Buddhism Comes to Japan

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Buddhism Comes to Japan

• Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
• REL 232
• Religions of China and Japan
• Berea College
• Fall 2004

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SOURCES OF JAPANESE BUDDHISM

• Buddhism introduced during 500s CE by
• Korean immigrants
• Korean missionaries
• Korean and Japanese diplomats
• Functions of Buddhism in early Japan
• Instrument of diplomacy
• Vehicle of civilization
• Symbol of political power
• Early Japanese Buddhism includes Confucian and
  Shintô elements

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NARA (710-794) AND HEIAN (794-1192) BUDDHISM

• During Nara period, Chinese-influenced Buddhism
  is practiced almost exclusively by monks at court
• Nara politicization and intellectualization
• In order to escape influence of Nara monasteries,
  imperial capital is moved to Heian (modern
  Kyoto), but monasteries in Heian soon eclipse
  court in power
• Heian esotericization
• Honji suijaku ???? theory of Buddhist-Shintô
  relations product of Heian

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TENDAI ?? (Chinese Tiantai)

• Founded by Saicho ?? (767-822), Japanese monk
  who studied in China
• Based on Chinese Tiantai, but unique in
  synthesis
• Lotus Sutra doctrine
• Chan meditation
• Vajrayana ritual
• Pure Land chanting
• Vinaya discipline
• Center at Mt. Hiei ?? becomes powerful base of
  anti-imperial protest, sometimes military in
  nature

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SHINGON ?? (Chinese Zhenyan)

• Founded by Kukai ?? (774-835), Japanese monk who
  studied in China
• Based on Chinese Zhenyan, it teaches a ten-stage
  theory of progressive Buddha-consciousness
• Uses mandalas (diagrams), mantras (chants), and
  mudras (gestures) to facilitate
  Buddha-consciousness
• Based at Mt. Koya ??
• Only surviving Vajrayana form in Japan today

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Late Heian caricature of Buddhist monks
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KAMAKURA (1192-1338) BUDDHISM

• Military dictator (shogun ??) presides over
  unstable coalitions of feudal lords (daimyo ??)
  and their retainers (samurai ?)
• Imperial rule in Kyoto weak
• Two unsuccessful invasions by Yuan ? (Mongol)
  China (1274, 1281)
• Apocalyptic belief in mappo ?? (last days of the
  dharma) leads to interest in single-practice
  approaches
• Kamakura period is one of popularization and
  schismatization

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Kamakura depiction of Buddhist hells
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JODO ?? (PURE LAND)

• Founded by Honen ?? (1133-1212), Tendai monk, who
  teaches that cultivation of karmic merit through
  nembutsu ?? (recitation of name of Amida Buddha
  ????) brings rebirth in Pure Land
• Honens emphasis on jiriki ??(self-power)
  rejected by Shinran ?? (1173-1263), who teaches
  that only Amidas tariki ??(other-power) of Amida
  can save
• Shinrans Jodo Shinshu???? (True Pure Land) now
  dominant in Japan

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NICHIREN ?? (1222-1282)

• Ex-Tendai monk
• Exiled twice (1260-1263, 1271-1274) for
  mappo-inspired opposition to state
• Emphasis on jiriki through Three Secret
  Teachings of Lotus Sutra
• Eternal Buddha Buddha-nature in all
• Title of Lotus Sutra overcomes ignorance and
  reveals Buddha-nature
• Chanting Lotus Sutra enables realization of
  hongaku ?? (original enlightenment)
• Opposes all other forms of Buddhism as false

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RINZAI ZEN ???

• Introduced by Eisai ?? (1141-1215) from China,
  but also influenced by Tendai-Shingon esotericism
  and Neo-Confucianism
• Unpopular at court, but popular among samurai
• Kensho ?? (seeing ones true nature) achieved by
  jiriki
• Vajrayana visualization
• nembutsu recitation
• zazen ?? (seated meditation)
• koan?? (riddles)
• Hugely influential on Japanese arts and
  literature

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SÔTÔ ZEN ???

• Introduced by Eisais student Dôgen ??
  (1200-1253) from China
• Unpopular among samurai, but popular with
  peasants and women
• Rejected koan training in favor of zazen alone as
  means of realizing hongaku
• Criticized other forms of Buddhism as impure and
  inauthentic
• Dôgen established Eiheiji ??? as Sôtô
  monastery

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