女性による寺院継承と僧侶養成課題 : 天台宗女性僧侶へのインタビュー調査から

Abstract

Currently, Japan is facing a shortage of labor due to the declining birthrate and aging population, and the lack of successors has also become a problem in the religious field. In this paper, focusing on the Tendai Buddhism sect, issues on the lack of Buddhist temple successors and the Training of female Buddhist monks has become clear through literature studies and interviews for two female monks in Tendai. From previous research on the number and sex of monks and inheritance of temples, the succession is generally expected to men, and women are very few in almost all Buddhist sect. In the case study of Tendai monks’ training, the required priest is different to the grade of the temple, and there are multiple training courses and certification systems such as sectarian university and specialized courses. According to interviews for female monks, male priority and male standard norm and facilities are observed at sectarian university and specialized courses as Hieizan Gakuin in the process of training priests. In addition, various gender discrimination surrounding female monks have been found. Even if a temple daughter is recognized as a successor of temple, it is assumed that her husband will succeed her temple after marriage. In the priest training course, it seems to be equal for men and women Buddhist trainee at first glance, but there exists discrimination in the real situation. In addition, there are found various issues for women monks. It is difficult for female monks to rise her status under the norms of men and there is rare for them the opportunity to demonstrate leadership.