Saidai-ji

Main hall, or hondō

Saidai-ji (西大寺) or the "Great Western Temple" is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple was established in AD 765 as a counterpart to Tōdai-ji and it is the main temple of the Shingon Risshu (真言律宗) sect of Buddhism after the sect's founder, Eison, took over administration in 1238.^[1]

One building, the Aizen-dō, houses a statue of Aizen Myō-ō, while the main image is of Shakyamuni Buddha, erected by Eison in 1249.^[1]

Saidai-ji stands close to Yamato-Saidaiji Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line.

Building list

• Main Hall (hondō) - Important Cultural Property. It was rebuilt in 1808.
• Shiō-dō - It was rebuilt in 1674.
• Aizen-dō - It was reconstructed in 1762.
• etc.

• 
  Shiō-dō
• 
  Aizen-dō

See also

• Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples of Nanto.
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Yamato
• For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism.
• List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)

External links

• "Saidai-ji Temple Homepage" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-02-05. 

References

1. 1 2 Watt, Paul B. (March 8, 1999). "Chapter 7: Eison and the Shingon Vinaya Sect". In Tanabe, George. Religions of Japan in Practice. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-05789-3. 

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Coordinates: 34°41′38″N 135°46′45″E / 34.69389°N 135.77917°E / 34.69389; 135.77917