1. 1 Buddhism Comes to Japan Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D. REL 232 Religions of China and Japan Berea College Fall 2004

2. 2 SOURCES OF JAPANESE BUDDHISM  Buddhism introduced during 500s CE by: 1.Korean immigrants 2.Korean missionaries 3.Korean and Japanese diplomats  Functions of Buddhism in early Japan: 1.Instrument of diplomacy 2.Vehicle of civilization 3.Symbol of political power  Early Japanese Buddhism includes Confucian and Shintô elements

3. 3 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 本地重跡 theory of Buddhist-Shintô relations product of Heian

4. 4 TENDAI 天台 (Chinese Tiantai)  Founded by Saicho 最澄 (767-822), Japanese monk who studied in China  Based on Chinese Tiantai, but unique in synthesis: 1.Lotus Sutra doctrine 2.Chan meditation 3.Vajrayana ritual 4.Pure Land chanting 5.Vinaya discipline  Center at Mt. Hiei 比叡 becomes powerful base of anti-imperial protest, sometimes military in nature

5. 5 SHINGON 眞言 (Chinese Zhenyan)  Founded by Kukai 天海 (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 高野  Only surviving Vajrayana form in Japan today

6. 6 Late Heian caricature of Buddhist monks

7. 7 KAMAKURA (1192-1338) BUDDHISM  Military dictator (shogun 將 軍 ) presides over unstable coalitions of feudal lords (daimyo 大名 ) and their retainers (samurai 侍 )  Imperial rule in Kyoto weak  Two unsuccessful invasions by Yuan 元 (Mongol) China (1274, 1281)  Apocalyptic belief in mappo 未法 (“last days of the dharma”) leads to interest in “single-practice” approaches  Kamakura period is one of “popularization” and “schismatization”

8. 8 Kamakura depiction of Buddhist hells

9. 9 JODO 淨土 (PURE LAND)  Founded by Honen 法然 (1133-1212), Tendai monk, who teaches that cultivation of karmic merit through nembutsu 念佛 (recitation of name of Amida Buddha 阿彌 陀佛 ) brings rebirth in Pure Land  Honen’s emphasis on jiriki 自力 (self-power) rejected by Shinran 親鸞 (1173-1263), who teaches that only Amida’s tariki 他力 (other- power) of Amida can save  Shinran’s Jodo Shinshu 淨土 眞宗 (True Pure Land) now dominant in Japan

10. 10 NICHIREN 日運 (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: 1.Eternal Buddha = Buddha- nature in all 2.Title of Lotus Sutra overcomes ignorance and reveals Buddha-nature 3.Chanting Lotus Sutra enables realization of hongaku 本學 (original enlightenment)  Opposes all other forms of Buddhism as false

11. 11 RINZAI ZEN 臨濟禪  Introduced by Eisai 熒西 (1141-1215) from China, but also influenced by Tendai- Shingon esotericism and Neo- Confucianism  Unpopular at court, but popular among samurai  Kensho 見性 (seeing one’s true nature) achieved by jiriki: 1.Vajrayana visualization 2.nembutsu recitation 3.zazen 坐禪 (seated meditation) 4.koan 公案 (riddles)  Hugely influential on Japanese arts and literature

12. 12 SÔTÔ ZEN 曹狪禪  Introduced by Eisai’s student Dôgen 道元 (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 水平寺 as Sôtô monastery

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