Publishing at Medieval Negoro-ji

Abstract

Negoro-ji temple (Iwade City, Wakayama Prefecture) engaged in woodblock publishing from the medieval period through early modern times. In particular, the editions published there during the medieval period are called the Negoro-ban (根来版). Beginning with the Jikkanjō (十巻章) of Kūkai (空海), the editions of the Sanbukyō (三部経), the Kishin ron (起信論), and the Shittanji ki (悉曇字記), and the Rishukyō (理趣経) are well known. In addition to these, through the investigations of the International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies the Dainichikyō Jūshinbon (大日経住心品) and Jūshinbon sho (住心品疏) were discovered at Kongō-ji temple (Kawachinagano City, Osaka Prefecture).

Among these, the publication details of the Dainichikyō Jūshinbon are missing, but a comparison with other printed books published by Ejun (恵淳) reveals a similar typeface, and so this was judged to be part of the Negoro-ban. Regarding the Jūshinbon sho a fragment of the second fascicle discovered at Rokujizō-ji temple (Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture) was previously reported, but at Kongō-ji the first and second fascicles were found. Judging from the publishing details of the Negoro-ban, it is thought that this text was published not as part of the twenty fascicles of the complete commentary, but as just the two fascicles of the Jūshinbon sho.

Among the representative medieval Negoro-ban texts forming the foundation of Shingon doctrine were the Jikkanjō and the Sanbukyō. These can be said to have been systematically published by Akan (阿観), Ejun, and others as part of a long-term project.