(518) MinnaIssho-Daibutsu at Ishite-ji Temple [調べる]
Photo 1: 2020/11/25 MinnaIssho-Daibutsu 皆一緒大仏
Photo 1: 2020/11/25, Photo 3: 2020/11/27
This group of stone Buddhist images is called "Everybody-is -the-same Buddha(皆一緒大仏 minna issho dai utsu)" according to an article of Ehime-shimbun newspaper of Nov. 22, 2018. The article said that a ceremony of consecrating the newly made Buddhist statues was held on Nov. 20, 2018.
One volunteer guide of Matsuyama Convention and Visitors Bureau taught me that it is a three-dimensional mandala formed of 15 stone statues. At Toji-temple in Kyoto, there is a 3D mandala of 21 statues, which saint Kobo Kukai made. But the guide didn't know why the temple named it "Everybody -is-the-same Buddha (皆一緒大仏 minna issho daibutsu)". I thought it myself. Suddenly, this phrase reminded me of Kaneko Misuzu's poem. She wrote in her poem, "A bell, a little bird, and me, We're all different and all wonderful". I also remembered that Ishiteji-temple published a booklet named "Buddhism and Kaneko Misuzu's poem". After reading it again, I am now sure this naming means that "Everybody is equally important".
I took photos of two flags at the site of Ishiteji-temple. One is read "Everybody-is-the-same mandala (皆一緒曼荼羅)" and the other is "Unbeaten-and-Live-together Buddhas (不敗共生大仏)". Wow, another new name for the Buddhist images? Now I understood that these are kind of nicknames. The chief priest of the temple seemed to enjoy giving nicknames to the 3D mandala.
What is a mandala? A mandala is a map representing Buddhist images. Teaching of esoteric Buddhism (密教 Mikkyo) is expressed as a mandala. In order to convey the mandala more realistically, Saint Kobo made the 3D mandala of 21 statues at Toji-temple.
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