New Religions

Mahayaha Buddhism #7
Heian Buddhism（平安仏教） 2
Ku-kai （空海）
Masayo Urasaki
26 July 2012
Today’s schedule
1) Brief History of Ku-kai（空海）
2) Shingon Shu（真言宗）’s thoughts and
practices monks and laypeople
3) VDO clip from Website
4) Workshop:
Preparation for mid-exam
Keywords
・Ku-kai（空海）＝ Ko-bo-daishi（弘法大師）
・Shingon-shu（真言宗）
・Esoteric Buddhism（密教）
・Koya san/Koya mountain （高野山）
・ Sokusin- jyobutsu（即身成仏）
・ Shikoku Pilgrimage /Shikoku Henro（四国遍路）
Kukai（空海）’s brief history
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Born in 774 at Sanuki (now,
Kagawa) province under the
provincial gentry.
Studying Confucianism
791, age of 18, went to capital
Kyoto to pursue the high
studies
Practices at several mountain
and met Esoteric Buddhism.
Go to China and
Established Shingon-shu
804 ,31 years old, Go to China through
diplomatic ship officially to study Esoteric
Buddhism in China.
 Study Sanskrit at the Rev.Hui-Kuo(恵果）,an
authority of Esoteric Buddhism, at Fukein
Province.
 806, Returned to Japan and bring the many
translation texts of the new esoteric Buddhism.
 816, Government gave Koyasan (mountain) to
him for establish Esoteric/Shingon shu.

Esoteric Buddhism(密教)and
Manifest Buddhism (顕教)
Kukai’s philosophy
Esoteric Buddhism has value more higher than
Other Buddhism.
 Mahavairocana Buddha （大日如来）is Eternal
Buddha, it the universal truth itself.
 Great Sun Sutra / Dainichi kyo（大日経）
 Buddha →Shakamuni’s teaching (manifest, see
clearly)
Mahavairocana (secret, invisible)

Sokushin- Jyobutsu（即身成仏）

Shingon shu practice’s main purpose
The Doctrine of becoming a Buddha in one’s
present body.
Everyone has the ability to attain
enlightenment in this very lifetime.
Practices
San-mitstu Kaji
Three practices for Unity
the Buddha and oneself
（三密加持）
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Goma Fire Ritual
(Homa: burn/burning)

Came from Hindu
Watch the Buddha in the
fire
Fire places is secreted
To prevent evil or
suffering / To attain
happiness

Body – Hand/figure Seals
Words – Chant Mantra
Mind – Samathi
(Concentration)
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Koya-san（高野山）
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Emperor Saga gave Ku-kai
officially to found seminary
community.
Altitude about 800 km at
Okayama Province.
Small town, but 117 temples /
graves
Kukai entered into eternal
meditation on 835, 62 years old.
Shikoku Pilgrimage /Shikoku Henro（
四国遍路）
Dougyou Ninin（同行二人）
Pilgrim walkers are always along with
Kukai/Ko-bo-daishi/Odaishi-sama.
 88 temples in Shikoku (4 prefectures at East
Japan) , there are the places where Kukai
practiced before he was young.
 There are many legend about Kukai all over
Japan(almost 5000 places)
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The relation between
Kukai (空海)and Saicho(最澄)
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Return to Japan from China, Japanese Government
concern about Esoteric Buddhism
Kukai’s esoteric practices and his thoughts was
became famously .So Saicho wanted to know the
teaching of esoteric Buddhism. Saicho had borrowed
the textbooks from Kukai many times.
Finally, Kukai rejected because he thought Saicho
was concerned only textbooks.
One of Saicho’s disciple sent Kukai to study, but the
disciple had changed to follow Kukai’s disciple.
Heian Buddhism
Integrated Buddhism and Shinto

Honchi suijyaku setsu(本地垂迹説)
Buddha
Invisible
Eternal Buddha
(Absolutely)
Mountain / Environment
Apparent
(Kami / Shinto )
(temporary)

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