Ippen’s Thoughts  Regarding  Religious  Activities

 

 

Fuda Distribution

 

As I mentioned earlier, the Ippen hijirie ( fascicle 2) states, “ He left for

us a woodblock of the name of six characters, which is the main object of

worship in this world that is always drowning in the five defilements.”

At that time at Mt. Koya, there was a woodblock for the printing of the

phrase Namu Amida Butsu that was said to have been carved by Kobo Daishi

himself. It was revered as the main object of worship.  Koya hijiri used this

main object of worship to print paper nembutsu fuda. In this way, belief in Kobo

Daishi spread throughout the country.  Moreover,  Sugo’s Iwayaji temple,

where Ippen secluded himself, was a site sacred to Kobo Daishi.  At that time,

surely one could have witnessed Koya hijiri distributing nembutsu fuda and seeking

to convert people.  It is not certain how Ippen came up with the idea of fuda distribution, but it is clear that temples and shrines at that time were already printing fuda. With this as a precedent, Ippen must have thought of distributing fuda as a way to guarantee birth in the Pure land.                   ( Ippen　80～81ページより)

 

 

さて『一遍聖繪』(第二)は「六字名号の印板をとどめて五濁常没の本尊とし給へり」と記している。当時、高野山では弘法大師自作といわれる南無阿弥陀仏の版木があって、本尊として崇拝されていた。高野聖がその本尊をそのまま紙に刷った念仏札を配って、全国に大師信仰を広めていたものであろう。かつて一遍が参籠した菅生の岩屋時は弘法大師の聖地でもあり、高野聖が当時そこでも念仏札を配って勧進する姿が見うけられたに違いない。一遍が賦算を何から思いついたか定かではないが、当時既に先例として神社仏閣から御礼が発行されていたことだけは明らかなようだ。一遍はそれらの先例をもとに賦算による往生の証を考えついたと思われる。