The Daibutsuden is the centerpiece of the temple and has been the symbol of Nara for 1,200 years.
2)
In 743 A.D., the 15th year of the Tempyo period, Emperor Shomu issued the "The Imperial Order" with a plan to build the Great Buddha.
He built national temples (temples divided from the country) in various regions to govern the country through Buddhism.
As its head temple (the top in the country), he intended to build a large temple of unprecedented scale in this region.
3)
It is a national treasure, the Golden Hall of Todaiji Temple.
Commonly known as the Great Buddha Hall, the front of this building is 57 meters wide and 47 meters high.
It is the largest wooden structure in the world.
4)
The current Daibutsuden was rebuilt in the Edo period (1603-1867).
It was built in the "Daibutsu-style" that began in the Kamakura period (1185-1333).
The Daibutsuden is supported by a material called "Kannuki," which connects the massive pillars to the pillars through which they are connected.
And a braided structure brought forward by "Sashihijiki (supporting wood)" was added.
Unlike the Japanese-style buildings built up to that point, these buildings were grandiose and could be built on a larger scale.
5)
There is a Buddha enshrined in this massive structure.
It is the Buddha that Emperor Shomu dreamed of as the center of a Buddhist nation.
6)
It is the seated statue of Rushanabutsu, a national treasure.
The height of the statue is 14 meters 85 centimeters.
Including the pedestal, it is approximately 18 meters high.
It is said to be the giant existing bronze statue in the world.
However, no other Buddha statue has had such a strange fate as this one.
When it was first built in the Tempyo period (710-794), the Great Buddha shone in gold.
Later, it suffered severe damage to its head and upper body due to warfare on two occasions.
It was not until the Genroku period (1688-1704) that the statue was rebuilt to its present appearance.
At that time, the original 16-meter statue of the Great Buddha was reduced in size by about 1 meter.
7)
The left hand is placed on the knee, and the large "TANAGOKORO - palm" is open.
It is the hand that receives people's wishes.
The right hand is offering" Kudoku - merit" to people.
In other words, it represents the style of preaching the Budda code of law.
8)
The name "Rushanabutsu" meant "shining sun" in ancient India.
The Buddha who broadly illuminates the entire universe and stands above all Buddhas is "Rushanabutsu."
9)
On the backside are 16 pieces 1.2 meters high Buddha images.
They represent Rushanabutsu's alter ego, spreading his teachings to all corners of the universe.
10)
The Great Buddha escaped two wars.
Most of the upper half of the Buddha's body retained little of its original appearance from the Tenpyo Period when it was first built.
The construction of the Great Buddha cost an enormous amount of money and a total of 2.6 million workers.
The scale of this national project can be well imagined from its current size.
11)
On August 7 every year, the Great Buddha Hall's grand door opens.
On that day, "OMINUGUI - wiping the body" is held to remove the dust accumulated on the Great Buddha for the past year.
HAKKEN-KUYO - the work of removing the soul - will be performed.
Only on that day are people allowed to climb on the body of the Great Buddha.
12)
The width of the face is 3 meters 20 centimeters.
The length of the eyes is 1 meter.
The length of the palm is 1 meter 50 centimeters.
When it comes to cleaning the head, the size of the Great Buddha becomes more and more prominent.
There were about 140 participants in the cleaning.
Even with this many people, it would take about three hours to sweep the head with a brush and wipe it dry.
13)
Tenpo Soho 4, 752 AD.
In that year, a grand opening ceremony for the Great Buddha was held.
It had been about 200 years since the arrival of Buddhism.
Emperor Shomu aimed to realize his ideal of a Buddhist nation by creating this massive statue of Rushanabutsu.
14)
A large stone is assembled, "Kumidan," and on top of it is a pedestal in the shape of a bronze lotus flower.
It is called "lotus seat - RENGE=ZA."
It was initially made in the Tenpyo period.
There are 28 large lotus petals created around the "lotus seat."
The figures of great Buddhas are inscribed on them.
The one in the upper section is Shakyamuni Buddha.
In the universe of Rushanabutsu, there are 1,000 lotus petals, each with Shakyamuni Buddha.
Below that Sakyamuni, there are 10 billion countries, each of which has one Sakyamuni Buddha.
Each one is preaching the Dharma of the Buddha.
It is a vast world.
15)
"SENNKOKU-GA - Line Engraving" - Pictures Engraved with Lines - is expressed by the superior engraving techniques of the Tenpyo period.
It is the most magnificent Buddhist painting representative of this period.
The world of numerous Buddhas is depicted on a single lotus petal.
Furthermore, above them, Rushanabutsu fully illuminates every corner of the universe.
The Todaiji (national treasure)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dKkMS6mkj4
Unkei and Kaikei's Nio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49FNfPqNvRw
The Todaiji's Kongo Rikishi (or Nio) -- called Ungyo (w/ closed mouth) and Agyo (w/ open mouth) -- were sculpted in 1203 by a team of fewer than twenty people in a little over two months'' time, under the direction of master Japanese sculptors Unkei and Kaikei. These two figures have remained in their dedicated location (the Namdaemun, or Great South Gate) for more than 800 years. About 15 years ago, the two figures were disassembled and restored, which allowed archivists to record the puzzle-like construction of each massive 3,000-piece statue and re-create the work digitally-footage from a 2010 NHK special which focused on Unkei's extant works.
Ref)
Vairocana-Buddha image of Todaiji Temple - Wikipedia
Todaiji Temple - World Heritage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjnQVJyaMlI
Todaiji (Tōdai-ji, Eastern Great Temple), is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall (Daibutsuden), the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu. The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara", together with seven other sites including temples, shrines, and places in the city of Nara. Sika deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely.