The Integration of Sutra and Tantra by Professor Shoshin Ichishima Lecture 3. 17 July 2024

The Buddhist Society 100th Anniversary Memorial Lecture Series on Japanese Buddhism
www.thebuddhistsociety.org
Supported by the Numata Foundation

PART III TENDAI BUDDHISM
by Professor Shoshin Ichishima

Lecture 3. The Integration of Sutra and Tantra
by Professor Shoshin Ichishima

hosted online by The Buddhist Society 17th July 2024

Tendai Buddhism
Shoshin Ichishima

Online only
Wednesday 10th, Thursday 11th, and Wednesday 17th July at 6.30pm
ONLINE ONLY

Characteristics of the Japanese Tendai Buddhism;

a. Comprehensive Buddhism, the ideals of a Buddhist school based on One Great Perfect Teaching.

The idea that all the teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradictions and can be unified in one comprehensive and perfect system called En.

Saiho (767-822) transmitted not only the teachings of the T’ien-t’aiChih-I (538-597)tradition but also the Zen and esoteric Buddhism, and the bodhisattva precepts. He incorporated all of these elements under the rubric of the Japanese Tendai School to create a new school which was a synthesis of the four traditions. Mt. Hiei, the headquarters of the Tendai School, included specialists both in the esoteric tradition named Shanago and T’ien-t’ai proper Shikango, propagated the bodhisattva precepts, and later added the practice of nembutsu. Saicho crossed to T’ang China in A.D. 804 and received transmissions of these four traditions.

b. Establishment of the First Mahayana Precepts Platform at Mt. Hiei. According to Saicho’s Regulations for Tendai-hokke Annually Attotted Students the Sange Gakushoshiki, he emphasized Doshin, the person who seeks enlightenment benefitting sentient beings with bodhicitta, aspiration for enlightenment.

c. Bodhisattva precepts emphasizes unity, harmony of the real and mundane, shinzoku ikkan. Konponchudo, the head temple of Mt. Hiei shows equal level height for seat, between the main image of Yakushi Nyorai and worshippers, in the hall.

d. (Five)-Nembutsu-Kanjo (abhiśeka) no Daiji (values) by Eshinsozu Genshin (942-1017)

1. First, resolving to attain supreme enlightenment. oṃ bodhicittam utpādayami, I devote myself to generating supreme enlightenment.

2. The sudden and perfect Nembutsu. Namu Amidabutsu. The first letter A is emptiness, following Mi is the conventional truth, and Da is the Middle. The voice reciting the Nembutsu holds the virtue of the five precepts within them.

3. Third is the Lotus Nembutsu. namaḥ samanta-buddhānām bhaḥ Namu Myoho Isshin Kanbutsu. I devote myself to discerning Buddha’s Marvelous Dharma from the bottom of my heart.

4. Fourth is the secret Nembutsu. oṃ amṛta teje hara hūṃ I devote myself to the deity of nectar who pours forth eternal life. When the wind of the Sanskrit symbolic letter hrīḥ for Amitābha blows, then clouds are cleared away and Amitābha Buddha will appear.

5. Fifth is welcome Nembutsu to the pure land, the sūtra says if you want to be born to the Buddha land, you should constantly recite the nembutsu, Namu Amidabutsu.

About Professor Shoshin Ichishima

Born in 1939, Professor Shoshin Ichishima is the Abbot of Senzoji Temple, Hokuso District, Tendaishu

勧学院長天台宗 Head of the Academic Advisory Council, Tendai Denomination

Professor Emeritus, Taisho University

Chief Curator of Library, Taisho University大正大学図書館長

Director of Comparative Culture, Graduate Taisho University大正大学比較文化専攻長

Master of Art, Taisho University

Missionary, Tendai Mission of Hawaii

Lecturer in the Department of Religion, University of Hawaii

Visiting Associate Professor of Oriental Studies, University of California, Berkeley

Guest Lecturer teaching Tendai Shikyogi and Shoshikan, Summer Session of Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS), Berkeley

Major Publications

T’IEN-T’AI BUDDHISM, AN OUTLINE OF THE FOURFOLD TEACHINGS, Daiichi Shobo, 1983 (English Translation from Chinese)ää

The Third Process of Meditative Actualization by Kamalaśīla, Sanskrit English Tr., Annual of the Institute for Comprehensive Studies of Buddhism Taisho University, 1979

The First Mahāyāna Precepts Platform at Mt. Hiei by Dengyo Daishi Saicho, Invocations, Curriculum, Admonitions, and Feature of Japanese Tendai Buddhism, The Tendai Buddhist Sect Overseas Charitable Foundation, 2013

Tendai-shu Shido Gyoki, Juhachido 1995, Taizokai 2015, Kongokai 2017, Goma-ku 2017, Shido Kaiketsu & Koyajingu-saho 2018, Tendai Buddhist Sect Overseas Charitable Foundation

Kőrösi Csoma Sándor（1789-1842） Annual of the Institute for Comprehensive Studies of Buddhism, Taisho University, 1981

Rokuza Nembutsu and Its Dancing in Muzai Area,大正大学研究紀要82, 1997

『梵字悉曇教本上・中・下』悉曇蔵研究会、USS出版、2,019