Systematizing Tantric Practices in Japanese Buddhism Essay

Systematizing Tantric Practices in Japanese Buddhism - Essay Example This recitation was passed down as an oral tradition until the first century BCE when the Pali Canon was first recorded in Sri Lanka. The various schools of Buddhist thought were broadly categorized as the Southern school and the Northern school. The Southern schools also referred to the Theravadin schools, relating to the Individual Vehicle or Hinayana and prevalent more in Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand. The Northern Schools corresponded to the Universal Vehicle or Mahayana and developed in and spread to China, Japan, Mongolia and Tibet. In the Mahayana there is the Perfection Vehicle or Paramitayana, which is also known as the sutra system and the Adamantine Vehicle or Vajrayana. Vajrayana is also known as Tantrayana through practice of the four classes of tantras which are 1) Action or Kriya, 2) Performance or Carya, 3) Yoga or Anuttara and 4) Mahaanuttara or Highest Yoga tantra. To some extent, Japanese Buddhism can be thought of as a series of imports from China. The arrival of Buddhism in Japan has three main characteristics. Firstly, it did not come to Japan on a popular level, but was only accepted by the imperial court and then disseminated in the country from the top. Secondly, Buddhism was often associated with magic powers, and was used by the court as a means of preventing or curing disease, bringing rain and abundant crops etc. Thirdly, Buddhism did not replace the indigenous kami, but always recognized their existence and power. Nara Period. The initial period, later known as the Nara period, saw the introduction onto Japanese soil of the six great Chinese schools, including the Hua-Yen and Lu, which became respectively the Kegon and Ritsu in Japanese. However, the Buddhism of this early period was not a practical religion, being more the domain of learned priests. This led to the growth of "people's priests" Their practice was a combination of Buddhist and Taoist elements, and the incorporation of shamanistic features of the indigenous religion. Heian Period (794-1185). The comprehensive syntheses of the Chinese doctrine by Saicho and Kukai, two systems of teaching and practice were created. Saicho founded the Tendai School, whose essential doctrine was the teaching in the Lotus Sutra that the possibility of salvation is given to all. Kukai propounded a doctrine known as the True Word, Shingon. Esoteric practices were very influential to the point that they dominated the Heian period. Kamakura Period (1185-1333) The Tendai and Shingon schools declined, and more earthy democratic movements such as Zen and the devotional schools advanced. The first of the three great traditions of Kamakura Buddhism was the doctrine of the Pure Land. Genku (1133-1212), better known as Honen concentrated on an intensified religious feeling which found expression in the simple invocation of the name Namu-Amida-Butsu, stamped by unshakeable faith in rebirth into Amida's paradise. Honen's successor, Shinran-Shonin (1173-1262) founded the True Sect of the Pure Land, Jodo-shinshu. He explained that the doctrine, practice, belief and realization are all given by Amida Buddha and that nothing depends on one's "own power" (jiriki). Instead, everything depends on the "power of