In accord with the widening spread of Pure Land Buddhism, the production of Amida images greatly increased during the Kamakura period (1185-1333). The Amida figures of this period often differ in form from those of previous periods. The Amida Triad of Jōdoji in present-day Hyogo prefecture is one of the very early Kamakura images, and its form may have deeply influenced later Amida figures. Today the Jōdoji Triad is widely accepted as the work of the well-known sculptor Kaikei (d. before 1227). In my view, however, this new mode of Amida triad should be seen more as representing the religious and political ideology of the monk Chōgen. This essay aims to re-examine the Jōdoji Amida Triad from this point of view and to discuss a few related problems.
目次
Jōdoji Engi and the Establishment of Jōdoji 100 Jōdoji Jōdodō and Its Amida Triad 105 The Jōdoji Amida Triad 106 Chōgen's Pure Land Faith and the Jōdoji Amida Triad 112 The Oneness of the Amida Triad and Jōdodō 121 Conclusion 124 Texts 125 Glossary 126
