Esoteric Buddhism (Shingon)

• Integrates Hinduism and Lamaist Buddhism with Mahayana Buddhism
  • Importance of mysterious, esoteric practices
• founded by Kūkai (774-835) known posthumously as Kōbō daishi
  
  
• Kūkai's philosophy
  
  
  • the truths of Buddhism are mysterious
  • some insights of Shaka can be understood from his sermons (Skt. sutras J. kyō)
  • greatest manifestation of the Buddha is Dainichi: the cosmic, absolute Buddha
  • Dainichi's truths are so profound and enormous that they cannot be conveyed to the uninitiated
  • insight can be achieved through three forms of practice
    • shingon (Skt. mantras) "true words" - these are secret words on phrases on which one repeats to gain insight
    • mandara (Skt. mandala) pictures of the Buddha with cosmological implications: see also a contemporary Shingon explanation
      • the Womb World
      • the Diamond World
    • ingei (Skt. mudras) mystical hand gestures one uses while meditating and observes in other practitioners
    • also used ritual implements:
      • kongō
      • bells
      • chimes
  • See also a contemporary gloss on the "Three Secrets"
    • mudra
    • mantra
    • meditation
      
• Kūkai's monastic center: Mt. Kōya (also known as Kongōbuji 金剛峰寺)
  • founded 816
  • mountain sites includes

 

• Social implications of Shingon Buddhism
  
  
  • appeals to the elitism of Heian courtiers
  • highly esthetic, with emphasis on fine points of color and detail
    
    
• Contemporary Shingon practice
  
  
  • Lay ritual
  • Clergy