Taiko Yamasaki

Shingon-the Tantric Buddhism of Japan-teaches that it is possible to attain buddhahood immediatedly, in this very life, by performing certain practices of body, speedh, and mnd. For centuries these esoteric teaachings were kept secret for initiates alone and were never put ino writing. Some forty years ago, however, accounts of Shingon doctrine and practice began to be published in Japan for the first time for all to read.

Shingon: Japanese Esoteric Buddhism is the first comprehensive study of the subject to appear in any Western language. This book traces the history of the school from its mysterious origin in India and describes the remarkable men who brought the teaching to China and Japan in the eighth and ninth centuries, who translated the texts, and who carried on the initiatic chain of teaching. It discusses the metaphysical doctrines of Shingon, its founding scriptures, and its views on levels of consciousness and stages of samadhi. And it covers the whole range of Shingon meditations and exercises-such as mudras, incantations and visualizations of deities and symbolic forms-hitherto virtually unknown in the West.

Taiko Yamasaki is abbot of Jokoin Temple in Kobe, Japan, and Dean of the Department of Esoteric Studies at Shuchi-in University in Kyoto.

Contents

Foreword by Carmen Blacker
Editor's Preface
Translators' Note
Author's Introduction: The Creative Will of the Universe
1 Origins and Development of Esoteric Buddhism in India and China
Indian origins
The rise of Mahayana and Esoteric Buddhism
The middle period
Later development and decline in India
Introductin of the esoteric teaching to China
The age of the great T'ang patriarchs
2 Historical background of Shingon Buddhism in Japan
The introduction of Esoteric Buddhism to Japan
Kukai and the establishment of Shingon
The status of the Esoteric teachintgs after Kkukai
Developments in the Shingon Sect
Shingon from the feudal period to the present
Mountain worship, pilgrimage, and popular beliefs
3 Mikkyo: The Esoteric Teaching
The precepts
Four major characteristics of the Esoteric teaching
Dainichi Nyorai: The Central Deity
The universal body of the six great elements
The Mikkyo affirmation of the self and human desire
The magic of mantra
The originally unborn
The Suprahistorical nature of the Esoteric sutras
The Dainichi-kyo
The Kongocho-gyo
The Dharma lineage and the legend of the iron tower
4 The Ten Levels of Mind
The eight levels of consciousness
The Ninth, Tenth, and innumerable levels of consciousness
The ten levels of mind
The three layers of delusion
The stages of Samadhi
Wisdom and skillful means
5 The Secret Aactivities of Body, Speech, and Mind
Esoteric practice based on form
The mystery of empowerment
The secret of body: the esoteric mudra
The secret of speech: esoteric mantra practice
The secret of mind: internal visualization
6 The dynamic mandala
Types of mandala
Outline of the Tai-zo Mandala
The concentric structure of the Tai-zo Mandala
Outline of the Kongo-kai Mandala
The nine assemblies of the Kongo-kai Mandala
The spiral movement of the Kongo-kai Mandala
The dual Taizo-Kongokai Mandala
7 The Scope and Complexity of Shingon Ritual
Representative Mikkyo practices
Basic visualization techniques
The concentration ponts
The general format of esoteric ritual
Ritual implements and offerings
The preparatory fourfold enlightenment practice
Shingon initiation
8 Concentrated Three-Secrets Practices
The morning star meditation
Celestial bodies and meditation on the universe
The practice of the morning star
An experience with the morning star meditation
The A-Syllable visualization
The all-encompassing symbolism of the A-syllable
Techniques of the A-Syllable visualization
The A-Syllable visualization and the dual mandala
The nine-layered A-Syllable practice and the Tai-zo
Seizon's text on the A-Syllable visualization
Meanings of the A-Syllable and moon disk
Kakuban's A-Syllable Visualization
Editor's Postscript
Notes
Appendix: Japanese names and terms with Sanskrit or Chinese equivalents
Indes… (lisätietoja)