Japanese Shingon Esoteric Buddhism
Introduction
Buddhism, both as a religion and a philosophical thought, originated in India in modern-day Nepal and has come a long way since its founding 2500 years ago.
From the foothills of the Himalayas, the practice first spread to the far corners of the East over the next two millennia, heavily influencing the Asian collectivist cultures.
In the 20th century, the influx of Asian immigrants brought Buddhism with them to the New World.
Subsequently, this form of mystical practice and harmonious philosophy has intrigued and captured western curiosity.
In addition to the millions of Buddhists in Asian cultures, multitudes of Americans and Europeans from various walks of life regard themselves as Buddhists.
Buddhism is much more than a religion to the adherents of this form of theology.
It is a spiritual blueprint and a discipline on how one should live.
According to Buddhist philosophy, life’s ultimate purpose is to bring an end to the individual’s suffering caused by worldly ambitions and desires.
The means to this end is achieved through enlightenment (i.e., following Buddha’s teachings to reach nirvana or Buddha consciousness).
The Buddha, The Dhamma & The Sangha
Central themes of Buddhist theology are the “Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha,” also referred to as the “Three Refuges” (Gombrich1).
The Buddha- which translates into ‘Enlightened One’- refers to the Indian prince Siddhartha Gautama, the last living Buddha (565 BC- 486 BC).
The Dharma, “which constitutes progress towards salvation” (Gombrich24), encompasses Buddha’s teaching and philosophy that is essential to achieve Nirvana.
The Sangha is the priesthood or the congregation of monks that Buddha established.
History of Buddhism
Before becoming enlightened (i.e., a Buddha), Siddhartha lived a privileged life in the confines of a palace.
Throughout his upbringing, no attempt had been spared to shelter him from certain foreseeable truths: such as old age, sickness, and one’s mortality.
One day, however, the young prince is confronted with these harsh realities of life when journeying from the palace.
Once foreign to his consciousness, these new revelations set in motion the events that would etch his name in history.
For Siddhartha, the experience served as an awakening.
It drove him to renounce his worldly positions and titles and embark on a journey to seek enlightenment.
His first attempt to achieve this end was by adopting the life of an ascetic.
According to the Pāli Canon (Buddhist collection of sutras), after taking the practice of asceticism to the extremes for six years, it became evident to Siddhartha that this was not the right path.
It occurred to him that bodily austerity was one of the two extremes and that the ‘Middle Way,’ or the ‘Middle Path’ between austerity and lavishness, leads to enlightenment.
Siddhartha eventually reached Buddha consciousness after an extended meditation under a Bodhi tree. The Hindu deity Mara, the Buddhist personification of death and desire, tested his resolve.
Buddhist Sects & Denominations
Like almost all religions, Buddhist theology has been subjected to various interpretations, manifesting into different sects and denominations.
The Theravada and the Mahayana are two primary Buddhist denominations that have achieved prominence.
Interestingly, the Theravada and the Mahayana credos are considered part of ‘Exoteric’ Buddhist thought, while a bit less eminent sect of Buddhism – “Esoteric” Vajrayāna – lingers in the shadows.
The Vajrayāna tradition is officially a derivative and a part of Mahayana Buddhism.
The differences that set Vajrayāna Buddhism apart from Mahayana are not indifferent construals of the Pāli Canon but the absorption of non-Hindu deities and philosophy into the practice of Buddhism.
In a sense, Vajrayāna Buddhism resembles a syncretic religion.
Two different sub-sects have emerged from the Vajrayāna school of thought. Tibetan Buddhism and Shingon Buddhism.
The latter, Shingon (esoteric) Buddhism, is found exclusively in Japanese culture.
Given my admiration for Japanese culture and fascination with the occult, this esoteric Buddhism theme caught my attention.
I visited the Japanese Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Little Tokyo, downtown LA for this post.
The temple was established in Los Angeles in 1912.
It is a nonprofit organization officially known as Koyasan Beikoku Betsuin of LA.
In addition to offering various Buddhist and community services, the temple serves as the North and South American headquarters for the Shingon Buddhist sect.
Shingon Esoteric Buddhism
The temple is dedicated to the practice of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, also referred to by the Japanese as ‘Mikkyô’ or ‘secret teaching.’
Shingon or ‘True Word’ Buddhism is generally recognized as ‘Esoteric/Tantric Buddhism.’
According to its followers, this form of spirituality depicts the way to “finding everlasting peace and harmony.”
This end is achieved by the “chanting of mantras or true mystical words” (Temples Pamphlet).
One of the keystones of Shingon Buddhism is that it strives towards attaining “enlightenment in this very life.”
This is accomplished by transforming the “human condition …through the act of the Three Mysteries” (Temples Pamphlet).
Due to the complexity of the topic, specific workings of the religion are unintelligible for a novice observer like me and shall not be discussed.
I am thankful to the friendly and helpful staff of Koyasan Buddhist Temple, particularly to Rev. K, for answering my various questions.
However, my understanding of Buddhism conveyed in this post would not have been possible without the aid of one Mr. N.
Mr. N is a Japanese-American visiting the temple (no official affiliation).
Once learning of the purpose of my visit (i.e., college assignment), he took it upon himself to educate me in Buddhism.
I sensed that he was concerned that my ignorance of the subject would lead me to paint an inaccurate portrait of Shingon Buddhism.
Whatever his motivation, I immensely appreciate his time and detailed religious insight.
Temple Description
Towering at the entrance of the Koyasan temple is a statue of Shugyo Daishi. Shugyo Daishi was a prominent figure in the Shingon School of thought.
In addition, various arts and religious artifacts from Japanese cultures, such as stone lanterns and Buddha statues, were displayed at the entrance.
The inside of the temple was very awe-inspiring. Consistent with the Vajrayāna creed, the walls of the temple’s interior are adorned with images of various mythical deities and celestial beings.
In addition, statues of various Buddhas can be observed at the main hall altar. Chief among them is Mahavairocana, a Cosmic Buddha/Dainichinyorai.
Furthermore, several other esoteric deities are enshrined in the temple’s main hall. The main altar of the temple displayed an assortment of Buddhist objects.
This included small incense burners, the twin mandalas, scrolls, and spiritual banners. There was a second, a much smaller altar, located at the opposite end of the temple.
Naturally, there was a statue of a Buddha present. However, the rest of the continents were challenging to observe, and Rev. K did not care to elaborate too much about them.
Nevertheless, he informed me that the altar is designated to hold the ashes of deceased Buddhists’ before the final memorial service.
Another interesting object that merits acknowledgment is an impressive double-sided drum positioned on a stand.
I was informed that the drum is struck several times during various rituals and ceremonies.
Also, a pot of burning incense was placed in front of the main altar, where I observed two Japanese worshipers offer their prayers to the deities.
Christianity & Buddhism
When comparing and contrasting Christian and Buddhist theologies, the two religions share some important tenets (e.g., compassion, selflessness, peace, etc.).
Nonetheless, there are also fundamental differences that stand out. Chiefly is the belief in a monotheistic GOD and the story of Creation.
All denominations of Buddhists reject these vital components of Christianity.
This includes the polytheistic Mahayana traditions.
Another significant difference that sets apart the two religions is the belief in reincarnation.
While the soul’s karmic transmigration is an essential element for most Buddhist denominations (Shingon excluded), in its totality, it has no bearing on Christianity.
Furthermore, Christ and Buddha, respectively, are perceived differently in each religion.
Buddhists regard Buddha as a great teacher; through whom (i.e., his doctrines and discipline) individuals can obtain enlightenment and achieve liberation.
For Christians, Christ is revered as the SON of the living GOD, who will lead them to salvation.
I respect the former, give credence to the latter, and leave the rest to the theologians to baffle over.
References
Gombrich, Richard: Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benares to Modern Colombo. New York: Routledge Publishing, 2006. Print
Koyasan Buddhist Temples Official Pamphlet