Saidai-ji

Saidai-ji 西大寺
Main Hall
Religion
Affiliation	Shingon Ritsu
Deity	Shaka Nyorai (Śākyamuni) (Important Cultural Property)
Status	Head Temple
Location
Location	1-1-5 Saidaiji Shibachō, Nara, Nara Prefecture
Country	Japan
Geographic coordinates	34°41′37″N 135°46′46.2″E
Architecture
Founder	Jōtō and Empress Kōken
Date established	765
Completed	1808 (Reconstruction)
Website
saidaiji.or.jp

Saidai-ji (西大寺) or the "Great Western Temple" is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple was first established in AD 765 as a counterpart to Tōdai-ji and it is the main temple of the Shingon Risshu (真言律宗) sect of Buddhism after the sect's founder, Eison (叡尊), took over administration in 1238. It has undergone several reconstruction efforts since then during the succeeding centuries.

One building, the Aizen-dō, houses a statue of Aizen Myō-ō, while the main image is of Shakyamuni Buddha, erected by Eison in 1249.

Building list

• Main Hall (Hondō – 本堂) – Important Cultural Property. It was rebuilt in 1808.
• Shiō-dō (四王堂) – It was rebuilt in 1674.
• Aizen-dō (愛染堂) – It was reconstructed in 1762.

• 
  Shiō-dō
• 
  Aizen-dō
• 
  Manjushri Bodhisattva (Monju Bosatsu)

See also

• For an explanation of terms concerning Japanese Buddhism, Japanese Buddhist art, and Japanese Buddhist temple architecture, see the Glossary of Japanese Buddhism.
• List of National Treasures of Japan (crafts-others)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (paintings)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)
• List of National Treasures of Japan (writings)
• Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples of Nanto.
• Thirteen Buddhist Sites of Yamato

External links

• "Saidai-ji Temple Homepage" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2010-02-05.