Bukkō-ji

Bukkō-ji
佛光寺
Amitābha Hall
Religion
AffiliationJōdo Shinshū Bukkōji-ha
StatusHead temple
Location
Location397 Shinkai-chō, below Bukkō-ji and Takakura-dōri, Shimogyō-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture
CountryJapan
Shown within Japan
Coordinates35°00′03″N 135°45′44″E / 35.0007°N 135.7623°E / 35.0007; 135.7623
Architecture
FounderShinran (acc. legend)
Completed1212 (acc. legend)
Website
http://www.bukkoji.or.jp/english/index.html

Bukkō-ji (佛光寺, Bukkō-ji), also known as the "Temple of the Buddha's Light", was originally named Kōshō-ji, a Jōdo Shinshū temple in the Yamashina ward of Kyoto, which later moved to the heart of Kyoto. The temple was founded and officially opened by a disciple named Ryōgen in 1324, but by the 15th century, Bukkō-ji was the largest and most successful temple, and its network of branch temples extending throughout the provinces of western Japan. As a rival to the Hongan-ji, it received much criticism for its evangelical practices from Kakunyo the head of the Hongan-ji. Around 1481, however, Bukkō-ji became a subordinate temple to the Hongan-ji. Many of the Bukkō-ji's congregation thus became members of the Hongan-ji, thus greatly reducing the stature.

While Bukkō-ji is technically an independent Jōdo Shinshū branch it has had close links to the Hongan-ji lineage since the time of Rennyo.