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The 33 Buddha Image in the Sacred Places

Doutoku Shounin in Hasedera-temple in Yamato(present Nara)got seriously ill (about 717). He hovered between life and death for a few days. While he was wandering around the hell, he met Enma Daioo and was given the sign for Kannon Basatsu. He was told to go back the present world to let people know the thirty three spiritually authentic Kannon-dou. But no one believed the priest who recovered his breath. It is seemingly the first message that he reluctantly left the words in his coffin in Nakayamadera-temple. Later, the Emperor Kazan became the retired emperor, young as he was, he made the thirty three Kannon-dou, sacred places. They are thirty three sculptures of the principal image of Buddha.