Myōden-ji, Buddhist temple in Sakyō-ku, Japan.
Myōden-ji is a Buddhist temple in the Sakyō-ku district of Kyoto, Japan, with several wooden buildings in traditional Japanese style. The grounds include gardens, pathways, and separate areas set aside for religious practice and meditation.
The temple was founded in 1477 by the Buddhist teacher Nichii and grew into an important center for Buddhist practice in eastern Kyoto. Over the centuries, it became part of a broader network of Buddhist institutions across the city.
The name of the temple comes from a lotus statue on the grounds. Visitors can watch monks go about their daily rituals and take in the calm pace of temple life in the gardens and along the pathways.
The temple can be reached by public bus or on foot from central Kyoto. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, since the grounds cover several levels and pathways.
Myōden-ji belongs to a network of exactly 21 Buddhist institutions in Kyoto, and this number carries a specific meaning in Buddhist cosmology. The figure 21 points to spiritual concepts that give the network a particular place in the religious life of the city.
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