Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/130

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Suiko.

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Palace. Therefore he was styled the Senior Prince Kamu-tsu-miya,^[1] Muma-ya-do Toyotomimi.

Autumn, 9th month. The remains of the Emperor Tachibana no Toyohi were removed and re-interred in the Misasagi of Shinaga in Kahachi.

In this year the building of the Temple of Shi-ten-ō-ji^[2] at Arahaka in Naniha was begun.

This year was the year Midzunoto Ushi (50th) of the Cycle.

A.D. 594. 2nd year, Spring, 2nd month, 1st day. The Empress instructed the Prince Imperial and the Oho-omi to promote the prosperity of the Three Precious Things.^[3] At this time, all the Omi and Muraji vied each with one another in erecting Buddhist shrines for the benefit of their Lords and parents. These were called Temples.^[4]

A.D. 595. (XXII. 3.) 3rd year, Summer, 4th month. Lign-aloes^[5] wood drifted ashore on the Island of Ahaji. It was a fathom round. The people of the island, being unacquainted with aloes wood, used it with other firewood to burn in their cooking range, when the smoky vapour spread a perfume far and wide. Wondering at this, they presented it to the Empress.

5th month, 10th day. A priest of Koryö, named Hyé-chă, emigrated to Japan, and was taken as teacher by the Prince Imperial. In the same year a Pèkché priest, named Hyé-chhong, arrived. These two priests preached the Buddhist religion widely, and were together the mainstay of the Three Precious Things.

Autumn, 7th month. The General and his followers arrived from Tsukushi.

↑ Kamu-tsu-miya means upper palace.
↑ Shi-ten-ō-ji means the Temple of the Four (Dêva) Kings. This Temple is still in existence—not the original building, however. Arahaka is the name of the place where it stands. It means ruined tomb.
↑ See above, p. 104.
↑ The Chinese character used here is 寺, but whether the author refers to the use of this character (with the sound ji) at the end of names of Buddhist temples, or whether he was thinking of the Japanese word tera, temple, is not very clear. Tera, though always written 寺, is really, as already pointed out, derived from the Chinese 刹 through the Corean chöl.
↑ Aquilaria agallochum.

[1] Kamu-tsu-miya means upper palace.

[2] Shi-ten-ō-ji means the Temple of the Four (Dêva) Kings. This Temple is still in existence—not the original building, however. Arahaka is the name of the place where it stands. It means ruined tomb.

[3] See above, p. 104.

[4] The Chinese character used here is 寺, but whether the author refers to the use of this character (with the sound ji) at the end of names of Buddhist temples, or whether he was thinking of the Japanese word tera, temple, is not very clear. Tera, though always written 寺, is really, as already pointed out, derived from the Chinese 刹 through the Corean chöl.

[5] Aquilaria agallochum.

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