Gyoki, the great Japanese Buddhist priest who called Bosatsu

If you visit Japan and keep interest to the sites of traditional construction, you will hear the name of Gyoki at somewhere related to him.

Gyoki (668-749) was a Japanese Buddhist priest.

He born in Kawachi province (a part of area in current Osaka) at the Asuka period.

Ancestors of his clan came from Korean peninsula.

His clan had rooted the area he was born.

At his birth place, currently in Sakai city, now there is Ebara-ji temple founded by Gyoki himself. 

Gyoki was respected by people in his times.

He helped poor people by mainly building and maintaining infrastructure on his own.

For example he have made so many ponds, bridges, harbors and temples for people.

Because of that he got popularity and poor people gathered around him.

People worshiped him so much, therefore the imperial court was alarmed by him first.

However when the imperial court had a plan to make daibutsu (large statue of Buddha), they used the power and popularity of Gyoki.

Gyoki and his disciples joined the project of making daibutsu.

His construction skill and workers he could gather were much help for the project

After his death, the daibutsu project accomplished in 752.

People called Gyoki "Gyoki Bosatsu (a Buddhist saint Gyoki)" with respect.

Gyoki have traveled all over Japan and helped people at each places.

So today, in all over Japan we can see the constructions Gyoki made such as ponds, bridges, temples, etc.

As his famous works in Osaka, there are Sayama-ike pond and Kumeda-ike pond.

Sayama-ike pond is huge and you can enjoy walking around it.