(455) 太山寺鐘楼堂

Bell tower in Taisan-ji temple
Pic. Bell tower

  Rebuilt in 1655 it has wooden ‘skirt’ typical of1) 13^th century temple architecture. The year 1383 is inscribed2) on the temple bell of the bell tower. On the first floor are three paintings depicting3) the Buddhist paradise (heaven) and hell. In the left side paradise scene you can see the Buddha Amida4) coming down to lead those who pray sincerely into paradise.
Pic. heaven

  In Japanese mythology, Enma-O or Enma Dai-O judges souls in Meido, the kingdom of the waiting dead. Those deemed5) too horrible are sent to hell. You can see Enma Dai-O, King of hell, in the center picture. Beside him, there is a special mirror which can project every moment during the lifetime of the dead standing in front of it. Enma Dai-O judges with the mirror if the dead were right-minded or not before its death.
Pic. enma

(1) typical of：～の特色をよく示している
(2) inscribed：〔板・石などに文字を〕刻み込む、彫る
(3) depicting：〔絵・映像などで〕～を描写する［描く・表現する］
(4) Buddha Amida：阿弥陀仏
(5) deem：～だと判断する
pic. Hell1

 

太山寺鐘楼堂に画かれた地獄絵図（愛媛県松山市）
江戸時代、明暦元年(1655)に再建され、袴腰（はかまごし）と呼ばれる曲線の美しい建物で、中に、永徳3年(1383)の銘のある梵鐘がある。壁面いっぱいに、地獄、極楽絵図が描かれている。閻魔王の法廷には浄玻璃鏡（じょうはりのかがみ、じょうはりきょう）という鏡が設置されていて、死者の生前の善悪の行為をのこらず映し出すという。
Pic. Hell2
*