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From Discover Japan: Kukai and Mandala for the First Time
My First Kukai and Mandala
Did you know that Kobo-Daishi Kukai, who spread esoteric Buddhism in Japan, was actually the most powerful creator and savior in Japanese history? The three-dimensional mandala, which visualizes the esoteric teachings of esoteric Buddhism, is truly the 3D art of esoteric Buddhism.
Furthermore, he is branding Koyasan as a major esoteric Buddhism city in the region using means similar to crowdfunding in the modern world. Furthermore, as a multi-creator, including calligrapher, educator, poet, performer, and developer ……, Kobo-Daishi Kukai worked hard for the world and people, and conducted social design based on esoteric Buddhism. Thus, the special feature interprets Kobo-Daishi Kukai in a modern way. It also reveals eye-opening hints that will be useful for the future.
Three-dimensional by mandala Buddha image
The three-dimensional mandala of Buddhist statues on display at the special exhibition “National Treasure Toji Temple: Kukai and the Buddhist Mandala,” which was held at the Tokyo National Museum from March 2019 to introduce the temple treasures of Toji Temple in Kyoto, which was the fundamental center of Shingon esoteric Buddhism. The three-dimensional mandala in the auditorium of Toji Temple in Nara, which consists of 21 Buddhist statues, was created based on Kukai’s conception.
Each of the 21 Buddhist statues is a five-wisdom Nyorai (The Esoteric Buddhist view of the world consists of two worlds: the Womb Realm, which represents the truth of Dainichi Nyorai, the master of Buddhism, and the Vajrayana Realm, which represents wisdom. The five kinds of wisdom possessed by the Dainichi Nyorai are called the Five Wisdoms (Dharma Realm somatic wisdom, Dainenkyouchi wisdom, Equality wisdom, Myokansachi wisdom, and Josasachi wisdom), and the Goryorai in the Vajrayana realm, which symbolizes the Five Wisdoms, is called the Five Wisdom Nyorai. The Buddha is Dainichi Nyorai in the center, with Yakushi Nyorai, Hosho Nyorai, Amida Nyorai, and Shakyamuni Nyorai at the two ends.)
Furthermore, the five great bodhisattvas (one of the combinations of bodhisattvas (those in training to search for truth and enlightenment), which are the objects of Buddhist faith and image-making) and
The Five Great Myoo (Fudo Myoo, Kudasan Myoo, Gundari Myoo, Daideitoku Myoo, and Vajrayana Myoo, a combination of five Myoo who play a central role among the Myoo, an object of faith in Buddhism and a dignity unique to esoteric Buddhism), and
Heaven (meaning “the world above the human world in Buddhism). There are two main types of heavenly deities: those who are armed, such as the Four Heavenly Kings, and those who are gentle, such as Ksitigarbha. The “Four Heavenly Kings” are a combination of the four gods of India, who were originally gods of India, but were transformed into precious images as protective deities).
About the seal
The origin of the various forms of seals (also known as in-sang, in-qi, or secret seals), which are made with the fingers of both hands, can be traced to the Brahmanic ritual gesture of mudras, in which tangible and intangible objects are expressed with the fingertips. Many of the mudras are similar to the signs of today’s esoteric Buddhism.
In Buddhism, idolatry was not practiced in the beginning, but several hundred years after the Buddha’s death, Buddhist statues were created. At that time, Buddhist statues were often marked with seals that explained what the Buddha had done and legends about him, including the “zenjing seal,” which represented his state of enlightenment, the “sokujing seal,” which symbolized the time when the Buddha defeated demons that tried to deceive him after his enlightenment, and the “tenporin seal,” which symbolized the Buddha’s first sermon. The three seals were used to explain what the Buddha did and legends about him. These three seals, together with the “semui-in” seal, which indicates that the power of Buddhism would remove people’s fears, and the “yogan-in” seal, which indicates that people’s wishes would be heard, were known as the “five seals of the Buddha,” and were used in later Buddhist statues.
Shingon Esoteric Buddhism believes that one can reach the state of enlightenment by uniting with the “three elements” that represent the workings of the Buddha’s body (body), speech (mouth), and mind (will) by making a seal with the hand (shinmitsu), reciting the mantra with the mouth (kumitsu), and thinking about the Buddha in the mind (imitsu). For this reason, the practice of making seals, or “shimitsu,” is considered to be particularly important.
In Shingon Buddhism, the five skandhas (the five elements that make up the human body and mind in Buddhism) are thought to be symbolized by the five skandhas (the five elements that make up all things), which are, in order from the thumb of the right hand, consciousness, action, thought, acceptance, and color, and the five dai (the five elements that make up all things), which are the sky, wind, fire, water, and earth, in order from the thumb of the left hand. ), each of which is considered to symbolize one of the “five great things” (the five things that create all things), and various teachings are taught by combining them in a seal.
In Shingon esoteric Buddhism, the “Six Kinds of Fist” and the
The twelve joined palms are
It is regarded as the mother of all seals. When esoteric Buddhist monks make seals, they are not to be shown to the public, but are to be performed under their vestments (clothing).
What is a mandala anyway?
The word “mandala,” from which the mandala is derived, originally means “round thing” in Sanskrit, and “mandala” is not the Sanskrit word for essence or quintessence, but rather simply a symbolic representation.
Mandalas are pictures that originated in esoteric Buddhism for enlightenment (ascetic practice). It depicts various Buddhas.
Esoteric Buddhism is a branch of Buddhism in which Dainichi Nyorai is the principal object of worship. In contrast, esoteric Buddhism teaches the truth of things and the path to Buddhahood, which cannot be understood through words alone. Esoteric Buddhism is also characterized by its emphasis on physical sensations such as ascetic practices and the intuitive enlightenment of the Buddha through the use of pictures such as mandalas. Teachings are often passed down from master to disciple by oral transmission or experience, and it is sometimes recognized as “secret Buddhism.
Mandala originated in ancient India. Brahmanism and Hinduism, which were also revered at the time, depicted the world of gods and Buddha with figures and symbols, and this has been incorporated into esoteric Buddhism.
The mandala is believed to have its roots in illustrations drawn in ancient India on clay, known as a clay tablet. The clay podium is a marker and stage for the venue of sermons (meetings for spreading the teachings of Buddhism). The word “dantan” means an area, where Buddhist statues and other objects are enshrined and offerings are made. Incidentally, in Japan, many wooden altars have been built like funeral altars. It is said that the popular mandala, which depicts a large group of Buddha images, was originally drawn on a piece of cloth.
Mandalas have been drawn with squares and circles as their base, although the content of the mandala has varied from period to period. It is believed that they were chosen because they are the most stable of shapes and are easy to draw repeatedly.
There are several types of mandalas, and the designs differ according to country, period, and religious sect. The four basic types are: (1) The Great Mandala (depicts the Buddha (Nyorai or Bodhisattva) as he or she is, representing the world of the Buddha. It is the basis of all mandalas.) The basic mandala of all mandalas, and (2) the Sanmaya mandala (depicting the Buddha as a symbol. Amida Nyorai is a lotus flower, Hosho-nyorai is a treasure, etc.), and 2) Sammaya mandalas (depict the Buddha as a symbol. The focus is on the salvation of sentient beings and compassion), (3) the Dharma Mandala (all the Buddhas are depicted in the state of “zenjing,” or enlightenment. It is often written abstractly in letters. It represents the truth of Buddhism and the wisdom of the Buddha), 4) the Kakuma Mandala (all the Buddhas except Dainichi Nyorai are depicted as female deities. Kakama refers to karma, or action. It is a mandala dedicated to actual offerings).
Kukai’s mandala depicts the aforementioned Womb Realm (the truth based on Dainichi Nyorai’s teachings as expressed in the Dainichikyo) and the Vajrayana Realm (the way to attain enlightenment by mastering the truth of Dainichi Nyorai).
The Womb Realm is as follows.
The vajrayana is as follows.
How to use mandalas
In Shingon esoteric Buddhism, it is believed that enlightenment is attained by uniting with the “three elements” that represent the workings of the Buddha’s body (body), speech (mouth), and mind (will). For this purpose, a zoa or other object to be struck is enshrined, a dantian is set up to offer offerings, and the practice of making seals with the hands (bodily practice), chanting mantras with the mouth (oral practice), and thinking of Buddha in the mind (mental practice) is called shugyo (ascetic practice).
Mandalas represent the worldview of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, and are also Buddhist ritual tools. In the Goshichinichi Goshuho ceremony, one of the most important practices of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, mandalas are placed in front of a gomadan (a fire is lit to represent human vexations, which are then burned away with the fire of wisdom) to perform various gomagyo (Buddhist rites).
Toji Temple
The head temple of the Shingon sect will be Toji.
Toji Temple, located in Kyoto City, is the fundamental center of the Shingon sect of Buddhism and is also called Kyo-o Gokoku-ji Temple. The name “Kyo-o” means “to teach the king,” and the name “Kyo-o Gokoku-ji” implies that it is an esoteric Buddhist temple for the protection of the nation. In 1994, the temple was registered as a World Heritage site.
Kongobuji Temple, Koyasan
Koyasan is located in the northern part of Wakayama Prefecture, and there is no mountain on geography called Koyasan. Koyasan is surrounded by 1,000-meter-high mountains, and the town spreads out in a basin on top of the mountain at an elevation of approximately 800 meters. Koyasan is called “one mountain precinct,” and the entire Koyasan area is considered the precincts of the temple, and the town developed within the precincts of the temple.
It is one of the sacred places in Japanese Buddhism, which was given to Kukai (Kobo Daishi) by Emperor Saga in 816 (the 7th year of the Heian Period) and opened as a Zen training center.
Today, it forms a religious city centering on a fundamental dojo called “Danjo Garan. In addition to Kongobuji Temple, the head temple of the Koyasan Shingon sect of Buddhism, and Daimonzan Hoshuin Temple, there are 117 subsidiary temples, about half of which also serve as lodging houses.
The Tower of the Sun, the symbol of the Osaka Expo, was a “mandala
In his guide to the Theme Pavilion at the Tower of the Sun, created by artist Taro Okamoto for the Osaka Expo ’70 (EXPO ’70), Okamoto stated the following. The Theme Pavilion is at the heart of EXPO ’70 and proudly expresses the philosophy of the festival. The pavilion is not a single enclosed building. It is a huge space composed of three overlapping layers of the past, present, and future, with the Tower of the Sun, a monument that rises in the plaza in front of the Main Gate, as a branch. Each is complete, yet at the same time, they are all one, closed and open at the same time. The three spaces and times resonate with each other, and within each is a cosmic circle that takes the other two into account. It is a mandala that is reincarnating moment by moment.
Taro Okamoto is famous for having encountered and been influenced by “Jomon,” but he also encountered and was shocked by Buddhist art, and was given “impulses and suggestions” from mandalas “like a strange sign,” and felt the fusion of “the inner world and the outer world,” and apparently came up with the above ideas.
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