A Japanese term one hears when being introduced to Tendai Buddhism is Mikkyō. This refers to esoteric or tantric Buddhism. Esoteric Buddhism is often translated as the ‘secret teaching’. Esoteric Buddhism is Vajrayana (Vajra vehicle) and is practiced in Tibetan/Himalayan Buddhism and two Japanese schools, Tendai and Shingon. It is a subset of Mahayana practices.
My formal introduction to Tendai, about 35 years ago, was when I attended a meditation event publicized in the English language newspaper, the Japan Times, while living in Tokyo, Japan. It read, ‘Zen and Tantric Meeting’. This was led by Rev. Ichishima Shoshin, who would later become Shumon and my shisō (‘Master’ in Buddhist terms).
The term Mikkyō incorporates a large collection of texts, rituals, and ceremonies, mudra (hand gestures) mantra (sacred sounds) and visualizations, (taken together these are sanmitsu or Three mysteries) mandalas and other iconography, ritual implements, and sculptural images.
Esoteric teachings originated in India during the early Mahāyāna period in monastic settings. They are derived from, and have many of the same elements, as Vedic practices, though the philosophy behind them serves Buddhist purposes. The use of mantras and dhāraṇīs (sacred Sanskrit and Pali phrases) date at least to the 1st century CE. The teachings travelled the Silk Road and the Southeast Asian Maritime trade routes into China. They were a component of Buddhism found in China, South Asia and Indonesia.
By the 5th century mantras and rituals were being completed for Chinese emperors with Buddhist mandalas appearing shortly after. A systematized system of esoteric teachings were established in China by Śubhakarasiṃha, Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra, around 720 CE. Chinese monks also travelled in the opposite direction, either as far as the Indian subcontinent, or to Buddhist centers in Central or Southeast Asia, bringing the translated texts with them. The fluorescence of esoteric teachings in China occurred during the later part of the Tang dynasty (618 to 907). The Mahavairocanā Sūtra, (Great Sun Sūtra), the Vajraśekhara Sūtra (Adamantine Pinnacle) and the Susiddhikāra Sūtra (Wonderful Accomplishment Sūtra) are the three most important sūtras translated and taught during this period.
The teachings were brought to Japan by the Japanese monks Saichō (767-822) and Kūkai (774-835), who traveled to China in 804 – 805 and studied esoteric teachings. Kūkai received initiation from and studied with Huìguǒ as well as with Xuánchāo so he was able to combine the Vajra Dhātu teachings and the Garbha Dhātu teachings. He is regarded as the founder of Japanese Shingon. Saichō received initiations and studied esoteric teachings with the monk Shùnxiǎo. When he returned to Japan, he founded the Japanese Tendai (Chin. Tiāntái) school, incorporating esoteric practices into Tendai.
There are subtle differences in the Mikkyō practiced by Shingon and Tendai, as well as the manner in which the priests are trained in these traditions. Most notably Tendai considers the practices as Taimitsu in which the esoteric is one component of an expanded set of Buddhist practices and Tōmitsu of Shingon which considers itself the exclusive school of esoteric practices as introduced by Kobo-daishi (Kukai). While Dengo-daishi (Saicho) introduced Mikkyō in Tendai, it was Jikaku-daishi (Ennin) who lived in China from 838 to 845, studied with a number of different esoteric masters, including Quanya, Yuanzheng, Yizhen, Faquan, Yuanjian, and others, who introduced the most exhaustive esoteric teachings and practices to Japan.
Ennin was the successor to Saicho designated as the 3rd Zasu (Gishin was the second) and merged esoteric practices and exoteric teachings, which became known as Taimitsu. Ennin also introduced Ryobu Abiseka (Jp Kanjo) as well as Zhiyi’s Four Samadhi. He was succeeded by Enchin and Annen who each further assimilated and finalized the esoteric teachings into Tendai.
From the earlier periods, what Lock and Ho refer to as ‘embyronic’ stage of mikkyo, the rituals were employed for purely mundane purposes, rainmaking, assisting in difficult childbirth, snake and scorpion bites, curing diseases, warding off evil, political and military ambitions, obtaining blessings; the list covers a wide variety of situations.
Mikkyo is also attributed with awakening a person in one’s body, within a lifetime (Sokushin Jōbutsu). Tendai also formulated the idea of inherent awakening by Japanese Buddhism. These two separate ideas became dominate. In this way Mikkyo is thought to balance the extremes of subitism (a practitioner can attain instantaneous insight into absolute reality) and gradualism (a process of mind-body transformation over a lengthy period, or lifetimes).
Mikkyō traditions require an initiation before one is permitted to engage in or learn the practices. This requires ordination, formal training in, and receiving Kanjō, of which there are three levels in Tendai, before performing or teaching the various types of esoteric practices. The training is referred to as Shido Kegyo, comprised of Jūhachidō, Kongōkai, Taizōkai and Goma.
The initiation is said to be for the protection of the practitioner and others. The example given is that one would not give a sharp knife to a child. The practices can have an untoward effect on those who are not prepared for the powerful consequences if they are not completed with proper character and a pure Kokoro (heart/mind/spirit).
Goma is perhaps the best known of esoteric practices. It is a fire ceremony that symbolizes wisdom and burns away defilements of both the practitioner and those participating by being present. The attendees offer a stick of wood on which prayers, aspirations, or wishes are written. If the worshipers’ actions of body, speech and mind are pure, the corresponding actions in the world will be pure and defilements and harm will disperse. This ceremony is also an offering to the deities in hopes of achieving a world of peace and equanimity.
On June 8th at 2 PM at Tendai Buddhist Institute you will have an opportunity to attend and participate in a Goma ceremony officiated by Rev. Ito Kenei, Head priest of Hoshaku-ji temple in Japan. If possible, do not miss this special opportunity.
With Love and Gassho. . . Monshin