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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:
1.
2.
3.

Functions of Buddhism in
early Japan:
1.
2.
3.

Korean immigrants
Korean missionaries
Korean and Japanese
diplomats
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


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
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During Nara period, Chineseinfluenced 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
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relations product of Heian
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
4
SHINGON 眞言
(Chinese Zhenyan)





Founded by Kukai 天海 (774835), Japanese monk who
studied in China
Based on Chinese Zhenyan, it
teaches a ten-stage theory of
progressive Buddhaconsciousness
Uses mandalas (diagrams),
mantras (chants), and mudras
(gestures) to facilitate Buddhaconsciousness
Based at Mt. Koya 高野
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 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”
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Kamakura depiction of Buddhist hells
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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(otherpower) of Amida can save
Shinran’s Jodo Shinshu淨土
眞宗 (True Pure Land) now
dominant in Japan
9
NICHIREN 日運 (1222-1282)
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
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Ex-Tendai monk
Exiled twice (1260-1263,
1271-1274) for mappoinspired opposition to state
Emphasis on jiriki through
“Three Secret Teachings” of
Lotus Sutra:
1.
2.
3.

Eternal Buddha = Buddhanature in all
Title of Lotus Sutra
overcomes ignorance and
reveals Buddha-nature
Chanting Lotus Sutra enables
realization of hongaku 本學
(original enlightenment)
Opposes all other forms of
Buddhism as false
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RINZAI ZEN 臨濟禪



Introduced by Eisai 熒西
(1141-1215) from China, but
also influenced by TendaiShingon esotericism and NeoConfucianism
Unpopular at court, but
popular among samurai
Kensho 見性 (seeing one’s
true nature) achieved by jiriki:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Vajrayana visualization
nembutsu recitation
zazen 坐禪 (seated
meditation)
koan公案 (riddles)
Hugely influential on
Japanese arts and literature
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SÔTÔ ZEN 曹狪禪



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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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