“Pure Water Monastery” is what Kiyomizu-dera means. We are standing before the \u9ed2\u4e95\u306e\u6e05\u6c34 Stele here. It is within this temple’s grounds.
Kiyomizu-dera is a Buddhist temple. It is in eastern Kyoto Japan. The temple is part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto. UNESCO recognizes it as a World Heritage Site.
The temple’s history began long ago. In 778, Enchin Shonin founded it. He was a priest from Nara. He had a vision. The vision told him to build the temple. It should be next to the Otowa spring.
Later in 798, Sakanoue Tamuramaro improved the site. He added a large hall. It was reassembled from Emperor Kammu’s palace. The emperor had left Nara. He wanted to escape the Buddhist monasteries’ influence on the government. Kofuku-ji and Kiyomizu-dera temples were rivals then. Both had influence.
Tokugawa Iemitsu ordered many of the current buildings constructed in 1633. The entire structure uses no nails. The waterfall within the complex gives it its name. The water runs off nearby hills. Kiyomizu means “pure water”.
The temple was first linked to the Hoss\u014d sect. This sect dates back to the Nara period. In 1965, it cut ties. Now, its custodians are part of their Kita-Hoss\u014d sect. It is the Northern Hoss\u014d sect.
A saying goes “to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu.” This is like the English saying “to take the plunge”. In the Edo period, people believed wishes would be granted. They had to survive a 13-meter jump from the stage. Records show 234 jumps. About 85.4 percent survived. The practice was banned in 1872.
The temple complex has other shrines. One is Jishu Shrine. It honors \u014ckuninushi. He is a god of love and good matches. Jishu Shrine has “love stones”. They are 10 meters apart. Lonely visitors try to walk between them blindfolded. If they reach the other stone, they will find true love.
Talismans, incense, and omikuji are available here. Omikuji are paper fortunes. Festivals make the site popular. New Year’s and obon draw crowds. Obon is in the summer. Booths sell holiday foods and souvenirs.
Kiyomizu-dera almost became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. It was a finalist. Restoration work occurred before the 2020 Olympics. Scaffolding covered the temple.
Kiyomizu-dera sits in the foothills of Mount Otowa. This is part of the Higashiyama range. The main hall has a large veranda. Tall pillars support it. It uses kakezukuri construction. The veranda overlooks the hillside. It offers city views. Large verandas became common during the Edo period. They accommodated many pilgrims.
Below the main hall is the Otowa waterfall. Three water channels fall into a pond. Visitors drink the water. They believe it grants wishes. There is also the Tainai Meguri. It is a dark tunnel. It represents Daizuiku Bosatsu’s womb. Daizuiku Bosatsu is the bodhisattva Mah\u0101pratisar\u0101.
Remember the name \u9ed2\u4e95\u306e\u6e05\u6c34 Stele. It stands as a quiet marker within this vibrant temple. It links us to centuries of history. It reminds us of faith hope and tradition.