京都・神護寺の金堂に安置される木造薬師如来立像の表現と造立意図について、昨年度に引き続き再検討した。2022年5月には上野の東京文化財研究所で研究発表を行ない（オンライン併用）、主として昨年度の研究成果に基づき、神護寺像造立の背景に道鏡との対決をみる先行研究は正しくなく、像は和気清麻呂の私的な祈願をかなえるため、八幡神の薬師悔過の本尊として造立されたことを論じた。発表の場では、特に批判対象とした先行研究の著者である皿井舞氏や長岡龍作氏と直接議論することができた。また、申請書で言及した滋賀・大嶋神社奥津嶋神社の地蔵菩薩立像は、近年X線透過撮影が行なわれており、薬師如来立像として造られたとの長坂一郎説は成り立たないことについて、津田徹英氏よりご教示を得た。
研究発表後、特に神護寺像の原所在地と考えられる神願寺の場所について考察した。発表時の質疑では、男山の西南に位置する西山廃寺説を支持する意見を複数聞いたが、現地踏査を実施して検討した結果、西山廃寺＝神願寺とは考えられないとの結論に至った。神願寺の場所については、引き続き検討する必要がある。また、宝菩提院願徳寺菩薩坐像など、同時代及び前後の時代の仏像と比較して、造形的な特質にも検討を加えた。本像の相貌については、かつて密教の影響が説かれたが、承和期の密教像との隔たりは大きく、むしろ奈良時代との連続性で考えるべきである。尊格として薬師如来が選択されたのは、八幡神による悔過の本尊として造立されたためだと考えられるが、その薬師悔過は浄行僧とともに行なわれたはずで、像の表現は彼らにとって意味あるものであったと推定した。その他、国司制度や神仏習合思想の変遷等、立論上関連する先行研究を収集・検討した。以上の研究成果をふまえた研究論文を現在執筆中で、今月末に入稿、2023年8月刊行の東京文化財研究所編『美術研究』440号に掲載される予定である。
Continuing from the previous year, I have reexamined the representation and purpose of the standing wooden statue of Yakushi Nyorai enshrined in the Kondo hall of Jingo-ji Temple in Kyoto. In May 2022, I gave a presentation at The Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties in Ueno (also online). Based mainly on the results of the previous year's research, I argued that the previous studies that viewed a confrontation with Dokyo as the background for the construction of the Jingo-ji statue were incorrect, and that the statue was built to fulfill Wake-no-Kiyomaro's private prayer as the principal image of the Hachiman deity in repentance to Yakushi Nyorai. At the presentation, I was able to discuss directly with Mai Sarai and Ryusaku Nagaoka, the authors of the previous study that was the subject of criticism. Tetsuei Tsuda also informed me that the standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu at Oshima-Okitsushima Shrine in Shiga Prefecture, which was mentioned in the application, had recently been photographed by X-ray transmission, and that Ichiro Nagasaka's theory that it was built as a standing statue of Yakushi Nyorai was not valid.
After my research presentation, I particularly considered the location of Jingan-ji Temple, which is thought to be where the Jingo-ji statue was originally enshrined. During the question and answer session at the time of the presentation, I heard several opinions supporting the theory of Nishiyama abandoned temple located southwest of Otokoyama, but after conducting a field survey, I came to the conclusion that Nishiyama abandoned temple is not considered to be Jingan-ji Temple. The location of Jingan-ji Temple needs to be continued to be examined. I also examined the figurative qualities of the statue by comparing it to other Buddhist statues of the same period, as well as those of the periods before and after it, such as the seated statue of Bodhisattva at Hobodaiin-Gantoku-ji Temple. Although the influence of esoteric Buddhism was once suggested for the expression of this statue, there is a large gap between this statue and the esoteric images of the Jowa period, and it should rather be considered in continuity with the Nara period. The reason why Yakushi Nyorai was chosen as the deity is thought to be because it was built as the principal image for the repentance of the Hachiman deity, and since the repentance of the Yakushi must have been conducted together with the monks, it is assumed that the image's representation was meaningful to them. In addition, I have collected and reviewed previous studies related to the system of local government officials and the evolution of the idea of Shintoism-Buddhism syncretism. A research paper based on the above research results is currently being written and will be submitted at the end of this month for publication in the August 2023 issue of "Bijutsu Kenkyu" No. 440, edited by the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.