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'Tōdai-ji' (東大寺) (meaning the Eastern Great Temple),^[1] is a
Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its
Great Buddha Hall (大仏殿 ''Daibutsuden''), reputedly the largest wooden building in the
world, houses a colossal bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as
the ''Daibutsu'' (大仏) The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara," together with seven other sites including temples, shrine and place in the city of Nara. Sika deer, regarded as messengers of the gods in the Shinto religion, roam the grounds freely.

Contents

History

The roots

Initial Construction

Reconstructions post-Nara Period

The Temple and Surrounding Gardens

Musical Events

Buildings

The size of the Buddha

Major events

Trivia

Additional Images

See also

Notes

External links

History

The roots

The beginning of building a temple in where the huge Tōdai-ji complex sits on today can be dated back to 743, when