仏教公伝と崇仏論争

The Transmission of Buddhism and the Buddhist Controversy: Reexamining Buddhist-related Descriptions in Nihon Shoki

本稿は初めて日本に仏教が伝来した当時の状況の分析を試みるものである。日本に仏教が伝来したのは、552年とする説と、538年とする説、これ以外にも存在するが、主にこの2つの年代に集約される。どちらにせよ、日本に仏教が伝来したのは6世紀中頃と言える。 当時は欽明天皇の治世であり、蘇我氏、物部氏が有力な臣下として存在した。この時期は完全な天皇制に移行しておらず、連立政権の首班という形で天皇家は存在していた。 このような状況の中、仏教が百済の聖明王から贈られてきたのである。この時期、日本にも神道のような宗教が存在しており、それを根拠に反対する勢力も存在し、欽明天皇自身も判断できず、臣下にその判断を委ねている。この日本古代仏教の受容に関した過程を崇仏論争と言うが、本稿では本当に神道の立場から物部氏、中臣氏が反対したのかについて分析してみようと思う。

In this article, I analyse the situation at the time when Buddhism was first introduced to Japan. In general, there are two hypotheses concerning the year of its introduction, one stating the year of 552 and the other stating the year of 538. There are some other hypotheses, but they come down to the above two hypotheses. The two hypotheses agree that Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the mid-6th century. At the time, the society was ruled by Emperor Kinmei, and the Soga clan and the Mononobe clan were influential vassals. During this period, Japan had not fully adopted an absolute imperial system, and the imperial family existed as the chief of a coalition administration. In is in such a situation that Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the form of a gift from the King Seimei of Baekje. At this time, some religions such as Shinto existed in Japan, and some people opposed to the introduction of Buddhism. Even Emperor Kinmei was unable to decide and relegated the decision to his vassals. This process of Japan’s accepting Buddhism is referred to the Buddhist Controversy. In this article, I explore whether the Mononobe clan and the Nakatomi clan truly opposed to the introduction of Buddhism to Japan from the point of view of Shinto.