KÅ«kai

Kūkai (空 海Japanese, German as " sea of emptiness "; born July 27, 774 in Byobugaura (now Zentsuji ), † April 22 835 (Japanese calendar: 835/3/21 ) on Kōya -san ) was a Buddhist monk, scholar and artist of the early Heian period of Japan. He is the founder of Japanese Shingon Buddhism - often referred to as " mantric " or " esoteric " Buddhism. Under the posthumous honorary title Kobo Daishi (弘法 大师) he was by later generations more and more exaggerated, so that in his picture mix verifiable historical elements with many legends. Undeniably, however, is his paramount influence on the development of Buddhism in Japan and Japanese culture.

Historical Biography

Kūkai was a person who united the apparent contradictions, on the one hand, he renounced the world and wandered a long time meditating in the woods around, on the other hand he was at court one of the most important cultural leaders, participants in poetry competitions and calligrapher. Historically verifiable facts are as follows:

Journey

Kūkai was the son of Saeki Tagimi and his wife Tamayori. The family had the low prior title ( Kabane ) the Atae holds, ie they belonged to a class of nobles who traditionally turned Province administrator. Kukai's childhood name is handed down with Tōtomono (贵 物).

At the age of 15 he began classical Chinese, Confucianism and history with his uncle ato Otari in the capital to learn, who also rejected the Crown Prince Iyo. Three years later, he was admitted for further training at the College of the court ( Daigaku - ryō ). At age 20 he gave up his studies - probably began as the termination of the capital Nagaoka - kyō - and took 793 as a novice in Iwabuchi Temple ( Iwabuchidera ,石 渊 寺), under the abbot Gonzo the study of Buddhism. Two years later he took the monastic vows and changed his name to Kūkai.

His first work Sankyōshiki he completed 797 at the age of 24 years. The today Kongōbu Temple ( Kongobuji ) on the Kōya -san kept manuscript of Kukai's hand is one of the national treasures of Japan. In the preface it is, however, a later revision.

Over the years between his 24 and 31 years of age is not known. Later hagiographers have imputed to him for this period all sorts of miraculous. After all view was that this was a period of ascetic walks and the hermits.

In the Temple of Kume he found a copy of the 803 Mahavairocana Sutras. 804 he received in the Todai Temple ( Todai -ji) Nara full ordination. In the same year he had the opportunity to participate at the 18th embassy to China, the Fujiwara -no- Kadonomaro (藤原 葛 野 麻 吕) was passed. In these journeys to the deepening of diplomatic and economic relations with Japanese monks took part, which acted as a support of cultural exchange between the two countries through their religious and scientific studies over the centuries. The keel -less Japanese ships capsized easily and beat due to lack of tween decks and partitions immediately with water fully. Also this time were already out on the journey two of four ships. On the ship of unknown Kukai traveled the already established monk and later founder of the Tendai school, Saicho. This was the beginning of a lifelong relationship, however, was later overshadowed by large voltages.

Chang- an, the capital of China's Tang Dynasty, noted in its dimensions, its architecture and its internationality everything in the shade, which they had seen Japanese comers ever. Kūkai found in the Qinglong Temple (青龙寺, Temple of the Blue Dragon ) recording. Nearly all Japanese monks who studied in China, worked with Chinese translations. Kūkai was one of the few who dared even to the Indian texts. Sanskrit and the Siddham font he learned of the Kashmiri monk Prajnña ( 744-810 ). and Muniśrī. When Han Fang -ming he refined his calligraphy. The eminent Hui -kuo ( jp. Keika ), who systematized the first time a number of its disparate elements of Indian and Chinese esoteric Buddhism, instructed him in esoteric Buddhism. Just three months later, he initiated him as his successor in the Dharma teaching line. Only Kūkai and Yiming (义 明), who died as soon Huiguo who had received the two highest consecration, so that Kūkai after the death of Huiguo rose for the eighth Patriarch of Esoteric Buddhism. For his late teacher, he wrote the epitaph 806. While he waited for an opportunity for the crossing to Japan, the Governor of Yueh gave him a number of Sutrenabschriften.

After his return, he presented a 806 the Emperor to be transferred list of newly introduced in Japan sutras together ( Shorai maokuroku ). Kūkai led Takaosan Temple (Japanese Takaosan -ji) for the first time in Japan, the Abhisheka Ritual (water consecration ) (灌顶, KANJO ) by. In the same year Saicho, who returned last year from China got the permission to use esoteric elements in his Tendai doctrine.

After the year 807, spent in Kyushu, waiting for instructions from the court, he joined 809 after the enthronement of Saga in the Takaosan Temple one. The new emperor, who was his patron, asking him to write calligraphy, poems and letters (see Seirei - Shuu ). 810 he was head of the Todai Temple (Japanese Todai -ji), an office which he held until 813. 811 he assumed the same function for the Otokuni -Temple (Japanese Otokunidera ) in southern Kyoto, without abandoning the Takaosan Temple.

The objectives and methods of meditation of his teaching he laid for the first time in the fourth year of the Konin era (813 ) in a treatise down (弘仁 御 遗 戒, Konin no go yuikai ). At about the same time was also a paper on the differences between esoteric and exoteric Buddhism (辩 显 密 二 教 论, Ben- kenmitsu - Nikyo - ron). 816, he requested permission to build on the one-time remote and inaccessible mountain areas of Koyasan a temple. In the year 817 came other important writings before he devoted himself to the following year of exploring the Kōya region.

The years 819-821 he devoted himself mainly to his literary work, but also the restoration of an artificial lake ( Manno no ike ) in his hometown. He also reproduced mandalas and 26 paintings, which he had brought from China. In the year 822 he built a Shingon chapel in the grounds of Todai Temple.

Having been awarded shortly before the resignation of Tennō saga of Tō Temple (Japanese Tō -ji, " East Temple " ) in Kyoto, the new Tennō Junna recognized in the year 823 the Shingon doctrine as an independent school. The following year he received the official court rank of a " small - vicar " (少 僧 都). 825 he was allowed to build a training hall in Tō Temple. In the same year he became a teacher of the Crown Prince, 827 he was promoted to " wholesale vicar " (少 僧 都). 829 he also took over the management of the Daian Temple (Japanese Daian -ji) in Nara.

In 828 Kūkai founded in the new capital of Heian - kyō ( Kyoto today ) a private educational institution for comprehensive education in science and art (综 芸 种 智 院) for members of the lower strata of society. Ten years after his death, this school, which provided also supply for teachers and students, closed again.

In the following years he wrote to 835 additional fonts. In the early summer of 831 the first time showed symptoms of a disease. His remaining years until his death he spent almost entirely on the Kōya Mountain. Only after the enthronement of the Nimmyō Tennō ( 833 ), he led in the palace for the first time by the end of 834 mishūhō Ritual (御 修 法). Still got the Shingon school under the control of the state, but he finally received permission to ordain three monks annually beginning 835.

Kūkai died on the twenty-first day of the third lunar month of the year on the currency Iowa Kōya Mountain, after he had his food and fluid intake gradually reduced in exacerbated retreats. After the Shingon school believes he reached meditating on the threshold of life and death even with the worldly body Buddhahood and sits today in this state in his mausoleum. To this district around arose over the centuries one of the largest forest cemeteries Japan. Even today it is thought in every Shingon temple on March 21. At the request of the Shinzai him the rank of Daisōjō was posthumously awarded 851. The honorary title of " Kobo Daishi ," he received from the 921 - Daigo Tenno.

Teaching

Kūkai, the founder of Japanese Shingon Buddhism - often referred to as " mantric " or " esoteric " Buddhism. This is essentially a directly adopted from India version of Mantrayana based on a variety of sources (fonts, gods, philosophies, meditation techniques, etc.) in support of its practice. The most important writings are the Vairocana and the Vajrasekhara Sutra ( jp.: Dainichi - kyō and Kongocho - kyō ), which were probably written in the second half of the 7th century in India. Special focus is on the Mikkyo practice ( = Misshū ), so that this term has become a synonym for the school or for the art style of this school. While he founded a new school, in his assessment of existing schools of thought, however, he was not on a collision course with these, but remained tolerant and forgiving.

Saicho, one of the founding fathers of the Tendai received instruction in esoteric Buddhism Kūkai. The relationship between Kūkai and Saicho is interpreted differently in the two schools. Was further developed the doctrine of Ennin ( 794-864 ), Annen ( 841-915 ) and Enchin ( 814-91 ).

Kūkai taught that the esoteric Buddhism of great benefit to the defense and pacification of the empire was ( chingo kokka ) and on the other hand can help individuals already in its present existence to enlightenment ( sokushin jōbutsu ). At the same time he was the first in Japan, announced that the man is originally enlightened ( hongaku ).

His teaching had much in common with the Shinto, however, is much more complex. Kūkai recognized in the deities of Shinto incarnations of Buddhist sacred figures. The synthesis with the doctrine wandering about practitioners of esoteric Buddhism unsystematisierten ( zōmitsu ) and Shinto led ultimately to the creation of Shugendō ( mountain ascetics ).

Kōya

The Kōya -san is a monastic center on a mountain in Kii (990 m TP ), which was founded in 816 by Kūkai. This was the first major temple away from the main cities. He held 818 almost a year there, and fully 819/5/3 led the dedication ceremony. The temple itself is called Kongōbu -ji and is still one of the main temple of the Shingon shū. The earliest cult images at Koyasan, which probably came from his hand, destroyed in 1926 one of the many fires that have ravaged the sanctuary.

Tō -ji

The Tō -ji in Kyoto was the southern base was spread by Kūkai from his teaching. He was beginning his 823 when he was 50 years old, exclusively granted to instruct the right there 50 monks. In the following years he had converted the temple.

Hagiography

Legendary, as part of the resulting in later times hagiographic literature, Kūkai be attributed to many acts or creative achievements that do not stand up to critical examination.

• The determination that he was born on June 15, we find for the first time 400 years later. Officially, he should have been called Henshō Kongō. The childhood name Mao is the first time in 1828 is, however, to go back to older sources.

• Kūkai did not invent the kana syllabary, however, owes its development much the spread of him Siddham what the parallels in the arrangement of the 50 - lute - panel is obvious, for example.

• The Iroha - uta dates from the second half of the 10th century, was therefore born long after his death; demonstrated for the first time 1079th

• The sources to prove his residence after returning in Kanzeon -ji ( Kyushu ) and a first public appearance in the Kuma- dera ( Yamato ), are not reliable.

• The first-time introduction of tea seeds to Japan is attributed to Kūkai. The same is, however, claimed by Saicho and the Zen monk Eisai (1141-1215 ,明 庵 栄 西), from which time the large-scale cultivation is also historically verifiable. It may be assumed that tea isolated by dealers early on came to Japan, but is grown until the 12th century.

• His will ( Nijūgokajō no goyuigō ), which should be written six days before his death, may be due to textual criticism, at least in the traditional form (oldest manuscript of 969 ) do not originate from him, even though at least some of the traditional parts of the text to be originals.

• Jinkyō Shonin said to have been a reincarnation of Shirakawa- Tennō turn this a clergyman.

Art

Of note are his 26 paintings that he executed after brought from China templates.

The scholar-monk is often depicted as having three faces and six arms, as a mythical person. Was widespread, especially in such by itinerant monks in the Middle Ages from Kōya called Kōya - Hijiri.

Works

Important still:

• Sankyōshiki a controversy between three fictional characters that represent respectively the teachings of Confucius, Taoism and Buddhism
• Bunkyō kitsu - ron (also: Bunkyō Hifuron ) " A Poetics of Chinese poem "
• Juju jinron encyclopedic treatise on the ten stages of existence, with a variety of quotes from the Chinese Buddhist canon.
• Jistugo - kyō a small morals and morality
• Seirei - Shuu ( = Shōryō Shuu ) poem and essay collection
• Jikkan - shō required reading for Shingon monks ( 10 fascicles )
• Nijūgokajō no goyuigō " Parting Words "

His language is difficult to understand, even for experts, on the one hand he writes straightforward exemplary classical Chinese, on the other hand he uses a variety of Sanskrit expressions. The above Kūkai and his teachings published in Japanese language - in particular commenting - literature is extremely extensive.