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98-550: By the Kamakura period (1185–1333), Tendai had become one of the dominant forms of Japanese Buddhism , with numerous temples and vast landholdings. During the Kamakura period, various monks left Tendai (seeing it as corrupt) to establish their own "new" or " Kamakura " Buddhist schools such as Jōdo-shū , Jōdo Shinshū , Nichiren-shū and Sōtō Zen . The destruction of the head temple of Enryaku-ji by Oda Nobunaga in 1571, as well as

196-678: A bakufu ( 幕府 , tent government) , but because he was given the ancient high military title Sei-i Taishōgun by Emperor Go-Toba , the government is often referred to in Western literature as the Shogunate. Yoritomo followed the Fujiwara form of house government and had an administrative board ( 政所 , Mandokoro ) , a board of retainers ( 侍所 , Samurai-dokoro ) , and a board of inquiry ( 問注所 , Monchūjo ) . After confiscating estates in central and western Japan, he appointed stewards for

294-561: A climate that encouraged religious innovation. Nichiren and Ippen attempted at this time to create down-to-earth teachings that were rooted in the daily concerns of people. Nichiren rejected the focus on "next-worldly" salvation such a rebirth in a Pure Land and instead aimed for "this-worldly" personal and national liberation through a simple and accessible practice. Ippen emphasized a popularized form of nenbutsu recitation with an emphasis on practice rather than concentrating on an individual's underlying mental state. As time evolved

392-413: A land-based economy and the concentration of advanced military technologies in the hands of a specialized fighting class. Lords required the loyal services of vassals, who were rewarded with fiefs of their own; the fief holders then exercised local military rule. Once Minamoto no Yoritomo had consolidated his power, he established a new government at his family home in Kamakura . He called his government

490-475: A lasting basis. Intrafamily contention had long existed within the Minamoto, although Yoritomo had eliminated most serious challengers to his authority. When he died suddenly in 1199, his son Minamoto no Yoriie became shōgun and nominal head of the Minamoto, but Yoriie was unable to control the other eastern warrior families. By the early 13th century, a regency had been established by Hōjō Tokimasa —a member of

588-477: A member of the Southern Court ascended to the throne as Emperor Go-Daigo . Go-Daigo wanted to overthrow the shogunate, and he openly defied Kamakura by naming his own son his heir. In 1331 the shogunate exiled Go-Daigo, but loyalist forces, including Kusunoki Masashige , rebelled. They were aided by Ashikaga Takauji , a constable who turned against the Kamakura when dispatched to put down Go-Daigo's rebellion. At

686-582: A more thorough understanding of esoteric, Pure Land , and Tiantai teachings. Ennin brought important esoteric texts and initiation lineages, such as the Susiddhikāra-sūtra , the Mahāvairocana-sūtra and Vajraśekhara-sūtra . However, in later years, this range of teachings began to form sub-schools within Tendai Buddhism. By the time of Ryōgen , there were two distinct groups on Mt. Hiei,

784-452: A number of breakaway schools rose during the Kamakura period, the Tendai school used its patronage to try to oppose the growth of these rival factions—particularly Nichiren Buddhism , which began to grow in power among the merchant middle class, and Pure Land Buddhism , which eventually came to claim the loyalty of many of the lower classes. Enryaku-ji , the temple complex on Mount Hiei , became

882-663: A range of teachings became more marked in the doctrines of Saichō's successors, such as Ennin , Enchin and Annen 安然 (841–?). After Saichō, the Tendai order underwent efforts to deepen its understanding of teachings collected by the founder, particularly esoteric Buddhism. Saichō had only received initiation in the Diamond Realm Mandala, and since the rival Shingon school under Kūkai had received deeper training, early Tendai monks felt it necessary to return to China for further initiation and instruction. Saichō's disciple Ennin went to China in 838 and returned ten years later with

980-611: A separate form of Buddhism. Shōshin rejected the view that esoteric or mantrayana ( shingon ) Buddhism was superior to the Tendai Mahāyāna teaching of the one vehicle. According to Jiko Hazama, the Tendai Buddhist worldview advocates a comprehensive form of Buddhism which sees all Buddhist teachings as being unified under an inclusive reading of the ekayāna teaching of the Lotus Sutra . This holistic and inclusive form of Buddhism

1078-571: A single comprehensive synthesis. Hazama writes that "Saichō included both esoteric and exoteric teachings, and avoided an obsession with any one category of the Buddhist tradition such as Zen or the precepts. He sought instead to unite all of these elements on the basis of a single fundamental principle, the comprehensive and unifying ekayana spirit of the Lotus Sutra." Saichō believed that by consolidating all Buddhist ideas and practices and including all

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1176-476: A single framework based on the Lotus Sutra's One Vehicle. Hazama Jikō writes that the central feature of Tendai thought is its advocacy of the "One Great Perfect Teaching" (一大円教), "the idea that all the teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be unified in one comprehensive and perfect system." This idea was used by Saichō as a basis for his integration of the various schools of Buddhism into

1274-478: A sprawling center of power, attended not only by ascetic monks, but also by brigades of sōhei (warrior monks) who fought in the temple's interest. As a result, in 1571 Enryaku-ji was razed by Oda Nobunaga as part of his campaign to unify Japan. Nobunaga regarded the Mount Hiei monks as a potential threat or rival, as they could employ religious claims to attempt to rally the populace to their side. The temple complex

1372-576: Is is the expression of Dharma. In the major Tendai institutions like Taisho University and Mount Hiei , the main subjects of study are the Lotus Sutra, the works of the Tiantai Patriarch Zhiyi, the works of the founder Saichō and some later Tendai figures like Ennin. The thought of the Japanese Tendai school is founded on the classic Chinese Tiantai doctrines found in the works of patriarch Zhìyǐ . These include: Tendai Buddhism reveres

1470-725: Is based on seeing "that all phenomena are empty of substance, provisionally existing, and the middle, or both empty and provisionally existing simultaneously." While certain scholars have seen hongaku thought as denying the need for Buddhist practice, Stone notes that Tendai hongaku based texts like the Shinnyokan 真 如 観 (Contemplation of true suchness) and the Shuzenji-ketsu 修 禅 守 伏 (Decisions of Hsiuch’an-ssu) deny this idea. Instead, these texts teach various kinds of Buddhist practices, including nenbutsu, contemplation of emptiness (kukan 空観), meditations using Buddhist icons and mirrors, practicing

1568-512: Is based on the doctrinal synthesis of Tiantai Zhiyi, which was ultimately based on the Lotus Sutra . Tendai Buddhism has several philosophical insights which allow for the reconciliation of Buddhist doctrine with aspects of Japanese culture such as Shinto and Japanese aesthetics . These include Zhiyi's theory of perfect interfusion or unity of all phenomena (expressed in teachings like ichinen sanzen "three thousand realms in one thought") and

1666-596: Is first found in the Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana " where it refers to true suchness considered under the aspect of conventional deluded consciousness and thus denotes the potential for enlightenment in unenlightened beings." The idea developed in the Chinese Huayen tradition and influenced Chan Buddhism, as well as the thought of Saichō and Kūkai. Stone writes that the medieval Tendai doctrine regards "enlightenment or

1764-768: Is one of the most important post-Saichō Tendai thinkers. He wrote around a hundred works on Tendai doctrine and practice. According to Annen's theory of the "four ones" ( shiichi kyōhan 四一教判), all Buddhas are ultimately a single Buddha, all temporal moments are one moment, all Pure Lands are also just one Pure Land, and all teachings are interfused into one teaching. According to Lucia Dolce, Annen "systematized earlier and contemporary doctrines elaborated in both streams of Japanese esoteric Buddhism, Tōmitsu (i.e., Shingon) and Taimitsu (Tendai)," "critically reinterpreted Kūkai's thought, offering new understandings of crucial esoteric concepts and rituals," and he also "elaborated theories that were to become emblematic of Japanese Buddhism, such as

1862-546: The shōgun became a powerless figurehead. With the protection of the Emperor, a figurehead himself, strains emerged between Kyoto and Kamakura, and in 1221 the Jōkyū War broke out between the cloistered Emperor Go-Toba and the second regent Hōjō Yoshitoki . The Hōjō forces easily won the war, and the imperial court was brought under the direct control of the shogunate. The shōgun 's constables gained greater civil powers, and

1960-539: The Lotus Sutra as the highest teaching in Buddhism. In Saichō's writings, he frequently used the terminology hokke engyō "Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra" ( 法華円教 ) to imply it was the culmination of the previous sermons given by Gautama Buddha . Because of the central importance of the Lotus Sutra, Tendai Buddhism sees all Buddhist teachings and practices as being united under the One Vehicle (ekayana) taught in

2058-637: The Gempeitōkitsu (源平藤橘). One of these clans, the Minamoto clan are also known as Genji (源氏), and of these, the Saga Genji (嵯峨源氏) are descended from 52nd emperor Saga. Saga's son, Minamoto no Tōru , is thought to be an inspiration for the protagonist of the novel The Tale of Genji . Emperor Saga played an important role as a stalwart supporter of the Buddhist monk Kūkai . The emperor helped Kūkai to establish

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2156-536: The Heian period . The Saga Go-ryū school of ikebana has its headquarters in the temple and is named in his honour. Kugyō ( 公卿 ) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre- Meiji eras. In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to

2254-768: The Hōjō clan , a branch of the Taira that had allied itself with the Minamoto in 1180. The head of Hōjō was installed as a regent for the shōgun ; the regent was termed the Shikken during the period, although later positions were created with similar power such as the Tokusō and the Rensho . Often the Shikken was also the Tokusō and Rensho . Under the Hōjō,

2352-916: The Jimon and Sanmon : the Sammon-ha "Mountain Group" (山門派) followed Ennin and the Jimon-ha "Temple Group" (寺門派) followed Enchin . Sōō 建立大師相應 (831–918), a student of Ennin, is another influential Tendai figure. He is known for developing the ascetic practice circumambulating Mt. Hiei, living and practicing in the remote wilderness. This practice, which became associated with Fudō Myōō (Acala) and Sōō's hermitage at Mudō- ji, became quite influential in Tendai. A more elaborate and systematized practice based on Sōō's simple mountain asceticism developed over time, and came to be called kaihōgyō (回峰行). This remains an important part of Tendai Buddhism today. Akaku Daishi Annen 阿覺大師安然 (841–902?)

2450-663: The Kusuko Incident ; however, forces loyal to Emperor Saga, led by taishōgun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro , quickly defeated the Heizei rebels which thus limited the adverse consequences which would have followed any broader conflict. This same Tamuramaro is remembered in Aomori 's annual Nebuta Matsuri which feature a number of gigantic, specially-constructed, illuminated paper floats. These great lantern-structures are colorfully painted with mythical figures; and teams of men carry them through

2548-741: The Latter Day of the Law . The new social order of a declining aristocracy and ascending military and peasant classes resulted in new forms of religion, both indigenous and Buddhist while Indian and Chinese influence continued. Furthermore, the Shōen manor system which had taken root in this era resulted in the increased prosperity and literacy of peasants which in turn provided more financial support for Buddhist teachers and their studies. The first originators of Kamakura Buddhism schools were Hōnen and Shinran who emphasized belief and practice over formalism. In

2646-673: The Mongol -led Yuan dynasty were momentous events in Japanese history. Nichiren had predicted these invasions years earlier, in his Rissho Ankoku Ron , a letter to the regency. Japanese relations with China had been terminated in the mid-ninth century after the deterioration of the Tang dynasty and the turning inward of the Heian court. Some commercial contacts were maintained with the Southern Song dynasty in later centuries, but Japanese pirates made

2744-498: The Nara temple schools such as Kegon , Hossō , Sanron , and Ritsu continued to thrive and adapt to the trend of the times. At the start of the Kamakura period, the Mount Hiei monasteries had become politically powerful, appealing primarily to those capable of systematic study of the sect's teachings. The Shingon sect and its esoteric ritual continued to enjoy support largely from

2842-577: The Shingon School of Buddhism by granting him Tō-ji Temple in the capital Heian-kyō (present-day Kyoto ). Daikaku-ji ( 大覚寺 ) is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Ukyō-ku in Kyoto. The site was originally a residence of the emperor, and later various emperor conducted their cloistered rule from here. The artificial lake of the temple, Ōsawa Pond, is one of the oldest Japanese garden ponds to survive from

2940-632: The bodhisattva precepts for ordination (without the pratimoksha ), a practice tradition based on the "Four Integrated Schools" ( Pure Land , Zen , Mikkyo and Precepts), and an emphasis on the study of Chinese Esoteric Buddhist sources. David W. Chappell sees Tendai as "the most comprehensive and diversified" Buddhist tradition which provides a religious framework that is "suited to adapt to other cultures, to evolve new practices, and to universalize Buddhism ." Although Jianzhen (Jp. Ganjin ) had brought Tiantai teachings to Japan as early as 754, its teachings did not take root until generations later when

3038-675: The Emperor for a new, independent Tendai school in Japan. Because the emperor sought to reduce the power of the Hossō school , he granted this request, but with the stipulation that the new "Tendai" school would have two programs: one for esoteric Buddhism and one for exoteric Buddhist practice. The new Tendai school was therefore based on a combination of the doctrinal and meditative system of Zhiyi with esoteric Buddhist practice and texts. Tendai learning at Mount Hiei traditionally followed two curriculums: However, Emperor Kanmu died shortly thereafter, and Saichō

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3136-547: The Hossō scholar Tokuitsu frequently addressed this controversy as well as other related issues, such as how to categorize the various Buddhist teachings, and the value of certain Tendai teachings. Tendai thought also frames its understanding of Buddhist practice on the Lotus Sutra's teaching of upāya or hōben ( 方便 , expedient means) . Furthermore, Tendai uses a similar hierarchy as the one used in Chinese Tiantai to classify

3234-554: The Hossō school was primarily centered on the doctrine of the One Vehicle ( ekayana ) found in the Lotus Sutra which the Hossō school saw as not being an ultimate teaching. This was known as the San-Itsu Gon-Jitsu Ronsō (the debate over whether the One-vehicle or Three-vehicles, were the provisional or the real teaching) and it had a great influence on Japanese Buddhism. Saichō also studied esoteric Buddhism under Kūkai,

3332-413: The Japanese school. According to Hazama Jikō , the main characteristic of Tendai "is its advocacy of a comprehensive Buddhism, the ideal of a Buddhist school based on what is called the "One Great Perfect Teaching," the idea that all the teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be unified in one comprehensive and perfect system." Other unique elements include an exclusive use of

3430-494: The Kamakura period, as there are various theories about the year the Kamakura shogunate was established. During the early Kamakura period, the shogunate continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara which was only defeated in 1189. Then, the authority to the Kamakura rulers waned in the 1190s and power was transferred to the powerful Hōjō clan in the early 13th century with the head of the clan as regent ( Shikken ) under

3528-529: The Kamakura regime. The Hōjō regent presided over the council, which was a successful form of collective leadership. The adoption of Japan's first military code of law—the Goseibai Shikimoku —in 1232 reflected the profound transition from court to militarized society. While legal practices in Kyoto were still based on 500-year-old Confucian principles, the new code was a highly legalistic document that stressed

3626-485: The Lotus Sutra. Saichō frequently used the term ichijō bukkyō ( 一乗仏教 , "One Vehicle Buddhism") and referred to the second chapter of the Lotus Sutra as his main scriptural basis. Saichō taught that there were "three kinds of Lotus Sutra". According to Jacqueline Stone , these can be explained as follows: Stone writes that Saicho saw all Buddhist teachings as being the true "Lotus Sutra" and he therefore attempted to integrate all Buddhist teachings he had studied within

3724-473: The Northern Court contender was installed by Ashikaga, who established a new line of shoguns. Emperor Saga Emperor Saga ( 嵯峨天皇 , Saga-tennō , October 3, 786 – August 24, 842) was the 52nd emperor of Japan , according to the traditional order of succession . Saga's reign lasted from 809 to 823. Saga was the second son of Emperor Kanmu and Fujiwara no Otomuro . His personal name

3822-514: The Tendai Order") , presided over the first allotted ordinands in 827. The appointments of the zasu typically only lasted a few years, and therefore among the same generation of disciples, a number could be appointed zasu in one's lifetime. After Gishin, the next zasu of the Tendai school were: Enchō (円澄), Ennin 慈覺大師圓仁 (794–864), An'e (安慧), Enchin 智證大師圓珍 (814–891), Yuishu (惟首), Yūken (猷憲) and Kōsai (康済). By 864, Tendai monks were now appointed to

3920-458: The Tendai school's interests. Ryōgen is also known for this promotion of Pure Land nenbutsu recitation in his Gokuraku jōdo kuhon ōjōgi 極樂淨土九品往生義. Genshin 惠心僧都源信 (942–1017), a student of Ryōgen, wrote the famous Ōjōyōshū 往生要集 ("Essentials of Birth in the Pure Land"), a treatise on Pure Land practice which influenced later Pure Land Japanese figures. Although the Tendai sect flourished under

4018-439: The Tendai theory of hongaku (original enlightenment) which holds that enlightenment is intrinsic in all things. Also central to Tendai thought is the notion that the phenomenal world, the world of our experiences, fundamentally is an expression of the Buddhist law ( Dharma ). This notion poses the problem of how we come to have many differentiated experiences. Tendai Buddhism claims that each and every sense phenomenon just as it

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4116-630: The Yuan demands, dismissed the Goryeo messengers, and started defensive preparations. After further unsuccessful entreaties, the first Mongol invasion took place in 1274. More than 600 ships carried a combined ethnic Mongol, Han , and Korean force of 23,000 troops armed with catapults , combustible missiles, and bows and arrows. In fighting, these soldiers grouped in close cavalry formations against samurai, who were accustomed to one-on-one combat. Local Japanese forces at Hakata , on northern Kyūshū , defended against

4214-541: The advantageous mainland force, which, after one day of fighting was destroyed by the onslaught of a sudden typhoon . Kublai realized that nature, not military incompetence, had been the cause of his forces' failure so, in 1281, he launched a second invasion. Seven weeks of fighting took place in northwestern Kyūshū before another typhoon struck, again destroying the Yuan fleet, which was mostly composed of hastily acquired, flat-bottomed Chinese ships especially vulnerable to powerful typhoons. Although Shinto priests attributed

4312-472: The conclusion of the Genpei War , which saw the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The period is known for the emergence of the samurai , the warrior caste, and for the establishment of feudalism in Japan. There are various theories as to the year in which the Kamakura period and Kamakura shogunate began. In the past, the most popular theory was that the year was 1192, when Minamoto no Yoritomo

4410-473: The court nobles over the warriors' caste. The reality, however, was that the forces who had arisen against Kamakura had been set on defeating the Hōjō, not on supporting the emperor. Ashikaga Takauji finally sided with the Northern Court in a civil war against the Southern Court represented by Go-Daigo. The long War Between the Courts lasted from 1336 to 1392. Early in the conflict, Go-Daigo was driven from Kyoto, and

4508-462: The court was obliged to seek Kamakura's approval for all of its actions. Although deprived of political power, the court retained extensive estates. Several significant administrative achievements were made during the Hōjō regency. In 1225 the third regent Hōjō Yasutoki established the Council of State, providing opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority within

4606-452: The distinctions between "Old" and "New" Buddhisms blurred as they formed "cultic centers" and various forms of founder worship. The medieval structures of these schools evolved into hierarchical head temple-branch temple structures with associated rituals and forms of worship. This culminated in the state-sanctioned formalized schools of the Tokugawa period. The repulsions of two invasions by

4704-410: The duties of stewards and constables, provided means for settling land disputes, and established rules governing inheritances . It was clear and concise, stipulated punishments for violators of its conditions, and parts of it remained in effect for the next 635 years. As might be expected, the literature of the time reflected the unsettled nature of the period. The Hōjōki describes the turmoil of

4802-426: The estates and constables for the provinces. As shōgun , Yoritomo was both the steward and the constable general. The Kamakura shogunate was not a national regime, however, and although it controlled large tracts of land, there was strong resistance to the stewards. The regime continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara , but never brought either the north or the west under complete military control. However,

4900-625: The fifth degree of identity , though this attainment was a rare thing. Saichō understood the Lotus Sutra to be the "great direct path" to Buddhahood which could be attained in this very body. Saichō saw the story of the Dragon king's daughter in the Lotus Sutra's Devadatta chapter as evidence for this direct path ( jikidō ) to Buddhahood which did not require three incalculable eons (as was taught in some forms of Mahayana Buddhism), but could be achieved in three lives or even one lifetime. Later Tendai scholars like Rinshō, and Annen were much more optimistic about

4998-479: The following categories. The first major group are those teachings that rely on the three vehicles: The highest teachings are those who derive from the one vehicle: Another important doctrine in Japanese Tendai is that it is possible to attain "Buddhahood with this very body" ( sokushin jōbutsu ). This is closely related to the idea of original enlightenment. This idea was introduced by Saichō, who held that this described certain advanced practitioners who had realized

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5096-666: The founder of the Shingon school. Saichō borrowed esoteric texts from Kūkai for copying and they also exchanged letters for some time. However, they eventually had a falling out (in around 816) over their understanding of Buddhist esotericism. This was because Saichō attempted to integrate esoteric Buddhism ( mikkyo ) into his broader Tendai schema, seeing esoteric Buddhism as equal to the Tendai Lotus Sutra teaching. Saichō would write that Tendai and Mikkyo "interfuse with one another" and that "there should be no such thing as preferring one to

5194-482: The fourth leader of the Northern Fujiwara Fujiwara no Yasuhira was defeated by Yoritomo in 1189, and the 100-year-long prosperity of the north disappeared. The old court resided in Kyoto , continuing to hold the land over which it had jurisdiction, while newly organized military families were attracted to Kamakura. Despite a strong beginning, Yoritomo failed to consolidate the leadership of his family on

5292-489: The future. The invasions also caused disaffection among those who expected recompense for their help in defeating the Yuan dynasty. There were no lands or other rewards to be given, however, and such disaffection, combined with overextension and the increasing defense costs, led to a decline of the Kamakura bakufu . Additionally, inheritances had divided family properties, and landowners increasingly had to turn to moneylenders for support. Roving bands of rōnin further threatened

5390-469: The geographic shift of the capital away from Kyoto to Edo , further weakened Tendai's influence. In Chinese and Japanese , its name is identical to Tiantai , its parent Chinese Buddhism school. Both traditions emphasize the importance of the Lotus Sutra and revere the teachings of Tiantai patriarchs, especially Zhiyi . In English, the Japanese romanization Tendai is used to refer specifically to

5488-402: The idea that: Not only human beings, but ants and crickets, mountains and rivers, grasses and trees are all innately Buddhas. The Buddhas who appear in sutras, radiating light and endowed with excellent marks, are merely provisional signs. The "real" Buddha is the ordinary worldling. Indeed, the whole phenomenal world is the primordially enlightened Tathāgata . Tamura Yoshirō argued that hongaku

5586-451: The ideal state as inherent from the outset and as accessible in the present, rather than as the fruit of a long process of cultivation." Scholars also refer to the doctrinal system associated with this idea as "original enlightenment thought". Stone defines this as the "array of doctrines and concepts associated with the proposition that all beings are enlightened inherently." According to Stone, as these teachings developed, they grew to include

5684-575: The interpenetration of all phenomena. Hongaku teachings were passed down through various exoteric teaching lineages (which often involved secrecy), the largest of which were the Eshin-ryu and the Danna-ryu. At the core of these doctrinal systems was the Tendai practice of the "threefold contemplation in a single thought" (isshin sangan 一心 三観) which is taught in Zhiyi's Mohezhiguan . According to Stone, this practice

5782-498: The latter part of the 12th-century Dōgen and Eisai traveled to China and upon their return to Japan founded, respectively, the Sōtō and Rinzai schools of Zen. Dōgen rejected affiliations with the secular authorities whereas Eisai actively sought them. Whereas Eisai thought that Zen teachings would revitalize the Tendai school, Dōgen aimed for an ineffable absolute, a pure Zen teaching that

5880-525: The location of Saga's mausoleum . Soon after his enthronement , Saga himself took ill. At the time the retired Heizei had quarreled with his brother over the ideal location of the court, the latter preferring the Heian capital, while the former was convinced that a shift back to the Nara plain was necessary, and Heizei, exploiting Saga's weakened health, seized the opportunity to foment a rebellion, known historically as

5978-429: The monk Saichō 最澄 (767–822) joined the Japanese missions to Imperial China in 804 and founded Enryaku-ji on Mount Hiei. The future founder of Shingon Buddhism, Kūkai , also traveled on the same mission; however, the two were on separate ships and there is no evidence of their meeting during this period. From the city of Ningbo (then called Míngzhōu 明州), Saichō was introduced by the governor to Dàosuì (道邃), who

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6076-415: The noble families in Kyoto . However, with the increasing popularity of the new Kamakura schools, the older schools partially eclipsed as the newer "Kamakura" schools found followers among the new Kamakura government, and its samurai . . The times that gave way to the Kamakura period were marked by political and military conflict, natural disasters, and social malaise attributed to the perceived arrival of

6174-545: The open seas dangerous. At a time when the shogunate had little interest in foreign affairs and ignored communications from China and the Goryeo dynasty , news arrived in 1268 of a new Mongol-led regime in Beijing . Its leader, Kublai , demanded that the Japanese pay tribute to the new Yuan dynasty and threatened reprisals if they failed to do so. Unused to such threats, Kyoto raised the diplomatic counter of Japan's divine origin, rejected

6272-455: The opportunities for other military lords to exercise judicial and legislative authority and the government established a council centered around collective leadership. The period saw the adoption of Japan's first military code of law in 1232. There was an expansion of Buddhist teachings into Old Buddhism ( Kyū Bukkyō ) and New Buddhism ( Shin Bukkyō ). The Kamakura period marked Japan's transition to

6370-605: The other." Meanwhile, Kūkai saw mikkyo as different from and fully superior to kengyo (exoteric Buddhism) and was also concerned that Saichō had not finished his esoteric studies personally under him. Saichō's efforts were also devoted to developing a Mahāyāna ordination platform that required the Bodhisattva Precepts of the Brahmajala Sutra only, and not the pratimokṣa code of the Dharmaguptaka vinaya , which

6468-556: The patronage of the Imperial House of Japan and the noble classes, by the end of the Heian period , it experienced an increasing breakdown in monastic discipline, plus political entanglements with rival factions of the Genpei War , namely the Taira and Minamoto clans. Due to its patronage and growing popularity among the upper classes, the Tendai sect became not only respected, but also politically and even militarily powerful, with major temples having vast landholdings and fielding their own monastic armies of sōhei (warrior-monks). This

6566-535: The period in terms of the Buddhist concepts of impermanence and the vanity of human projects. The Heike Monogatari narrated the rise and fall of the Taira clan , replete with tales of wars and samurai deeds. A second literary mainstream was the continuation of anthologies of poetry in the Shin Kokin Wakashū , of which twenty volumes were produced between 1201 and 1205. During the Kamakura period six new Buddhist schools (classified by scholars as "New Buddhism" or Shin Bukkyo ) were founded: During this time

6664-454: The possibility of Buddhahood in this very body and claimed certain esoteric practices could lead to Buddhahood rapidly in only one lifetime, while de-emphasizing the concern with achieving Buddhahood in future lives. They also further extended the application of this idea to individuals at the lower bodhisattva levels of the degrees of identity schema and also argued that one could jump over bodhisattva stages. According to Groner, this allowed "for

6762-535: The possibility that worldlings who still have some of the coarser defilements might experience sokushinjobutsu." However, other Tendai figures like Hōjibō Shōshin (1136–1220 or 1131–1215), an important Tendai commentator on Zhiyi's works, were more traditional and critical of ideas concerning the rapid realization of Buddhahood for everyone (without denying the possibility of Buddhahood in this body). For Shōshin, sokushin jōbutsu applied to those who had "superior religious faculties" because they "have previously practiced

6860-433: The potential for full buddhahood and thus that the Lotus Sutra was a teaching for all sentient beings. This teaching in particular was a major point of contention with the Japanese Hossō ( Yogacara ) school in Japan who espoused the Five Natures Doctrine ( 五姓各別 , goshō kakubetsu ) which argues that not all being can become Buddhas, since some do not have the seeds for Buddhahood. The heated debates between Saichō and

6958-405: The powerful sōgō ( 僧綱 , "Office of Monastic Affairs") with the naming of An'e (安慧) as the provisional vinaya master. Other examples include Enchin's appointment to the Office of Monastic Affairs in 883. While Saichō had opposed the Office during his lifetime, within a few generations disciples were now gifted with positions in the Office by the Imperial Family . By this time, Japanese Buddhism

7056-519: The pre-existing schools of Tendai , founded by Saichō (767–822), Shingon , founded by Kūkai (774–835), and the great temples of Nara , collectively classified by scholars as "Old Buddhism" or Kyū Bukkyo , continued to thrive, adapt, and exert influence. For example, all of the above six reformers had studied at the Tendai Mt. Hiei at some point in their lives. Throughout the Kamakura period, older Buddhist sects including Shingon , Tendai , and

7154-491: The realization of buddhahood by grasses and trees ( sōmoku jōbutsu )" as well as hongaku shisō thought. These various post-Saichō Tendai figures also developed the Tendai doctrine of "the identity of the purport of Perfect and Esoteric teachings" ( enmitsu itchi 円密一致) which according to Ōkubo Ryōshun "refers to the harmony and agreement between the Perfect teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Esoteric Buddhism." Ryōgen 良源 (912–985)

7252-471: The rule of the shogunate. With this, the Kamakura period ended. There was a short re-establishment (1333–1336) of imperial rule under Go-Daigo assisted by Ashikaga Takauji and Nitta Yoshisada but would later lead to direct rule under Ashikaga, forming the Ashikaga shogunate in the succeeding Muromachi period . Several significant administrative achievements were made during the Hōjō regency. These provided

7350-465: The same time, Nitta Yoshisada , another eastern chieftain, rebelled against the shogunate, which quickly disintegrated, and the Hōjō were defeated. In the swell of victory, Go-Daigo endeavored to restore imperial authority and tenth-century Confucian practices. This period of reform, known as the Kenmu Restoration , aimed at strengthening the position of the emperor and reasserting the primacy of

7448-585: The shogun which became a powerless figurehead. The later Kamakura period saw the invasions of the Mongols in 1274 and again in 1281. To reduce the amount of chaos, the Hōjō rulers decided to decentralize power by allowing two imperial lines – Northern and Southern court , to alternate the throne. In the 1330s, the Southern court under Emperor Go-Daigo revolted and eventually led to the Siege of Kamakura in 1333 which ended

7546-523: The stability of the shogunate. The Hōjō reacted to the ensuing chaos by trying to place more power among the various great family clans. To further weaken the Kyoto court, the bakufu decided to allow two contending imperial lines—known as the Southern Court or junior line and the Northern Court or senior line—to alternate on the throne. The method worked for several successions until

7644-487: The streets as crowds shout encouragement. This early ninth century military leader is commemorated in this way because he is said to have ordered huge illuminated lanterns to be placed at the top of hills; and when the curious Emishi approached these bright lights to investigate, they were captured and subdued by Tamuramaro's men. The years of Saga's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name ( nengō ). In ancient Japan, there were four noble clans,

7742-408: The threefold contemplation in the midst of daily activities and recitation of the daimoku during when one is approaching death. Kamakura period The Kamakura period ( 鎌倉時代 , Kamakura jidai , 1185–1333) is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate , officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shōgun Minamoto no Yoritomo after

7840-557: The two defeats of the Mongols to a "divine wind" or kamikaze , a sign of heaven's special protection of Japan, the invasion left a deep impression on the shogunate leaders. Long-standing fears of the Chinese threat to Japan were reinforced. The victory also convinced the warriors of the value of the shogunate form of government. The Yuan invasions had been a drain on the economy, and new taxes had to be levied to maintain defensive preparations for

7938-408: The varieties of Buddhism, his new school would allow all to "enter the great sea of Thusness which has a single flavor" (真如一味の大海) by following the path of goodness and that this would protect the nation. According to Hazama Jikō "these themes run throughout Saichō's work" including his Hokke shuku 法華秀 句 and Shugo kokkai sho 守護国界章. Tendai thought also vigorously defends the idea that all beings have

8036-522: The various other sutras in the Buddhist canon in relation to the Lotus Sutra , and it also follows Zhiyi 's original conception of Five Periods Eight Teachings or gojihakkyō ( 五時八教 ) . This is based on the doctrine of expedient means, but was also a common practice among East Asian schools trying to sort the vast corpus of writing inherited from India. Annen provided a new doctrinal classification system (based on Zhiyi's system) for Japanese Tendai. All Buddhist teachings are seen as being included into

8134-491: The various provisional teachings" in many previous lives. The Tendai school was the locus of the development of the Japanese doctrine of hongaku 本覚 (innate or original enlightenment), which holds that all beings are enlightened inherently and which developed in Tendai from the cloistered rule era (1086–1185) through the Edo period (1688–1735). According to Jacqueline Stone, the term "original enlightenment" itself (Chn. pen-chileh )

8232-483: Was Kamino ( 神野 ) . Saga was an "accomplished calligrapher" able to compose in Chinese who held the first imperial poetry competitions ( naien ). According to legend, he was the first Japanese emperor to drink tea . Saga is traditionally venerated at his tomb; the Imperial Household Agency designates Saganoyamanoe no Misasagi ( 嵯峨山上陵 , Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum) , in Ukyō-ku, Kyoto , as

8330-677: Was a major Buddhist intellectual in medieval Japanese Buddhism and the head of the Tendai curriculum at Mount Hiei. Shōshin wrote numerous works and commentaries, and is most known for his commentaries on the writings of Zhiyi, the Personal Notes on the Three Major Works of Tendai (Tendai sandaibu shiki 天台三大部私記). This is "the most detailed study on Tendai doctrine until the twentieth century," according to Matthew Don McMullen. Shōshin also wrote on esoteric Buddhism, which he interpreted in line with classical Tiantai doctrine, instead of seeing it as

8428-478: Was a more narrowly-focused set of practices (e.g. daimoku for the Nichiren school, zazen for Zen, nembutsu for Pure Land schools, etc.) in contrast to the more integrated approach of the Tendai. In spite of the rise of these new competing schools which saw Tendai as being "corrupt", medieval Tendai remained a "a rich, varied, and thriving tradition" during the medieval period according to Jacqueline Stone. Although

8526-592: Was a non-dual teaching which saw all existents as interpenetrating and mutually identified. This negates any ontological difference between Buddhas and common people as well as between pure lands and mundane worlds. Tamura argued that this move re-affirms the relative phenomenal world as an expression of the ultimate nondual reality and is found in phrases like "the worldly passions are precisely enlightenment" and "birth and death are precisely nirvana". These lineages also transmitted their teachings through transmission rituals which made use of mirrors to illustrate nonduality and

8624-511: Was also influenced by his study of Huayan (Jp. Kegon) philosophy under Gyōhyō 行表 (720–797) and this was his initial training before going to China. Because of the Imperial Court's interest in Tiantai as well as esoteric Buddhism, Saichō quickly rose in prominence upon his return. He was asked by Emperor Kanmu (735–806) to perform various esoteric rituals, and Saichō also sought recognition from

8722-488: Was appointed Seii Taishōgun ( 征夷大将軍 ) . Later, the prevailing theory was that the year was 1185, when Yoritomo established the Shugo ( 守護 ) , which controlled military and police power in various regions, and the Jitō ( 地頭 ) , which was in charge of tax collection and land administration. Japanese history textbooks as of 2016 do not specify a specific year for the beginning of

8820-524: Was dominated by the Tendai school to a much greater degree than Chinese Buddhism was by its forebear, the Tiantai. Philosophically, the Tendai school did not deviate substantially from the beliefs that had been created by the Tiantai school in China. However, Saichō had also transmitted numerous teachings from China was not exclusively Tiantai, but also included Zen (禪), Pure Land, the esoteric Mikkyō (密教), and Vinaya School (戒律) elements. The tendency to include

8918-492: Was finally granted and the traditional "Four Part Vinaya" ( Chinese : 四分律 ) was replaced by the Tendai Bodhisattva Precepts. Seven days after Saichō died, the Imperial Court granted permission for the new Tendai Bodhisattva Precept ordination process which allowed Tendai to use an ordination platform separate from the powerful schools in Nara . Gishin, Saichō's disciple and the first " zasu " ( 座主 , "Head of

9016-489: Was later rebuilt, and continues to serve as the head Tendai temple today. Kamakura period Tendai also produced a number of important figures of its own, including Jien 慈圓 (1155–1225), known as a historian and a poet, who wrote the Gukanshō (a religious history of Japan) and numerous devotional poems. Other important figures include Shōshin 證眞 (fl. c. 1153–1214) and Shinsei 眞盛 (1443–1495). Hōjibō Shōshin 寶地房證眞 (active 1153–1214)

9114-600: Was not allocated any ordinands until 809 with the reign of Emperor Saga . Saichō's choice of establishing his community at Mount Hiei also proved fortuitous because it was located at the northeast of the new capital of Kyoto and thus was auspicious in terms of Chinese geomancy as the city's protector. The remainder of Saichō's life was spent in heated debates with notable Hossō figures, particularly Tokuitsu , and maintaining an increasingly strained relationship with Kūkai (from whom he received esoteric initiations) to broaden his understanding of esoteric Buddhism. The debates with

9212-462: Was not tied to beliefs and practices from Tendai or other orthodox schools and with little guidance for leading people how to live in the secular world. The final stage of Kamakura Buddhism, occurring some 50 years after Hōnen, was marked by new social and political conditions as the aristocracy declined, the military class asserted new influence, and Buddhist-infused local kami practice among peasants flourished. These changing conditions created

9310-963: Was not unusual for major temples at the time, as rival schools also fielded armies, such as the head temple of the Yogācāra school, Kōfuku-ji . With the outbreak of the Genpei War, Tendai temples even fought one another, such as Mount Hiei clashing with Mii-dera depending on their political affiliations. In response to the perceived worldliness of the powerful Tendai school, a number of low-ranking Tendai monks became dissatisfied and sought to establish independent schools of their own. The major figures of "New Kamakura Buddhism" like Nichiren , Hōnen , Shinran , Eisai and Dōgen —all famous thinkers in non-Tendai schools of Japanese Buddhism—were all initially trained as Tendai monks. Tendai practices and monastic organization were adopted to some degree or another by each of these new schools, but one common feature of each school

9408-454: Was the 18th abbot of the head temple Enryakuji at Mount Hiei. He was an influential politician closely tied to the Fujiwara clan as well as a scholar. Due to his influence, the Tendai school became the dominant Buddhist tradition in Japanese intellectual life and at the imperial court. Due to Ryōgen's influence, Fujiwara family members also came to occupy important positions at Tendai temples. Ryōgen also established an army on Mt. Hiei to protect

9506-400: Was the seventh Tiantai patriarch, and later he journeyed to Tiantai Mountain for further study. After receiving teachings and initiations on Chan , Precepts and Chinese Esoteric Buddhism, Saichō devoted much of his time to making accurate copies of Tiantai texts and studying under Dàosuì. By the sixth month of 805, Saichō had returned to Japan along with the official mission to China. Saichō

9604-648: Was traditionally used in East Asian Buddhist monasticism. Saichō saw the precepts of the small vehicle ( hinayana ) as no longer being necessary. His ideas were attacked by the more traditional Nara schools as well as the Sōgō (the Office of Monastic Affairs) and they were not initially approved by the imperial court. Saichō wrote the Kenkairon to respond to their criticisms. By the time that Saichō died in 822, his yearly petition

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