The Myō-ōdō Hall of the Temple of Chishakuin
The Myō-ōdō houses a statue of Fudō Myō-ō, a deity whose fierce appearance stands in stark contrast to his limitless compassion. Tracing its roots to Indian tradition and appearing in several illustrated mandalas, Fudō Myō-ō is deeply revered in Japan within the esoteric Buddhist sects of Tendai and Shingon. He is said to be a powerful deity who protects the faithful by burning away all impediments and defilements. His face expresses extreme wrath and fangs protrude from his mouth. He holds a straight sword in his right hand and a noose in his left. As a hallmark of his key role as a protector of the dharma and the connection to purification by fire, Fudō Myō-ō is depicted as being engulfed in flame and seated on a solid rock base.
The Myō-ōdō was originally built at the temple of Daiun’in, located closer to Kyoto’s geographic center. It was moved to Chishakuin in the late nineteenth century and to the current location in 1992.