Shingon Buddhism

Shingon Shuu (Japanese真言 宗, literally " School of the True Word " ) is one of the monk Kūkai (空 海, 774-835 ), also known as Kobo Daishi (弘法 大师, Grand Master of Teaching dissemination ') is worshiped in the year 807 founded Buddhist school of thought in Japan. It is there along with the Tendai school as Mikkyo (密 教, " secret doctrine " ), known as Esoteric Buddhism in the West and has its roots in the Chinese tradition of Mizong (密宗Esoteric School ) and of Tantrism. Shingon is the Sino Japanese reading of the Chinese concept of Zhenyan (真言, literally, a word of truth '), a translation of the Sanskrit term mantra ( मन्त्र ).

Special

  • In the center of worship is the Vairocana Buddha, which combines the wisdom of all the Buddhas in itself and is regarded as cosmic Buddha, of all reasons.
  • Man has the ability to reach the Buddhawerdung over ( esoteric ) practices in this life.
  • In the Meditations, the use of mantras ( magic syllables) and sign plays an important role. Is given to the meditation on the Sanskrit character for A as the highest Mantra (Japanese A- Jikan ,阿 字 観) to be particularly important.
  • The main texts are the Mahavairocana Sutra ( Dainichi - kyō Japanese ,大 日 経) and the Vajrashekhara Sutra (Japanese Kongōchō - gyō ,金刚 顶 経), which serve regardless of their designation as sutras in esoteric Buddhism as Tantras.
  • The lessons are in the mandalas of the two worlds ' ( Ryokai Mandara ,両 界 曼荼罗) depicts: the Diamond World ' (Sanskrit vajradhatu, Japanese Kongōkai金刚 界) and, womb - world ' (Sanskrit Garbhadhātu, Japanese Taizōkai胎 蔵 界).

Teaching

Kūkai has its concepts in more than 50 treatises explained and systematized. Six of them are still special attention today:

  • Ben- kenmitsu - Nikyo - ron. (辩 显 密 二 教 论), an essay that compares the exoteric Buddhism with esoteric Buddhism and the latter assigns the priority.
  • Sokushin - jōbutsu -gi. (即 身 成佛 义), a treatise on the Buddhawerdung during the earthly existence
  • Shoji Jisso -gi. (声 字 实 相 义), a treatise on the perception of the wisdom of Vairocana
  • Unji -gi. (吽 字 义), a treatise on the mantric syllable Om (Aum ).
  • Hizo - hōyaku. (秘 蔵 宝 钥), a treatise on the ten stages of spiritual progress.
  • Hannyashingyō - hiken. (般若 心 经 秘 键), a secret key 'to the Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra.

As the most important applies the doctrine to Buddhawerdung during earthly existence, which originated 824-833. On this point, Kūkai man (Sanskrit asamkhyakalp ) set against the tradition whereby this condition usually only after three eons achieved. Similar ideas can also be found in the teachings of Huìguǒ and Buddhism of the Tendai school ( Tendai Shuu ).

According to tradition, Vairocana is said to have dictated the sacred sutras themselves. After his death ( grave mound ), the writings were preserved for 800 years in an iron stupa. The historical Buddha Shakyamuni and his teachings are intended as a manifestation Vairocanas. By the union of the cosmic Buddha Vairocana with the abstract nature of the Dharmakaya ( the ultimate reality ) Kūkai developed a form which embodies the union of the whole existence. So it was assumed that the shape Vairocanas lay all earthly things based. The goal of Shingon Buddhism is the union of the information received by meditating and practicing experience of one's body with the figure of Vairocana. For this purpose, an initiation into the secret teachings is necessary that are transmitted orally. The reception is carried out in a sacred ritual ( Tantra ), in which the speech of mantras plays an important role.

History and Formation

In the year 804, the young, unknown Kūkai took the opportunity to cross over to China and moved to Chang -an (长安, today's Xi'an ,西安), where in the Qinglong Temple (青龙寺, "Temple of the Blue Dragon" ) he the study of Buddhism recorded.

Decisive for his future was the encounter with the famous teacher Huiguo (Chinese惠 果, Pinyin Huìguǒ, W.-G. Hui -kuo ) ( 746-806 ), the first systematized a series at the time of disparate elements of Indian and Chinese esoteric Buddhism and had the last few months spent before his death to teach Kūkai to the concepts and practice of Shingon. Nearly all Japanese monks in China operated their studies using Chinese translations, but Kukai immersed himself in the Sanskrit originals. Soon he began, on the basis of the developed concepts of Huigo, with the development of its own synthesis, is in the center of the cosmic Buddha Vairocana.

After the death of the revered Huiguo 806 he returned to Japan. Three years later he was with the support of the Tenno Junna abbot of Tō Temple (东 寺, Tō -ji) in Kyoto, where he among other things, official rituals for the imperial family and the state conducted. His outstanding talent as an artist and thinker contributed to the spread of the new doctrine with considerably. In the year 819 he began the construction of an additional center in a 800 m high valley between the eight peaks of the Kōya -san region ( Wakayama Prefecture). Here are over 110 monasteries today. In the rear part of the wide forest cemetery there is the mausoleum of Kūkai.

Cleavage

The popularity of Shingon Buddhism took towards the end of the Heian period decline sharply due to the growing wealth of the monasteries had corrupted the lifestyle of many monks. ( 1095-1143覚 鑁) particularly far Among the attempts to resolve the grievances, was that of Kakuban. Originally from Kyushu Kakuban had lost his parents early and lived in the monastery since the age of 13. Thanks to a superior intelligence he was ordained at twenty. Ten years later he built with the support of influential personalities from the Kyoto temple Denbo - in (伝 法院) on the Kōya -san.

His attempts at reform zeitigten first some success, so that he temporarily held the line of the entire temple complex. However, the growing tensions with monks from other monasteries led in 1139 to the fact that armed opponents burned the Dembo Temple. Kakudan and his followers attracted to the Negoro Temple ( Negoro -ji ,根 来 寺) in the south of the Kii Peninsula, where he died in 1143 at the age of 49 years. Later attempts a reconciliation of the bearings were ultimately unsuccessful, and the Negoro Temple was the center of the 'new Shingon doctrine ' (新 义 真言 宗, Shingi Shingon ).

The learning of the monks there was also the Jesuits, who did missionary work in Japan since the mid-16th century. In her writings Negoro is referred to as the seat of the largest university ' of the country, which is why Negoro is marked on many contemporary Portuguese maps. However, had, as well, the monasteries now heavily militarized in other schools of thought, and the effectiveness of the warrior monks of Negoro presented from the perspective of the generals Toyotomi Hideyoshi a strategic threat to his efforts to unify the empire dar. After a siege in 1585 were destroyed parts of the huge investment and the power of this school systematically weakened. During the Edo period, it was for the restoration of the temple and teaching direction.

In addition to this, new Shingon ' came other smaller denominations like the one Chizan branch ' (真言 宗 智 山 派, Shingon shū Chizan -ha ) and in the 16th century by the monk Senyo Sojo (専 誉 僧 正) was founded, Buzan branch ' (真言 宗 豊 山 派, Shingon shū Buzan - ha).

Works

  • Kukai: Major Works. Translated, with an account of his life and a study of his thought by Yoshito S. Hakeda. Columbia University Press, New York 1972, ISBN 0-231-03627-2.
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