比叡山延暦寺の三塔のなかでも一番北に位置し、最後に開かれた場所が横川地区。円仁（えんにん 794-864）が開き、９世紀後半の天台宗中興の祖良源（りょうげん 912-985）がさらに拡大した。蛇が池、赤池とも呼ばれることのあるこの龍が池には良源にまつわる伝説がある。この池の近くに大蛇が住み、往来の人々に害をなしていた。そのため参詣者も減ってしまった。そこで良源はこの大蛇をつかまえ、「おまえは身体の大きさを自在に変えられる力があるときいているが、見せてくれ」というと、大蛇は「おやすいごよう」と、たちまち横川中堂をぐるりと取り巻くほど大きくなった。こんどは「どれほど小さくなれるか」と訊ねると、良源の手のひらに載るほどになった。すると良源は、観音菩薩に念じて小さくなった蛇を池の水の中に封じてしまった。蛇は水にまつわる神様である弁財天の使いの龍神となり、道行く人々の旅の安全を護り、雨乞いの神様として人々の暮らしを護るようになった。
古来、日照りが続くと、近隣の村人は七日間にわたって日吉山王社に籠ったのち、大幟をたててこの池にやってきて、蛇の怒りを鎮め、雨が降ることを祈ったと言われている。
Tatsu-ga-Ike Benten and the Dragon God
The Yokawa district was developed by Ennin (794–864). It was the last of the three districts of Enryakuji to be developed and is the furthest north. The area was expanded by Ryogen (912–985), who led a revival of Tendai Buddhism in the latter part of the tenth century. According to legend, a large serpent once lived near the Dragon Lake (also referred to as the Serpent Lake or the Red Lake). The serpent caused much harm to the local community, which caused a decrease in the number of pilgrims. Ryogen captured the serpent and said, “I heard that you have the power to freely transform the size of your body. Show me!” The great serpent answered, “As you wish,” and grew so large that his body extended all the way around the Central Hall of Yokawa. Next Ryogen asked, “How small can you be?” The serpent shrank so much in size that he fitted into the palm of Ryogen’s hand. Immediately Ryogen called upon the power of the bodhisattva Kannon to confine the serpent within the waters of the lake. The serpent became a servant of Benzaiten, the goddess of everything that flows including water. The dragon god protects travelers, and is also the god of rainfall.
In ancient times during a drought, people from the neighboring villages would come and seclude themselves for seven days at the Hiyoshi Taisha shrine, after which they would raise a ceremonial flag, and visit the lake to pacify the serpent and to pray for rain.
J: Japanese S: Sanskrit
Ryu-ga-ike (Dragon Lake)
Kannon (S. Avalokitesvara)
Benzaiten (S. Sarasvati)
Dragon God (J. ryujin)
