Earlier this month, my family and I travelled to Japan for two weeks. For reasons I will explain in the following, I had my own reason to go. Additionally, my children are at an age where it would be feasible (10 and 7), Marcie and I felt it was a great opportunity to bring them along. We were not only able to expose them to another country and culture, but to share with them what dad does when he travels to Japan.
Additionally, my children are at an age where it would be feasible (10 and 7), Marcie and I felt it was a great opportunity to bring them along. We were not only able to expose them to another country and culture, but to share with them what dad does when he travels to Japan.
I have had to go to a handful of times for various reasons over the last several years. These mostly pertained to my religious training and ritual ceremonies on Mt. Hiei that would allow me to be of a certain rank and qualification to be able to fulfill the role of being Monshin’s successor. Although I will have many more years of dedicated hard work before I can even feel qualified to fill his shoes, Tendai-shu requires that one at least meets certain criteria to be an abbot of a temple, and being a formal teacher, able to take on students.
Therefore, over these many visits to Mt. Hiei, I did my Gyo training and ritually taken the 10 Major and 48 Minor Precepts, called Endon Jukai. Then, in this trip, I completed the second half of Kanjo (Skt. Abhisheka, Eng. Anointment), the first half being done pre-Covid. These are just some of the minimum requirements set forth by Tendai-shu to ensure those who take up such roles are trained and certified in a tradition over 1,200 years old. I can humbly say that these experiences indeed felt steeped in that tradition. The feeling I carry with me is one of awe, reverence and gratitude.
Although my family is not privy to these experiences directly, they were able to come with me to Mt. Hiei to see the Gyo-in, the training center where every Tendai priest in Japan has to train, to the Kaidan-in, where the precept vows are taken, and to visit Konpon Chudō, Enryakuji’ s Main Hall, home of Dengyō Daishi Saichō’s Eternal Dharma Lamp, a flame that has been burning for these last 1200 years. Admittedly, they may not fully grasp the importance these locations have on the Tendai lineage, but according to them, it still left an impression. And for me, it was important that they at least have a sense of where I go and what I’m doing when I have otherwise left them behind in the States.
However, it may be hard for them to comprehend the weight I feel when I have to complete these various functions. Because frankly, I am not doing these things for myself, but out of a responsibility and duty to the life and longevity of Tendai-shu outside of Japan; for the benefit of the Jiunzan Tendai-ji Sangha, the Tendai Buddhist Institute, and Tendai-shu in North America.
And yet, there is no way I could do all this without my family’s support. Nor without the direct support of numerous people who make these experiences possible, known and unknown. Therefore, this most recent visit I was not only going to Japan for the purpose of completing another of these rituals, but for my family and I to extend our deepest thanks to some of the other major parties who have made all of this possible. Namely, to the leadership of the Jigyōdan, the Tendai-shu Oversees Charitable Foundation, who have continually supported TBI over the last 25-30 years, and to the Ito family, who facilitated my Shidō Kegyō, a 35-day esoteric training period.
We first went to visit Chūson-ji, an UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Iwate prefecture, in the Northern portion of the main Honshu Island of Japan. We were invited there by Chūson-ji’s abbot, Ven. Okuyama Gensho, who happens to also be the Jigyodan’s Chairman. He had asked that I come and give a commemorative address to the 50th year anniversary of the Mutsu region’s Young Buddhist Association. This is an organization aimed on building partnerships between the younger monk/priests of that area to foster learning and cooperation, and to respond the ever-changing demands of what will be the religious leaders in their area. It was an amazing opportunity, and I got to share aspects of what we do at Tendai Buddhist Institute as a reflection of how we share the same lineage yet have to present that lineage within a very different cultural context.
We then went to Akishima, near Tokyo, to visit Rev. Ito Kenei and his family. Many at TBI know Rev. Ito. He has come to TBI for the past many years to assist in the yearly Gyo training here. He was my esoteric teacher during my Shidō Kegyō, which was held at his family’s temple, Kannon-ji. And thus, it was meaningful to me to revisit and give thanks to him and his family who gave up a portion of their Hondo space for my training, gave me their time, energies, teachings, accommodations, and supported me through the 35-day training. It was also good to be back in the altar space again where I spent so many hours a day during that time, and fun to see my son’s wide-eye reaction to the wear and tear I put on their raihan, the altar seat in front of the Gomadan (fire ritual altar).
Then, we were off to Kyoto, where we met with the Rev. Sato, the Jigyōdan’s Secretary General, who graciously took us to visit the abbot of Sanzen-in Monzeki (Imperial) temple, Ven. Kobori Konjistu. He is the Vice President of the Jigyōdan and led the services at TBI’s recent 20th/30th year anniversary in June. And finally, to visit Ven. Sugitani Gijun, the abbot of Myōhō-in and Sanjūsangendō, another Monzeki temple complex. He is the Jigyōdan’s President. These two men are incredibly significant within Tendai-shu, and it is an honor to have had any amount of their time at all. Accordingly, it was important to me that I express our deepest gratitude to their, and the Jigyōdan’s, continued support and advocacy, having been long-time proponents of the on-goings of Tendai Buddhist Institute.
Overall, it was a very meaningful trip – for myself, and for my family. Obviously, there were so many other details, events, experiences and bowls of ramen that I could describe, but I cannot help but feel the immensity of these particular events I’ve mentioned. Experiencing and embodying my Tendai lineage, meeting with various respected sensei, and finally coming back home to my most esteemed sensei, has been immensely rewarding, humbling and fills me with a tremendous sense of purpose. I am in no way finished with my training, and it is still a long road ahead, but I am honored and grateful to have these teachings, teachers, and sangha to help guide me along the way.
Gassho,
Koshin