1. The Pure Land Buddhist Temple in Japan

2. The Phoenix Hall of the Byodo-in Buddhist Temple, Uji, Japan, 11th-century 1052-53

3. Pure Western Land universe
Pure Land Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism
Horyuji Buddhist Temple, Nara, Japan,
Amida Buddha
presides over the
Pure Western Land universe

4. Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo) enters Japan in the 600s
I. Context: Pure Land Buddhism finds growing acceptance in Japan in the Heian period
Pure Land Buddhism (Jodo) enters Japan in the 600s
Esoteric Tendai and Shingon forms of Buddhism enter Japan in ca. 805
New schools of Buddhism originate in India
Amida’s Western Paradise (Pure Land), cave painting, China
Esoteric Shingon mandala, Japan

5. Mahayana Buddhism Esoteric Shingon Buddhism
I. A. Site plans of Esoteric monasteries: away from the regular geometric form of Nara period monasteries
Mahayana Buddhism
Esoteric Shingon Buddhism
Horyuji Buddhist Temple, Nara, Japan,
Muroji Buddhist Temple, Murou, Japan,

6. Esoteric Tendai Buddhism Esoteric Shingon Buddhism
I. A. 1. Why were monasteries of the Esoteric sects of Buddhism typically not in remote locations?
Esoteric Tendai Buddhism
Esoteric Shingon Buddhism
Seigantogi Buddhist Temple, near Kumano, Japan,
Muroji Buddhist Temple, Murou, Japan,

7. Pure Land Buddhist mandala Tendai Buddhist mandala (Esoteric)
I. B. What did Pure Land Buddhism offer believers?
Pure Land Buddhist mandala
Tendai Buddhist mandala (Esoteric)
silk hanging scroll 36'' high, 13th century
silk hanging scroll 84'' high, 13th century

8. mappo – last great age of Buddhism staring in 1052
I. C. Why did its popularity suddenly rise among the aristocratic class in the Heian period?
mappo – last great age of Buddhism staring in 1052
Kyoto (Heian), Japan – imperial capital

9. Essentials of Salvation (985)
II. Theory: Pure Land Buddhism and architectural theory
Amida’s Western Paradise, Dunhuang cave painting, China, 7th – 8th century
Essentials of Salvation (985)
After the believer is born into this land and when he experiences the pleasures of the first opening of the lotus, his joy becomes a hundred times greater than before. It is comparable to a blind man gaining sight for the first time, or to entering a royal palace directly after leaving some rural region. Looking at his own body, it becomes purplish gold in color. He is gowned naturally in jeweled garments. Rings, bracelets, a crown of jewels, and other ornaments in countless profusion adorn his body. And when he looks upon the light radiating from the Buddha, he obtains pure vision, and because of his experiences in former lives, he hears the sound of all things. And no matter what color he may see or what sound he may hear, it is a thing of marvel. Such is the ornamentation of space above that the eye becomes lost in the traces of clouds. The melody of the wheel of the wonderful Law as it turns flows throughout the land of jeweled sound. Palaces, halls, forests, and ponds shine and glitter everywhere. Flocks of wild ducks, geese, and mandarin ducks fly about in the distance and near at hand. One may see multitudes from all the worlds being born into this land like sudden showers of rain” (from the Essentials of Salvation by Genshin).

10. from Hebei province, China
II. A. What did Pure Land writings offer to designers that could transform temple design?
recovery of the mind’s purity through light
Amida Buddha
Pure Land Buddhist mandala, 13th century
from Hebei province, China
Liao Dynasty ( )

11. Tendai Buddhist mandala, 13th century
II. A.
Tendai Buddhist mandala, 13th century
Pure Land Buddhist mandala, 13th century

12. Pure Land Buddhism Esoteric Shingon Buddhism
III. Site plans of Pure Land Buddhist monasteries
A. Why were Pure Land Buddhist monasteries like and unlike Esoteric sects in plan and site?
Pure Land Buddhism
Esoteric Shingon Buddhism
Muroji Buddhist Temple, Murou, Japan,
Byodo-in Temple,

13. Pure Land Byodo-in on the Uji River capital city Kyoto, Japan
III. A.
Pure Land Byodo-in on the Uji River
capital city Kyoto, Japan

14. Phoenix Hall, Byodo-in Temple
III. B. Given the history of Pure Land’s growing acceptance came with the rise of Fujiwara nobility, why
might the Amida image hall (the Phoenix Hall) have its unique form?
Chinese palace seen in Pure Land Paradise in Dunhuang cave paintings, China, 7th – 8th century
Phoenix Hall, Byodo-in Temple

15. Aristocratic residence type of Heian period
III. B.
Aristocratic residence type of Heian period
Phoenix Hall, Byodo-in Temple
a shinden-zukuri type residence

16. Phoenix Hall, Byodo-in Temple
IV. Pure Land Ritual 
A. How is Pure Land ritual (meditation) enhanced by the site design on an artificial pond?
Phoenix Hall, Byodo-in Temple

17. IV. A.
Phoenix Hall

18. IV. B. How is Pure Land salvation reflected in the design of the interior of the Phoenix Hall in its:
1. plan?
Phoenix Hall

19. IV. B. 1.
Phoenix Hall

20. Phoenix Hall – painted doors
IV. B. 2. materials and ornament
Phoenix Hall – painted doors
middle class, upper rank
lower class, upper rank

21. north door: Early Spring Flautist pillar painting
IV. B. 2.
Phoenix Hall
north door: Early Spring
Flautist pillar painting

22. Phoenix Hall – Statue of Amida
IV. B. 2.
Phoenix Hall – Statue of Amida

23. Phoenix Hall – Statue of Amida
IV. B. 2.
Phoenix Hall – Statue of Amida

24. The Phoenix Hall at the Byodo-in Buddhist Temple
IV. B. 2.
The Phoenix Hall at the Byodo-in Buddhist Temple

25. V. The architecture of the Phoenix Hall between old and new modes of design

26. flooring and foundations
V. A. What aspects of the design of the Phoenix Hall reference the older Nara period?
V. B. Which features anticipate future developments in the Heian period?
flooring and foundations
Nara period
Heian period
Image hall of Horyuji Buddhist temple
Phoenix Hall (Amida image hall) of Buddhist Byodo-in temple

27. V. A. & B
Phoenix Hall

28. squared and beveled posts
V. A. & B
vertical posts
Nara period
Heian period:
squared and beveled posts
Phoenix Hall (Amida image hall) of Buddhist Byodo-in temple
Image hall of Horyuji Buddhist temple

29. roof and bracketing system
V. A. & B
roof and bracketing system
Nara period
Heian period
Image hall of Horyuji Buddhist temple
Phoenix Hall (Amida image hall) of Buddhist Byodo-in temple

30. V. A. & B
two basic parts of East Asian bracketing system = bearing block + bracket arm

31. projecting three-block
V. A. & B
simple bracket system
higher
farther outward
three-block bracket
projecting three-block

32. steeper, higher, farther two-step projecting complex with tail rafter
V. A. & B
Phoenix Hall
steeper, higher, farther
two-step projecting complex with tail rafter

33. Image hall of Horyuji Buddhist temple
V. A. & B
one innovation: diagonal supports its own brackets forward and to the side
Phoenix Hall
Nara period
Image hall of Horyuji Buddhist temple

34. V. A. & B
Phoenix Hall