| 現在、日本国内には約7万5000の寺院、30万体以上の仏像が存在するとされます。 また、文化庁『宗教年鑑 令和7年版』では、仏教系の信者数は約8,046万人（令和6年12月31日現在）とされ、日本社会に仏教が広く根づいていることがうかがえます。 つまり日本人は仏教に親しんでいる民族とも言えます。 今回は「日本の仏教通史」と題し、日本における仏教の歴史を解説しましょう。 | Nowadays, it is said that there are about 75,000 temples and more than 300,000 Buddha statues in Japan. Besides, according to the Reiwa 7 edition of the Shūkyō Nenkan (Religious Yearbook) published by the Agency for Cultural Affairs, there are about 80.46 million Buddhists (as of December 31, Reiwa 5), which suggests that Buddhism is deeply rooted in Japanese society. In short, it can be said that the Japanese are a people who are very familiar with Buddhism. In this article, titled The General History of Japanese Buddhism, the history of Japanese Buddhism will be briefly explained. |
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| 仏教公伝と、蘇我氏と物部氏の対立 | Official Introduction of Buddhism to Japan and Confrontation between the Soga clan and the Mononobe clan |
日本の伝統仏教には、「十八宗」と呼ばれる分類があります。 そのうち伝統仏教とされる13宗を、時代の流れに沿って見ていきましょう。 仏教伝来は『日本書紀』によると、飛鳥時代の552年（欽明天皇13年）とされます。 このときに百済の聖明王から、釈迦仏の金銅像と経論ほかが献上されたというのです。 一方『上宮聖徳法王帝説』『元興寺伽藍縁起』では、538年（宣化天皇3年）に仏教が伝えられたとされ、現在では538年説も有力な説として広く紹介されています。 これより以前に個人ルートで仏教が入っていた可能性はあるものの、いずれにせよ仏教の公伝は飛鳥時代ということになるのです。 仏教受容をめぐっては、蘇我氏と物部氏が対立したことが知られています。 この争いは蘇我氏の勝利に終わり、蘇我馬子が飛鳥寺（奈良県明日香村）を建立、聖徳太子も四天王寺（大阪市）を建てたとされています。 飛鳥時代は日本における仏教の黎明期とも呼べる時代で、天武天皇は大官大寺（のちの大安寺）、持統天皇は薬師寺を建立しました。 このような動きが、奈良時代に受け継がれていくことになるのです。 | Japanese Buddhism is generally classified into the ’18 sects.’ The 13 older sects out of them are first referred to with the flow of the times. Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) states that Buddhism was introduced to Japan in 552 (the 13th year of Emperor Kimmei). It says that at that time a golden Buddha statue along with sutras and shastras were presented by King Seong of Baekje. However, there is another more accepted theory about the introduction of Buddhism. According to Jōgū Shōtoku Hōō Teisetsu (Imperial Edicts and Legends of the Upper Palace Dharma King) and Gangōji Garan Engi (The Origins of the Temple Garan of Gango-ji), it was in 538 (the 3rd year of Emperor Senka) that Buddhism was introduced to Japan. Also, it might have come to Japan through unknown individuals before these, but in any case, apparently, it was introduced to Japan sometime during the Asuka period. Regarding disputes over the acceptance of Buddhism, it is well known that the Soga clan (the pro-Buddhist faction) confronted the Mononobe clan (the anti-Buddhist faction). This confrontation ended with the victory of the Soga clan. Legend has it that Soga no Umako founded Asuka-dera (located in Asuka Village, Nara Prefecture), and Prince Shōtoku founded Shitennō-ji (located in Osaka City). The Asuka period can be referred to as “the dawn of Buddhism in Japan.” Later, Emperor Tenmu built Daikandai-ji (today’s Daian-ji), and Empress Jitō founded Yakushi-ji. With these temples, Buddhism began to develop further in the Nara period. |
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| 国を守る鎮護国家と「南都六宗」の時代 | The Age of the Spiritual Protection of the State and the “Six Nara Schools” |
| 奈良時代になると、仏教は国を守るための教え、すなわち「鎮護国家」として位置付けられました。 朝廷は公の寺である官寺を建立し、有力貴族たちも民間寺院である私寺を建てるようになります。 こうしたなかで、南都六宗と呼ばれる「三論宗」「成実宗」「法相宗」「倶舎宗」「律宗」「華厳宗」が学問仏教として栄えました。 聖武天皇は、各国に国分寺・国分尼寺を建立するとともに、平城京に総国分寺として東大寺（華厳宗総本山）を建て大仏を建立します。 そして自ら出家して「三宝の奴」とまで称しました また、戒律の乱れを憂慮した聖武天皇は、唐から鑑真（がんじん）を招きます。 鑑真は東大寺に戒壇を設け、僧侶に戒を授け、唐招提寺を建立したのです。 奈良時代の仏教界では、日本古来の神々は仏が化身として現れたという本地垂迹説が起こりました。 これは「神仏習合」といわれ、日本古来の神々も仏教の世界観の中で説明されるようになっていきました。 そしてこの時代から、天皇家も仏教に帰依するようになったのです。 | In the Nara period, Buddhism was assigned the role of “spiritual protection of the state,” that is, teachings considered suitable for stabilizing the country. The imperial court founded kan-dera as state-sponsored temples, while powerful aristocrats built their own private temples. In the meantime, the Six Nara Schools, such as the Sanron School, Jōjitsu School, Hossō School, Kusha School, Ritsu School, and Kegon School, thrived as scholastic Buddhism. Emperor Shōmu founded a provincial temple and a provincial nunnery in every province and built Tōdai-ji Temple, with its Great Buddha, in Heijō-kyō (the ancient capital of the Nara period) as the head provincial temple. He himself also became a monk and called himself the “Servant of the Three Treasures.” Moreover, Emperor Shōmu worried about the decline of monastic discipline and invited Ganjin from Tang China. Ganjin established an ordination platform, gave ordination to monks, and founded Tōshōdai-ji Temple. In Buddhist circles during the Nara period, the Honji Suijaku theory, which held that traditional Japanese deities appeared as manifestations of Buddhist deities, emerged. This developed into the syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, in which Shinto deities were explained within the Buddhist worldview. During the Nara period, the imperial family began to take refuge in Buddhism. |
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| 密教の成立と末法による「浄土信仰」の広がり | The Establishment of Esoteric Buddhism and the Spread of Pure Land Faith in the Age of Mappō |
| 南都六宗は、奈良時代が進むにつれ政治的な発言力を持つようになります。 そうした流れの中で、称徳天皇の時代には、僧の道鏡が強い政治的影響力を持つようになり、皇位継承をめぐる大きな問題へと発展しました。 奈良朝末期に即位した桓武天皇は、その影響力を弱めるために長岡京、平安京へと遷都し、平安時代がはじまりました。 この時代の初めに、新たな仏教である「密教」が日本に伝えられます。 密教とは、仏陀の教えを一般的に広く伝える教えのことを指す顕教に対し、真実秘密の教えを指します。 最澄が唐から帰国し、比叡山に延暦寺を建立して「天台宗」を開き、続いて唐から帰国した空海が高野山に金剛峰寺を建立して「真言宗」を開きました。 そして平安時代の中期になると「末法の世」が始まったと考えられるようになります。 この頃は、釈迦入滅の二千年後にあたるとされ、仏教が滅びる暗黒時代に入ったとされたのです。 このような思想から、ひたすら来世の幸せを願う「浄土信仰（浄土教）」が流行します。 特に皇族や有力な貴族たちは、阿弥陀仏にすがり、極楽浄土に迎えられることを願って各地に阿弥陀堂を建てました。 その代表例が、藤原頼通が宇治に建てた平等院鳳凰堂であり、奥州藤原氏が平泉に建立した中尊寺金色堂でした。 | The Six Nara Schools gained increasing political influence as the Nara period went on. In this trend, during the reign of Emperor Shōtoku, a monk named Dōkyō seized great political power, which caused a major problem over imperial succession. Emperor Kanmu, who ascended to the throne in the late Nara period, moved the capital first to Nagaoka and then to Heian-kyō in order to lessen their political influence. This was the beginning of the Heian period. In the early Heian period, Esoteric Buddhism was introduced as a new form of Buddhism. Esoteric Buddhism refers to teachings of secret truth, in contrast to exoteric Buddhism, which openly teaches the Buddha’s teachings to a wide range of people. After returning from Tang China, Saichō founded Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei and established the Tendai School. Soon after him, Kūkai also returned from Tang China, founded Kongōbu-ji Temple on Mount Kōya, and established the Shingon School. In the late Heian period, people believed that the Age of Mappō, the Latter Days of the Dharma, had begun. It was believed that this period fell around the 2,000th anniversary of the Buddha’s death and that Buddhism was entering a dark age leading toward its decline. Due to the spread of this belief in Mappō, more and more people embraced Pure Land faith, through which they prayed single-mindedly for happiness in the next world. In particular, members of the imperial family and aristocrats built Amida Halls throughout the country, seeking the mercy of Amida Buddha and rebirth in the Pure Land. Representative examples of Amida Halls are the Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in, built by Fujiwara no Yorimichi, and the Golden Hall of Chūson-ji, built by the Northern Fujiwara clan. |
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| 武士と民衆のための仏教「鎌倉新仏教」の登場 | The Appearance of New Forms of Buddhism, Kamakura Schools, Among Samurai and Ordinary People |
| 鎌倉時代に入ると、仏教に大きな変革が起こります。 国家や貴族のための仏教が、次第に武士や民衆の救済のためのものとなっていったのです。 このような仏教を「鎌倉新仏教」とも称しました。 この鎌倉新仏教は、念仏宗（浄土宗・浄土真宗・時宗）、題目（日蓮宗）、禅宗（臨済宗・曹洞宗）の三つに分けられます。 このなかで特に広まったのは念仏宗で、法然が開いた「浄土宗」は、「南無阿弥陀仏」とひたすらに念仏を唱え続けることで救われるとし、法然の弟子・親鸞はそれをさらに進め、悪人こそ救われるという「浄土真宗」を開きました。 また、同じ念仏宗でも一遍は、踊りながら念仏を唱える「時宗」の開祖となります。 念仏宗の拡大に警戒した日蓮は「南無妙法蓮華経」と唱えることで救われるとする「日蓮宗（法華宗）」を開きます。 こうした新たな教えは、旧仏教の反発もあって当初は弾劾されましたが、次第に民衆に浸透していきました。 しかし日蓮は他宗を激しく非難し、題目を唱えなければ国が滅ぶと説いたため、幕府から強い弾圧を受けたことで知られます。 鎌倉時代は、武士が朝廷から権力の座を奪った時代でもありました。 中国からもたらされた「禅宗」は、このような武士たちを中心に信仰を集めました。 栄西を宗祖とする「臨済宗」は、武家権力と結び付きが強く、鎌倉や京都などに大寺院が建てられ、室町時代に入ってからも幕府に保護されます。 また、道元を宗祖とする「曹洞宗」は、権力との結びつきを拒絶しながらも地方や庶民の間で大きな影響力を持つのです。 さらに、従来の仏教の間でも現状を批判する仏教改革ともいうべき動きも生じました。 特に「律宗」やそこから派生した「真言律宗」などは、民衆の救済にあたる社会事業を行います。 このように、鎌倉時代は特定階級のものだった仏教が、武士や庶民のレベルにまで降りてきた時代であったのです。 | A radical change occurred during the Kamakura period. Buddhism, which until then had mainly been a religion for the state and aristocrats, gradually became a faith for the salvation of the samurai and the common people. This type of Buddhism is called “Kamakura New Buddhism.” Kamakura New Buddhism is generally classified into three groups: the Nenbutsu tradition (the Jōdo School, Jōdo Shin School, and Ji School), the Daimoku tradition (the Nichiren School), and the Zen tradition (the Rinzai School and the Sōtō School). The most influential among these three groups was the Nenbutsu tradition. The Jōdo School, established by Hōnen, preached that people could be saved by continuously chanting the nembutsu, the recitation of “Namu Amida Butsu.” Later, his disciple Shinran further developed this belief and established the Jōdo Shin School, which taught that even evil people could be saved. Also, Ippen established another Nenbutsu school called the Ji School, which preached the chanting of the nembutsu while dancing. Nichiren, who was wary of the spread of Nenbutsu beliefs, established the Nichiren School, which taught that people could be saved by chanting the Daimoku, “Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō.” These new forms of Buddhism were opposed and denounced by the older schools, but they gradually spread among ordinary people. Nichiren strongly condemned the other schools and preached that the state would perish unless people chanted the Daimoku. Therefore, his school faced severe persecution by the government. The Kamakura period was the age when the samurai seized power from the imperial court. The Zen tradition, which was introduced from China, spread mainly among the samurai class. The Rinzai School, which was established by Eisai, became strongly connected with the samurai government, and some large temples were built under the protection of the government in Kamakura and Kyoto. The Sōtō School, which was established by Dōgen, refused connections with the samurai government but became very influential among the common people and in rural areas. Besides, even within the circles of traditional Buddhism, revolutionary changes occurred that criticized the existing situation. In particular, the Ritsu School, and especially the Shingon-Ritsu School derived from it, began social services to help common people. Thus, during the Kamakura period, Buddhism, which had formerly been mainly for the upper classes, spread to the levels of the samurai and the common people. |
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| 鎌倉時代以降の仏教 | Buddhism after the Kamakura Period |
| 室町時代には禅宗が幕府の保護を受け、学問や芸術、庭園、茶道など日本文化に大きな影響を与えました。 一方、浄土真宗は民衆の間で大勢力となり、一向一 揆など政治的な力も持ちました。 戦国時代には寺院が軍事・政治勢力化し、織田信長は延暦寺焼き討ちなどでこれを抑えました。 江戸時代には徳川幕府が寺請制度によって仏教を統治に利用し、仏教は葬式や法事、墓参りと深く結びつき、庶民生活に定着しました。 明治維新では神仏分離と廃仏毀釈により大きな打撃を受けましたが、その後近代化の中で再編され、現代へ受け継がれています。 | During the Muromachi period, the Zen tradition was protected by the government and had a great influence on many areas of Japanese culture, such as learning, the arts, gardening, and the tea ceremony. Also, the Jōdo Shin School spread so widely among the common people that it gained great political power, which caused many uprisings by its believers. During the Civil War period, temples became powerful organizations with great military and political influence. To suppress their influence, Nobunaga Oda, a powerful samurai leader, took strong measures such as burning down Enryaku-ji Temple. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa government introduced the terauke system, or temple registration system, using temples as part of its rule over the people. This caused Buddhism to become closely connected with the lives of common people through funerals, memorial services, and visits to ancestral graves. After the Meiji Restoration, the policies of “the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism” and “the Abolition of Buddhism and Destruction of Buddhist Objects” caused great damage to Buddhism. However, Buddhism managed to survive into the present day through reorganizations carried out under the pressure of modernization. |