Tsuikahô 203 : Regarding the post of the directors of the various temples within Kamakura

Translated by Matthew Keller and Sachiko Kawai.

Item, regarding the post of the directors ¹ of the various temples within Kamakura [Third year of Ninji, twelfth month, fifth day. Decided in council]
One who has gathered virtue and accumulated merit should be appointed the head temple administrator ² . Yet there are those who arbitrarily claim that because their masters have designated them as successor, ³ they may control a temple as their own—without taking into account ability, nor considering their insufficient experience. ⁴ Not only do they invite the ridicule of the present time, but moreover, does this not certainly fail to fulfill the Buddha's will? From now on, the practice of appointments by designating succession shall completely cease, and {temples} shall proceed by a proper standard {as imposed by Kamakura}.

Original Text

一　鎌倉中諸堂別当職事　〈仁治　三　十二　五評定〉

　右、於寺務職者、以徳闌功積之人、可被撰補之処、不謂器量、不顧若﨟、恣称有師範

　之譲、管領一寺、非啻招当時之哢、甚不可叶仏意歟、於自今以後者、一向停止譲補

　之儀、宜依時儀矣、

Kundoku 訓読 一　鎌倉中の諸堂の別当職の事　〈仁治　三　十二　五評定〉 　右、寺務職においては、徳とく闌たけ功こう積つもるの人を以て、撰び補せらるべきのところ、器量を謂わず、若臈じゃくろうを顧りみず、恣いままに師範の譲ゆずり有りと称し、一寺を管領かんれいす。啻ただに、当時の哢あざけりを招くのみならず、甚はなはだ、仏意に叶うべからざるか。自今じこん以後においては、一向に譲補じょうほの儀を停止ちょうじし、宜しく時儀じぎによるべし。

Modern 現代語

一　鎌倉中の諸堂の別当職の事　〈仁治　三　十二　五評定〉

　右、寺務職においては、徳を多く備えており、寺院のために立派な働きをしている者を選んで、（その職に）任命されるべきであるのに、その才能や人材を考慮に入れず、経験が足りないことも顧りみず、勝手に師匠の譲（ゆずり）が有ると称して、その寺を管理、支配している（場合がある。こういう行為は、）ただ、今現在の（世の中の人々の）嘲りを招いているだけでなく、全く仏のお心にかなわない（望まれていることに反する）のではないだろうか。今後においては、全て、他に譲って任命することを禁止し、その時々の適切な判断に従うように。

1. 別当 bettō — The director, or chief administrator, of a temple or other religious institution. Office (職 shiki) here refers to both the hierarchical position and the authorities of that position. ↩

1. 寺務 jimu — Again, the head administrator of the temple or religious institution. Functionally, this term is identical to bettō in this missive. ↩

1. 譲 yuzuri -- This refers to the common practice of one being appointed as the successor for a post by the post’s previous holder. The claimants referred to in this document may report to hold a written or oral appointment from their master, but--whether these claims are true or false--the bakufu is denying the validity of this process, and asserting their authority as final deciders in the appointment process. ↩

1. “Insufficient experience” is a translation of 若﨟 (jyakurō). 臈 (rō) is used to refer to one’s experience and seniority in a monastic order. Appending the character for “youth” (若) to rō assumedly indicates a lack of time or seniority in the order. ↩