1 Lecture hall in a Buddhist temple. In the Nara and Heian periods, it was one of the principal buildings in the monastic complex. Usually located behind the sacred precinct or behind the main hall, called *kondō 金堂 or *hondō 本堂. In mountain temples where the terrain was rugged, the kōdō was often erected in front of the main hall where it became the central facility of the temple compound. Originally, it was the center for teaching the sutras kyō 経, rituals, and required behavior for general meetings, entertainments, and for penitential ceremonies. There is some evidence that it may have served occasionally as a refectory. Thus, the kōdō was a large building that before the Heian period was seven or eight bays by four bays, and even larger by the end of the 10th century. For example, the *Daikōdō 大講堂( rebuilt in 990) at Hōryūji 法隆寺, was 9 x 4 bays and the Kōdō (8th century) at Tōshōdaiji 唐招提寺 was 9 x 4 bays, both in Nara; and the Kōdao (1410) at Kyōōgokokuji 教王護国寺 in Kyoto was 9 x 4 bays; the Kōdō (1303) at Taimadera 当麻寺 in Nara was 7 x 4 bays. In temples of the Zen 禅 sect, introduced in the 11th-12th century, the term *hattō 法堂 was used instead of kōdō. It served as a lecture hall and was erected behind the *butsuden 仏殿. Compared to the kondō, the kōdō had simple bracket complexes placed on large bearing blocks and 3-on-1 non-projecting bracket complexes that were parallel to the wall. Inside the altar filled a single bay and the remaining space had only an earthen floor. On each side of the Buddhist altar were high seats for lecturers, or readers of the sutras. The priests sat on wooden benches while listening to the lectures.
2 The term kōdō, was also used to refer to schools where young males were educated. Such schools were either feudal clan or government schools. The Shizutani 閑谷 School (1701) in Okayama Prefecture is one example.