密 教 文 化
THE
SYMBOL-SYSTEM
OF
SHINGON BUDDHISM
(3)
by
Shozui
Makoto
Toganoo
2. Preaching of Dharma-kaya
31ahavairocana preaches Dharma (in other words, manifests himself)
for his own enjoyment, and for benefiting others, i.e., all taihagatas,
bodhisattvas, and living beings. We can easily understand that the last
three types of dharma-kaya are the preaching body of Dharrna-kaya.
However, it is hardly comprehensible that the first type of Dharma-kaya,
i.e. Svabhava-dharma-kaya preaches the Dharma. Man, following the
dictates of reason, has a tendency of assuming that there exists a
fundamental and primordial substance or essence, or principle, underlying
all that exist, and therefore, he considers the Svabhava-dharma-kaya as
the body having the absolute and ultimate nature which is beyond our
approach.
a) On the Adhisthana-body
In fact, Mantra-yana of India and Mi-tsung regarded
svabhava-dharmna-kaya as the state of nirvana (extinction) and only through its
adhisthana-body (Blessing Body), can man approach its ultimate body.
In other words, only through adhisthana-body, is the relationship of
preacher, preaching and those who are preached actualized. I-hsing
comments on the proposition "Mantrata is Dharmata" in this manner: (156)
Chen-yen itself is permanent. and eternal (nitya). According to its
eternal nature, it does not float away, can not be altered, and is not
produced. If it were produced, it will be destroyed, floating on tie four
avastha, or states of all phenomena, i.e., birth, being, change and death;
and is anitya (impermanent) and anatman (non-self). If this were so, in
every sense we cannot call it True Word (Chen-yen). Thus, tathagata
bestows a divine power (adhisthana) on sounds and letters. Phenomenal
sounds and letters are the Adhisthana-kaya of tathagata.
It is very clear from the above comment made by I-hsing that
Chen-ycen itself is eternal and is beyond our comprehension. All preaching
(sounds and letters) of Chen-yen, in which we can participate, is an
aspect of the Adhisthana-Maya of tathagata. In other words, man can
listen only to the preaching of the Adhisthana-body of tathagata. Inn this
aspect of the Adhisthana-body, I-hsing's comment is quite Hinduistic.
In Hindu Tantrism we acknowledge the existence of the Adhisthana-body
thus:
... The form of a particular Devata therefore appears out of the particular Mantra of which that Devata is the Adhisthatri Devata. (157)
b) Kaji (adhisthana) to Kukai
As I have alredady mentioned, the etymology of adhisthana is that which stands beside or over. Taken in the religious sense, it is the
`wholly other' that which is quite be
yond the sphere of the usual, the intelligible, and the familiar, and the power of a unique `wholly other' reality and quality. (158
Kukai interprets the term adhisthana in different ways. The term
was translated into Chinese as chia-ch'ih (kaji in Japanese meaning ka=to
add, ji=to hold). The term kaji, to Kukai, represents both the great
compassion of tathagata and the believing mind of sentient beings. He
(157) Woodroffe, op.cit., p.154.
(158) Rudolf Otto, The Idea o f the Holy, translated by John W. Harvey (New
York: A Galaxy Book, 1958), pp.26, 30.
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says, "The shadow of the Buddha-sun reflects on the mind-water of the
sentient beings. This is called ka. And the mind-water of the sddhaka
(practitioner) responds the Buddha-sun. This is called ji. (159) He also
says, "Ka is the mind of protection of Buddhas, and ji is our own
functioning."(160) He further says that kaji signifies a divine protection
or blessing in old times, but it is not sufficient to denote its full
signification. Ka means coming in and going out' and ji to hold firmly
and not allow to be dispersed,' then, kaji is 'he-in-me and I-in-him.'(161)
Kaji, to Kukai, is not only the aid or power bestowed on living
beings for their protection or perfection from the Divine or Buddha,
but it is also the mind of believing, self-functioning, and to hold what
he has firmly. In short, kaji is that which is'Buddha-in-me,
I-in-Buddha.' The Tantric expression is yuganaddha (unification) (161) and
ahamkara (identification) (163) between I and Buddha.
Kukai does not use the term adhisthana-kaya except when referring
to the Mahavairocana-sutra and its Commentary. (164) For Kukai, the
existence of adhisthana-kaya is unnecessary, because adhisthana, that is,
kaji as such is the direct communion with the primordial body of Buddha
(Honji-shin). Hence, direct communion is possible between the primordial
body of Buddha and man without the intermediary, adhisthana-kdya. On
this point, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, i.e., Kfikai, and the
commentator of Mahavairocana-sutra, i.e., I-hsing, hold different views.
After the death of Kukai, this difference led to a controversy between
Kogi (old-teaching) Shingon Sect and Shingi (new-teaching) Shingon
(159) Daishi., vol. 1, p. 516; vol. 4, p. 4. (160) Ibid., vol. 2, p. 36.
(161) Ibid., vol. 1, pp. 638, 687. (162) Cf. Dasgupta, op. cit., pp. 126-128.
(163) Cf. Benoytosh Bhattaryya, An Introduction to Buddhist Esoterism (India:
Chowkhalnba Sanskrit Series Office, 1964), pp. 100, 101.
Sect. (165)
c) Sam-mitsu Kaji (Communion of Three Secrets)
Kaji is that which is'Buddha-in me, I-in-Buddha' and attaining
the result of the'Buddha-iii-me, I-in Buddha' is becoming Buddha, or
realization Buddhahood, or enlightenment. Kaji is nothing but a theory
or a principle.. A practical and concrete path toward kaji must be set
forth. How is man to realize kaji? The answer to this question is the
practice of the "three secrets (sam-nnitsu)."
Mahavairocana Buddha, a personified Dharma-kaya, is the
Iiarina-kdya, i.e., the Body of Action. This Body of Action consists of 'three
actions, that is, those performed by body (kaya), speech (vac), and mind
(manas), which are referred to as the "three secrets (trini-guhyaiii)."
Kaya-guhya (the secret of body) is the corporeal action of Dharma-kaya,
vagguhya (the secret of speech) is the action through the mouth of
Dharma-kaya, and manoguhya is the spiritual action of Dharma-kaya.
Dharma-kaya perpetually teaches Dharma by these three actions, but the
listener has no body to touch, no ear to hear, and no mind to understand.
(166) Therefore, these three actions of Dharma-kaya are called secret
(guhya).
Kukai says, "These three secrets of Dharma-tathagata are so deep and profound even for those who have attained the perfect enlightenment and bodhisattvas who are in the ten stages to understand properly. So they are called, 'secret.", (167)
These three actions would not remain secret, if they were correlated to the three actions of man, i.e., those of the body, speech, and mind. Shingon Buddhism specially names these three actions of man as three
(165) Cf. Toganoo, op. cit. (history) pp. 294, 295, 303, 305.
(166) Cf. E. Steinilber-Oberlin, The Buddhist Sects of Japan (London: George
Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1938), pp. 104-108. (167) Daishi., vol. 1, p. 507.
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secrets (tri-guhya), while, schools other than Shingon Buddhism call them three karma (tri-karma). The three secrets of Dharma-kaya will remain secrets forever if there is no means of communion. This means of communion is the three secrets Inan. If the actions of man. remain three karma, that is, deeds, words, and thought of man in their relation to succeeding forms of transmigration, the means of communion will not come into being. Three secrets is called "hon-nu-sam-mnitsu, "that is, "Inherently -existing three secrets. "(168)
Each one of. the tathagatas, possessing innumerable three-secrets, mutually enforces and upholds one another. The three secrets of sentient beings are alike. Dharma-kaya bestows power to the people. People in turn respond and firmly seize it, harmonize with it, identify with it, and thus live as the Dharma-kaya itself. This is called the Communion of the Three Secrets (Sam-mitsu-ka ji). (111) Sam-initsu-ka ji is called by other names such as Sam-mitsu-sown (the Harmony of the Three Secrets) (170) and Sam-initsu-yoga (the Union of the Three Secrets). (171)
The practice of Sam-mitsu-kaji is divided into two kinds: one is the practice with form (uso) and and the other the practice without form (muso). (172) The former, following a certain procedure of practice (vidhi or kalpa), utilizes mudra (hand-gesture, and various instruments), shingon (mantras, dharanis, and other words of prayer), and sainadhi (contemplation), which correspond respectively to three secrets of body, speech, and mind. The latter is the practice which accommodates and universalizes the former practice to our daily action. In other words, it is an ideal practice that makes our daily actions harmonize with the
(168) Daishi., vol.1, p.507.
(169) Cf.Daishi., vol.1, p.513.
(170) Cf.Daishi., vol.1, p.516.
(171) Cf.Daishi., vol.1, p.17.
(172) Cf.Shoun Toganoo, Mikkyo-shiso to Seikatsu, or Esoteric Buddhist Thought
actions of Dharma-kaya.
3. Shingon
a) Shingon is the preaching of Dharma-kaya
Only in the attainment of Sam-mitsu-kaji do we find the secret
treasury wide open to dispense its precious truths. In other words, by
the communion between the three secrets of Dharma-kaya and that of
man, one can listen directly to the preaching of Dharma-kaya. Kukai,
says, in his Precious Key to the Secret Treasury thus:(1731
Buddhist doctrine has two kinds: One is the "revealed" doctrine
(ken-gyo), and the other the "secret" doctrine (mikkyo). Also there are
two kinds of the "revealed."doctrine: One is that of Sambhoga-kaya (Body
of Bliss) and the other of Nirmana-kaya (Body of Transformation).
Svabhava-dhar. mna-kdya, or Mahdvairocana-tathagata, preaches Dharma for
his own retainers and for his own enjoyment: This is the "secret"
doctrine.
Shingon, Mikkyo (guhya-naya or guhya-ydna), and the preaching of
Dharina-kaya, all stand on an equal footing. In short, the preaching of
Dharma-kd ya is not "revealed" to man, therefore, it is a "secret" doctrine
and it is the True Word (Shingon). Kukai versifies the preaching of
Dharma-kdya in his Signi fication of Sound and Letters, thus:
Five Greats have sounds without exception, Ten Realms possess words and speeches, Six Defilements are
all letters, Dharma-kaya is thus the true whole of reality. c174)
In this corporeal world symbolized by Five Greats, i.e., Earth,
Water, Fire, Wind and Space, all sounds exist. The ten realms of living
beings from the world of hell to the world of Buddhas possess every
vocal sound (words and speeches). The six objects of cognition
(sad-(173) Daishi., vol.1, p.440.
(174) Daishi., vol.1, p.524.
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visayah) corresponding to the six sense-organs, i.e., color and shap,
(rupa), sound (sabda), smell (gandha), taste (rasa), touch (sparastavya)
and idea (dharma) are entirely the manifestation on the three secrets
and in a broad sense are all letters. After all, all sounds, words an(
speeches, and letters are the true undifferentiated whole of the Dharma
It is the Dharnna-kaya and the True Word (Shingon).
b) Shingon is Mandala
Kukai explains Shingon in The Signification of Sound and Letters,
in this manner :C175)
Sound and letters are differentiated into ten kinds based on the
ten realms. As to their truth and falsity, from a horizontal view, they
are all equal, because all sounds and letters are the true entirety of the
Dharma, but vertically, they have differences. The sounds and letters of
Buddhas are true but those of living beings in the other nine realms
are false. Therefore, in sutras such as the
Vajra-cchedika-prajnaparamita-sutra, Buddha is called five names, i.e., one who speaks true-words, one
who speaks real-words, one who speaks exact-words, one who speaks
honest-words, and one who speaks consistent-words. (176) Putting together
all these five words in Sanskrit it is called Mandala, for the term
Mandala possesses all the significations of these five words. Nagdrjuna
names these as the "secret words. "(177) These "secret words" were
denominated "shingon. " It is only because trans-latore extracted only
one meaning (true-word) out of the above five that it is rendered as
"shingon. " Hereof Shingon, referring to the true undifferentiated whole
of the Dharma, has no mistakes and is coherent. Therefore, it is the
True Wnrd, the Mandala.
(175) Daishi., vol.1, pp.525, 526.
(176) Taisho., vol.8, p.750b.
He further says, in his unfinished work, the Treatise on The Ten
Minds' Abodes of the Secret Mandala, thus; (178)
The term "shingon" denotes only the secret of speech (vagguhya).
In its final or definitive significance, it connotes the Sanskrit term
Mandala. Ndgarjuna names it the "secret words."
What Kukai would like to say is that Shi-ngon (True Word) is not
limited to the secret of speech, but that it includes all three secrets
(Maya-, vac-, and manas-guhya), therefore, it signifies Mandala in Sanskrit.
The Records of Secret Treasury, which is considered to be the oral
transmission of Hui kou written down by Kukai, states:(179) The words
of tathagata are named Shingon, because they have no fabrication and
no misrepresentations. It is Mandala. "Mandala" is a Hindu term, not a
Sino-Japanese word. The term mandala has various meanings,
no adequate translation exists in Sino-Japanese.
Kukai, accordingly, speaks clearly in the Chronicle o f the
Trans-mission o f the Secret Mandala Doctrine:(180) Dharma-kaya, pervading all
realms of sentient and non-sentient beings, preaches the Mandala Doctrine
of True-and Real Word.
Himitsu-mandara-kyo (Secret Manzdala Doctrine) is, to Kukai, a
synonym for Shingon-mikkyo (Shingon=Secret Doctrine).
c) Hhingon andd shingoii
It is worthy of our notice that the term shingon is identified by
the Sanskrit term mantra in five places(181) in Kukai's Collected Works.
All of these are passages quoted (or misquoted) from the Commentary of
Mahavairocana-sutra by I-hsing. It runs like
this:-(178) Daishi., vol.1, p.398.
(179) Daishi., vol.2, p.23.
(180) Daishi., vol.1, p.3.
(181) Daishi., vol.1, pp.596, 603, 649, 688 and vol.4.338.
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Shingon is called mantra in Sanskrit. Mantra is the sounds (which
was misquoted as, significance')(182) of true words, exact words, of
non-falsity, and of non-difference. In the Shaku-ron by Nagarjuna, (183)
it is called the "secret title." In the old translation (made before
Hsiian-chuang), it is translated as "spell", although this not a correct
rendering.
This mantra indicates one aspect of shingon, and this is
differen-tiated from Shingon by Kukai. Shingon is Mandala: This is an unique
view of Kukai. (184) Mantra distinguished from mantra in Mantrayana
had evolved as Mandala by Kukai, and mantra together with dharanis,
and other words of prayer has been incorporated in shingon through the
process of Sino-Nipponic transformation. Shingon is the preaching of
Svabhava-dharma-kaya, or the undifferentiated whole of reality of the
Dharma, which is realized through Sam-mitsuc-kaji (the Communion of Three
Secrets), and shingon is a part of Sam-mitsu-kaji as the secret of speech.
PART
II
SYMBOL-SYSTEMS
OF SHINGON BUDDHISM (I)
CHAPTER
III EXPRESSIONS
OF
RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCES
Kukai expresses his religion in his Precious Key to , the Secret
(182) This misquotation in Dainichi-kyo Kaidai (The Preface of
Mahdvairocana-sutra) bears evidence of the transformation from sound-theory to the meaning-theory of mvntra.
(183) The commentary on the Ta-ch'eng-ch'i-hsin-lun questionably attributed to
Nagarjuna.
(184) Cf. Ryojun Fuyo, "Shingon ni tsuite", or the Concept of Shingon,
Mikkyogaku Kenkyu, or The Study of Esoteric Buddhism, ed. Nipponmikkyo Gakkai, Tokyo, 1969, pp.17-30.
Treasury in the following poem:(185)
The mind filled with mystic splendor of the cosmic Buddha. When the medicine of exoteric teachings has cleared away the dust, the True Words (shingon) open the Treasury. When the secret treasures are suddenly displayed, all virtues are apparent. (186)
To Kukai, this is the tenth and the highest stage of religious
consciousness, and is called "The mind filled with the glories (ala7nkdra)
of Secret", which is further versified thus: (187)
The Buddhas in the innumerable Buddha-lands
Are naught but the Buddha within our own soul;
The Golden Lotus, as multitudinous as the drops of ocean
water, is living in our body.
Myriads of figures are contained in. every mystic letter;
Every piece of chiselled metal embodies a Deity,
In whom are pregnantly present the real entities of Virtue
and Merit. In realizing all this every one shall attain The
glories of being, even in this corporeal life. (188)
This state of being realized through Sam-mitsu-kaji is a religious
experience in which one envisages all subjective and objective phenomena
as the true manifestation of Dharma-kdya. It is an experience expressed
in a poem of Su Tung-p' o, which runs, "The sound of the stream is
the teaching or sermon of the Buddha, and the color of the mountain is
the pure and True Body (Dharma-kaya) of the Buddha. (189)
This religious experience is expressed in a characteristically Japanese manner in the following poems.
(185) Daishi., vol.1, p.420.
(186) Ryusaka Tsunoda, Wm. Theodore de Bary, Donald keene, (compiled),
Sources of Japanese Tradition (New York: Columbia University Press, 1958), p.155.
(187) Daishi., vol.1, pp.465-466.
(188) Masaharu Anesaki, History of Japanese Religion (Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle
Co.) 1963), p.133. (189) Nakamura, op.cit., p.279. THE-GUEIG-GIEGEIE (5 )
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In the spring, cherry blossoms, in the summer the cuckoo.
In, autumn the moon, and in winter the snow, clear, cold. C190
-by the priest Dogen (1200-1253)entitled "Original Face
(honrai no
Menmoku)-My heart shines, a pure expanse of light; And no doubt
the moon will think the light its own. (191)
-by the priest Koben
(1173-1232)-Under one roof,
Prostitutes, too, were sleeping; The bush clovers and the
Moon. (192)
-by the poet
Basho-1. Delineation by the Mediation of Intellection
This religious experience is knowing or feeling one's own coldness
and hotness (reidan-jichi) ', and that which is beyond referential words
and intellection (gongo-dodan)'. Therefore, when the religious experience
is delineated by referential words, i.e., signs which "are apprehended by
the ferential words, i.e., signs which "are apprehended by the mediation
of discursive thinking or intellection"(193), it has been expressed by such
phrases as neither this nor that', not anything whatsoever', and
going beyond the four' logical propositions (i.e., is, is not, is and is
not, neither is nor is not) and the hundred negations (shiku hyappi wo
zessu)'. (194) For instance, the Mahayana Awakening o f Faith states,
(190) Yasunari Kawabata, Japan the Beautiful and Myself, translated by Edward
G. Seidensticker (Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd., 1969), p.74. (191) Ibid., p.72.
(192) Daisetz T. Suzuki, zen and Japanese Culture (New York: Pantheon Books,
Inc., second printing, 1960), p. 230.
(193) John A. Hutchison, Language and Faith (Philadelphia: The Westminster
Press, 1963), p37.
(194) Shin-ichi Hisamatsu, "The Characteristics of Oriental Nothingness" Philo-sophical Studies of Japan, vol. II, Tokyo, 1960, pp. 74-75.
The Self-Nature of True Tathata is not with form', is not without form', is not 'not without form, is not both with and without form', is not one and the same form', is not different forms, is not not one and the same form', is not not different forms,' is not both one and the same' and the different forms. (195)
If man could conceive what the religious experience is and tried
to delineate by the mediation of intellection, he is obliged to use either
a negative delineation, ' like the above, or a positive delineation' which
connotes various natures of religious experience with numerous referential
words. (196) He, then, becomes aware of the fact that which was delineated
was not true, concrete, living religious experience, but simply a shadow.
Also he must realize that religious experience can only be expressed
through symbols and that man has used various symbols to express
religious experience. Truly man is defined as animal symbolicum, because
it is undeniable that "symbolic thought and symbolic behavior are among
the most characteristic features of human life, and that the whole
progress of human culture is based on these conditions. "(197)
2. Expression Through Verbal Symbols
Symbols, to Dr. Hutchison, are "poetic or imaginative words or
other kinds of objects which have the power to evoke and sustain deeply
moving forms of experience. "(198) Accordingly, symbols are divided into
two main classes: the one is "poetic or imaginative words, " that is, verbal symbols and the other "other kinds of object, " that is, non-verbal symbols.
The term of a poem are symbols, and a poem, that is, a cluster of
(195) Ibid., p.69.
(196) Hisamatsu explains "A Positive Delineation" of"Oriental Nothingness" in six natures.
(197) Ernst Cassirer, An Essay on Man, Doubleday Anchor Books, p.45.
(198) John A. Hutchison, Paths of Faith (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
1969), p.6.
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symbols, is a symbol as well. Therefore, the above mentioned poems are
the symbolic expression of religious experience, that is, the expression of
religious experince through verbal symbols. The religious experience
symbolized by these poems has been variously expressed in Buddhist
terminologies, as tattva-darsana (realization of such-ness), bodhi
(enlighte-nment), samyak-sam-bodhi (perfect enlightenment), abhisaihbodhi (becoming
Buddha), sunyata (emptiness), mu (nothingness), satori, and ga-soku-butsu
(I, that is, Buddha), etc. These are all abstract verbal symbols of
Buddhism which immediately express the highest state of religious
experience.
Various shingons (mantras, beja-mantras, dharaniis, and other words
of prayer) in Shingon Buddhism are all concrete verbal symbols. And
even verbal methods of Zen, such as various mondos, an exclamatory
utterance like Kwan! or Kwats!, and silence,' are all concrete verbal
symbols. Because they are skilful means (upaya-kausalya)' for
enlighte-nment. (199)
In addition to verbal symbols there are non-verbal symbols. In the history of man's religions, how infinitely various are these non-verbal symbols! Sun, moon., sky, earth, water, stones, trees, places, cults, ceremonies, practices these are only a few of the non-verbal symbols.
CHAPTER
IV. RELIGIOUS
SYMBOLS
Shingon Buddhism possesses multifarious symbols. Some are verbal symbols, some non-verbal symbols. Some are essential symbols and some subordinate-symbols.
Buddhism, in the course of its evolution, having incorporated various practices, rites, ceremonies, and ideas, etc., into its system, has
(199) Cf. William Barrett (ed.), Zen Buddh-ism, Selected Writings of D.T.
adopted them as its own symbols. The abstract ethico-religious and philosophico-religious symbols of Buddhism could not appeal to the masses.
... To the ordinary mind, religion is something full of rites and ceremonies or other paraphernalia of esoteric practices. It is for this reason that for the sake of the common run of people the Mantras, the Mudrds and the Mandalas...were introduced in Buddhism in course of time. These Mantra, Mudrd and Mandala, etc., introduced for the realization of the ultimate truth, gradually brought with them various other practices and thus Buddhism began to put on a different air, which is generally known as Tdntricism. (200)
Therefore, these incorporated and adopted symbols are more or
less tantric, which is contrasted with buddhistic abstract symbols, such
as Buddha, Bodhi, Karuna, Tathata, Sunyatd, etc. In other words,
Shingon Buddhism, that is, the Sino-Nipponic development of tantric
Buddhism, possesses two types of symbols: buddhistic and tantric.
As I have discussed already, Shingon-Mikkyo is the preaching of
Dharma-kaya. Dharma-kaya preaches Dharma for his own enjoyment through
his three secrets (Sain-mitsu). All actions, sounds, and things are the true
manifestation of Dharma-kaya, and they are all symbols of Maha vairocan. a
Buddha, "whose body pervades to millions of molecules and whose mind
is equal to great space. " (201) Therefore' the Commentary of
Maha-vairocana-sutra states, "Various and many common truths (samvrti-satya)
are all symbols of Dharma-dhatu. (202)
1. The Truth of Religious Symbols
But why do multifarious entities (satyas) in this phenomenal world
become religious symbols? What transforms common truths into religious
(200) Shashi Bhusan Dasgupta, An Introduction to Tantric Buddhism (Calcutta:
University of Calcutta Press, 1950), p.61.
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symbols? It is what we call kaji (adhisthana). The divine blessing (ka),
man's firm faith (ii), and their mutual communion (kaji) transform the
common truths to religious symbols. In the Maha-vairocana-sutra,
Vajra-sattva asks Vairocana Buddha,"What is the way of Mantra?" The
Buddha answers, "It is to adhisthana the written letters."(203) Without
kaji, the written letters stand still as they are. And, as a matter of
course, the gate of Mantra will not be 'opening-up.'
Concerning the truth of a religious symbol, Paul Tillich say,
... A religious symbol possesses some truth if it adequately expresses the correlation of revelation in which some person stands. A religious symbol is true if it adequately 'expresses the correlation of some person with final revelation....A symbol has truth: it is adequate to the the revelation it expresses. A symbol is true: it is the expression of a true revelation. (204)
This truth of a religious symbol is based upon kaji.
Kukai, using the Buddhist term shinge, explains the rise of
religious symbols thus: the symbols (mudras) of tathagata ensue from
shinge of tathagata. (205) The term shinge is the Japanese rendering of the
Sanskrit term adhimukti or sraddha-adhiinukti. Both adhi-mukti and
sraddha form. the main structure of the faith-system of Buddhism. The
term adhimukti (adhi means above, over, beside, and mukti is derived
from muc meaning'to release.') means 'deliverance or confidence by that
which is over or beside.' The term sraddha (srad or Brat means truth,
faithfulness, and dha means'to put.') means faith, trust, or confidence
of man. Therefore, the above statement of Kukai means that all religious
symbols are born of the deliverance by tathagata and the faith of man.
(203) Taisho., vol.18, p.10a.
(204) Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 8th Impression, 1963), vol.1, p.240.
2. The Functions of Religious Symbols
The commentator of the Mahavairocana-sutra says that the profound
Dharma can not be directly elucidated as such, and only through its
symbolization done through the power of upaya is the foundation of
understanding given and what is done becomes fruitful. (206)
The term upaya, in the religious sense, means on the one hand, an
approach to Buddha and symbols used for the approach by man, and on
the other hand, it is an approach to man by Buddha and symbols used for
that. The former is the ascending upaya (kojo) from man to Buddha,
and the latter the descending upaya (koge)from Buddha to man. (207) In
other words, upaya indicates religious symbols and the functions of
religious symbols as well.
As to the functions of symbols, Tillich says,
... The symbol represents something which is not itself, for which which it stands and in-the power and meaning of which it participates. This is a basic function of every symbol,...the main function the symbol CisJ the opening up of levels of reality which otherwise are hidden and cannot be grasped in any other way...
... The "opening -up" is a two-sided function namely, reality in deeper levels and the human soul in special levels. (208)
Then, on the functions of religious symbols, Tillich says, Religious symbols are double-edged. They are directed toward the infinite which they symbolize and toward the the finite through which they symbolize it. They force the infinite down to finitude and the finite up to infinity. They open
(206) Taisho., vol.39, p.620a. (207) Daishi., vol.2, p.28.
(208) Paull Tillich, Theology of Culture, ed. Robert C. Kimball (New York: Oxford University Press, 1964), A Galax Book, pp.56, 57.
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the divine for the human and the human for the divine. (109)
This double-edged function of religious symbols is exactly what
we call ascending and descending upaya.
In the Mahavairocana-sutra, three upayas are mentioned. (210) They
are the gates of three secrets (sam-mitsu-mon) namely, three symbols
(sam-mitsu)and their functions in opening up (gates, anon.) the world of
Dharma-Maya and that of man.
In Buddhism, especially in Zen Buddhism, the term upaya-kausalya
(skilful upaya) is often used, and it is generally translated "skilful
contrivances" based on its Sino-Japanese rendering "hoben." If upaya is
only "contrivances, 1"(211) that is, the things or plans which are cleverly
invented by man, and not symbols, practical methods of Zen Buddhism,
especially its verbal methods, as a famous Japanese saying goes, "nothing
but the twaddle of earthworms."
Art is, of course, upaya. Concerning art, Kukai says,
The law (dharma) has not speech, but without speech it cannot be expressed. Eternal truth (tathata) transcends color, but only by means [upaya] of color can it be understood. Mistakes will be made in the effort to point at the truth, for there is no clearly defined method of teaching, but even when art does not excite admiration by its unusual quality, it is a treasure which protects the country and benefits the people.
In truth, the esoteric doctrines are so profound as to defy their enunciation in writing. With the help of painting, however, their obscurities may be understood...(212)
(209) Paul Tillieh, Systematic Theology, vol.1, p.240.
(210) Cf. Daishi., vol.1, p.673.
(211) Cf. William Barrett, ed. op.cit., p.129.
CHAPTER
V. THE
SYMBOLS
OF
THE
THREE
SECRETS
Shingon Buddhism is characterized by the participators as the
"expression of post -enlightenment (kajo-no-homon)" contrasted to the
"teaching toward enlightenmet." To the enlightened one, each and every
existence in the universe is a symbol of Dharma-kdya. This is the reason
why Shingon Buddhism possesses so many symbols.
At the first glance, these symbols are thought of higgledy-piggledy;
however, as a matter of fact, all of them are carefully arranged and
well composed. To elucidate their system is the purpose of this paper.
Every symbol has its own history as we. have seen in "Shingon
and shingons. " It is not the present purpose to give detailed explanations
on their historical formations. We cannot, however, completely ignore
them, because all symbols are historical products. Therefore, to a necessary
extent, we shall first pursue the symbols of the three secrets.
Any and every existence in the universe is a symbol of the three
secrets. Shingons are the symbols of vac-guhya, mudras that of kaya-guhya,
and samayas of manas-guhya. The first one is a verbal symbol, and
the last two nonverbal. All three are concrete symbols and subordinate
to the essential verbal symbols: Shingon, Mudra and Samaya. "Shingon
and shingons" have been discussed already. We shall now treat "Mudrd
and mudrds."
1. Mudra and rnudras(213)
The etymology of the Sanskrit term mudrd (Pali. mudda) still
(213) On the definition and its historical formation of mudra, see Shoun Toganoo, Mandara no Kenkyo (Kyoto: Naigai, 1958), pp. 469-489 and E. Dale Saunders, Mudra, A Study of Symbolic Gestures in Japanese Buddhist Sculptures (New York:
Bollingen Foundation, 1960), pp.5-27, pp.201-210.
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remains obscure. That some scholars say that mudra is derived from the
Babylonian musaru, meaning writing,'seal,' through Old Persian, which
changed z into d (musaru-muzra-mudra), is still hypothetical.(215)
In early Buddhism, the term mudra was used as 'a seal or any
instrument used for sealing,'to seal-or to confirm by a seal,'and the
stamp or impression attached to sonic object to show that it is genuine.
(215)
Then, the term began to be used figuratively, as'a sign,'a mark,'
a token,' and 'a guarantee.' The three distinguished teachings (dharmas)
of Buddhism, that is, all dharmas are anitya (impermanent), all dharmas
are anatma (non-substance), and nirvana is Santa (quiescence), were termed
tri-dharma-mudra. In Maliayana Buddhism, 'buddha-mudrd' or
'six-paramita-mudra' was used. The term mudra in these usages indicates, as
does a.seal, that it is true and not false. (216)
Concurrently, hand-gestures became known as pasta-mudra
(hand-symbol). This kind of mudra started to appear in the Chinese Buddhist
scriptures in the sixth century A.D.
In the Mou-li-man-t'u-lo chou-ching translated in the Lian Dynasty
(502-556), (217) sixteen hasta-mudras were mentioned as the religious symbols
of the actions and merits of Buddha. In the T'o-lo-ni chi-ching translated
by Atikuta in 653-654 A.D., over three hundred hasta, mudras were
explained, and the held-objects of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, such as
lotus flowers, sword, vajra-pounder, stupa, etc., were called cihna-mudra
(sign-symbol). These held-objects (jimotsu in Japanese) are the religious
(214) Cf. Mircea Eliade, Yoga, Immortality and Freedom (New York: Pantheon
Books, Inc., 1958), p.405 and Saunders, op.cit., p.201, n.13.
(215) In Kautilya's Arthafastra, the term signifies `a seal. ' Cf. Zimmer,
Philosophies of India, p.126.
(216) For instance, 'the seal of Buddha' appeared in one of the sixteen chapters of the Pan -then-san-mei-ching translated by Lokaraksa in the second century A.D.
concrete symbols of the inner witness or pledge (Samaya) of Buddha.
Therefore, the Commentary of Mahavairocana-sutra states, "Mudra
is the symbol of Dharma-dhatu (the world of Dharma). By Mudra is the
Body of Dharma-dhatu symbolized."(218)
In the Mahavairocana-sutra, the concrete religious symbols (madras)
were hasta-mudras (hand-symbols) and cihna-madras (sign-symbols, that
is, samayas) However, in the Vajrasekhara-sutra (Chin-kang ting thing),
mudra is called jnana-mudra (wisdom-symbol) and classified into four parts
under the name of maha, samaya, karma, and dharma. Maha- jnana-mudra
is body-postures representing all concrete religious objects, that is, images
written bija-mantras, and sainayas. Samaya-jnana-mudra is the
hasta-mudras of samaya, that is, the hand-gestures in which hand and fingers
express samayas (stupa, va jra, padma, etc.). Karma-jnana-mudra is
hasta-7nudra of the karma (action) of Buddha, that is, the hand-gestures
representing Buddha's compassion, turning wheel, enlightenment, etc.
Dharma-jnana-mudra is shingons.
The following illustration shows the relationship of concrete mudras
iii two main scriptures of Shingon Buddhism.
(218) Taisho., vol.39, p.714a.
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The terms, maha, samaya, karma, and dharma, used in the Va
jra-sekhara-sutra are identical with the terns used in the classification of
Mandala, which we shall discuss later. Maha-jnana-mudras including
cihna-mudrds are the symbols of inanas-guhya (the secrets of mind), both
samaya-jnana- and karma-jnana-mudras (that is, hasta-mudras in the
Mahavairocana-sutra) the symbols of kaya-guhya (the secrets of obdy),
and dharma- jnana-mudras are the symbols of vac-guhya (the secrets of
speech). Therefore, Mudra, the abstract verbal symbol, which was
postulated from the concrete symbol mudra, is identical with Mandala,
that is, the symbol of the whole manifestation of Dh. arma-kaya.
2. Hasta-mudras in Shingon Buddhism
In a broad sense, the term mucdra is Mudra (the symbol) of the
whole universe and includes shingons as a part of it, but in the narrow
sense, or in common use, it signifies hasta-mudra (hand-symbol). The term
mudra is generally translated phyag-rgya in Tibetan. Phyag in the Tibetan
language is the honorific word for lag, the hand, and rgya means 'seal
or `sign.' Therefore, the the Tibetan rendering phyag-rgya meaning
literally'hand-sign'indicates the gesture or the manner in which the
hand and fingers are held by Buddha, by priests, or by stage-players,
etc. (219)
Hasta-mudras in Shingon Buddhism are divided into two main
types. One is the natural type of pasta-mudra and the other the artificial
type. The former is the hand-gesture in which hand and fingers express
something in a natural way. The latter is the hand-gestures in which
hand fingers, following certain agreements, (220) indicate or symbolize
some particular thing in an artificial way.Karma-jnana-mudra and
(219) Cf.H.A.Jaschke, A Tibetan-English Dictionary, London, 1881, p.347
and Sarat Chandra Das, A Tibetan-English Dictionary, Calcutta, 1902, p.831
samaya-jnana-mudrd in the Vajrasekhara-sutra correspond practically to
these two types.
The origin of natural types of hand-gesture in India can be traced
back to the folk-dances in Ancient India, which were performed at
festivals. Basham says,
The. most striking feature of the Indian dance is undoubtedly
the hand-gesture (mndra). By a beautiful and complicated
code, the hand alone is capable of portraying not only a wide
range of emotions, but gods, animals, men, natural scenery,
actions and so on. Some hundreds of madras are classified
in later text books, and they are used not only in the dance,
but...in religious worship and iconography. (221)
The first appearance. of pasta-mudra in Buddhism was in Gandhara
art and to a lesser extent at Mathura as as well. 222
Mudrd of joining the hand (anjali-mudra), rmuudra of meditation
(dhyana-mudra), mudrd that bestows (dd) a wish or boon (vara)
(varada-rnudrd), (223) mudrd which grants the absence of fear (abhaya-mudra),
mudrd of conjuring the earth earth to wit-ness (bhumi-spar sa-mudra), (224)
and mudrd of turning the wheel of. the Dharma (dharma-cakra-mudra):
all of these are the natural type of hasta-mudra in India and can be
seen in Gandhara Buddhist art. They are respectively the symbols of
devotion, meditation, compassion, awakening, pledge, and enlightenment
of the Buddha, and are the symbols of what the Buddha had done in
his life.
The appearance of Buddhist images as concrete religious objects
marked an epoch in the history of Buddhism. In the Pau-cheu-sau-mei
(221) Basham, The Wonder that was India, p. 385.
(222) Dietrich Seckel, The Art of Buddhism, tr. Ann E. Keep (New York:
Crown Publishers, Inc., 1964), p.167.
(223) Heinrich Zimmer, The Art o f Indian Asia, completed and ed. Joseph
Campbell (New York: Bollingen Foudation, reprinted 1964), vol.one, p.165.
(224) Cf. Ibid., pp. 175-177.
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chiuq translated by Lokaraksa in the second century A.D., soon after
the age of Gandhdra art, Buddha's images were considered very important
for samadhi (contemplation). (225) In the Kuau-fo-sau-mei hai-ching,
trans-lated by Buddhabhadra in the early fifth century A.D., religious symbols
like lotus flower, mani, dharma-cakra, etc. were considered as the karma
(action) of Buddha and. were contemplated. (226)
In the Mon-li-man-t'a-lo chou-chiuq translated in the Lian Dynasty
(502-556), hasta-mudras represented in Buddhist images became the actual
hand-gestures held by sddhaka (practitioner). In the T'o-lo-ni chi-thing
translated by Atikuta in 653-654 A.D., artificial hand-gestures increased
their number to over three hundred, and in the Commentary of
Maha-vairocana-sutra, they were systematically organized under the source of
all hand-gestures, has ta-mudrd-matrika, which is the four types of fists
and the twelve types of handclasps. (227) Then, in the Vajrasekhara-sutra,
all hand-gestures are classified into samaya-jndna-mudrd and
karma-jnana-mudrd.
Before describing several concrete hasta-mudras (the symbols of
kaya-guhya) performed with shingous (the symbols of vac-guhya), we shall
discuss samayas (the symbols of-mnanas-guhya) under the title"Samaya
and samayas."
3. Samaya and samayas
a) The signif ications of the term samaya
Symbols other than those expressed by bodily representations
(hand-gestures, body-postures, and shingons) are called cihna-mudrd of
samaya. Cihna-mudrd is identical to the "sign-symbol" used by Paul
Tillich, who says,
(225) Taisho., vol.13, p.899c.
(226) Taisho., vol.15, p.688c.
... Many things like special parts of the church building, like the candles, like the water at the entrance of the Romann church, like the cross in all churches, especially Protest-ans churches were originally only signs, but in use became symbols; call them sign-symbols, signs which have become symbols. (228)
The term samaya derived from sam-i (to go or come together) has
been used with various significations, which can be arranged in the
fol-lowing ways:
1)'coming together,'meeting or a place of meeting,; 2)corning
to a mutual understanding,'agreement,'conditions of agreement';3)
convention,'conventional rule, 'established law or
practice'4)'op-portunity,'occasion, 'appointed or proper
time,;5)'sign,'hint,'ind-ication,;6)'solemn address or speech'(229)
In the"revealed" Buddhism, the three meanings of the term which
are generally used are 1) an'assembly,'2) an 'established rule or
doctrine,'and 3)'time' against kala. (230)
Buddhist scriptures usually begin with the phrase,"evam maya
srutam ekasmin samaye" meaning "thus have I heard at one time."This
samaya (time) is differentiated from kala (time) in the
Mahaprajnapa-ramita-sastra by Nagarjuna in this rnanner.(23r)
(228) Paul Tillich, Theology of Culture, p.65.
(229) See Monier Monier-Williarns, A Sanskrit-English DiWionary (Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1890), p.1164a.
(230) Cf. Hakujyu Ui, Konsaisu-Bukkyo-jiten, or Concise Buddhist Dictionary
(Tokyo: Daito Shuppan, 1938), p.377b. According to the Dictionary by Mochizuki,
the term is often used in two meanings: a'time' and 'equality.'(Cf. Mochizuki,
Buddhist Dictionary, vol. 2, p.1679c) Edgerton defines samaya as an `assembly,'
congregation,'concourse,'etc.(Cf.Franklin Edgerton, Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit
Dictionary (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1953), p.565.
(231) Cf. K. Venkata Ramanam, Nagdrjuna's Philosophy as Presented in the
Maha-prajnapdramita-sastra (Rutland, Vermond and Tokyo, Japan: Charles E.
Tut-tle Co., 1966), pp.194-200.
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Kala (time) is the source from which arise all things, heaven and
earth, good and bad; however, there is no such thing as an absolute time
(kala) which remains as a reality apart from the successive events. Time
(samaya) is a notion derived from the distinction perceivable within the
composite whole of interrelated events. "We perceive the course of
events, give the name'time' to this universal order of succession and
draw the distinction of past and future, the remembered and the
antici-pated, the not any more and the not yet, in contrast with that which
is here now, the present. 11(132)
Therefore, in the teaching of the Buddha, the term samaya is
used more often, and it is only rarely that "kola" for'time' is used.
In Shingon Buddhism, the basis for the interpretation of the term
samaya lies in its original etymology. The term samaya is a compound
word of sam-aya. San-is a prefix meaning'with,'together,'in
associa-tion' and with intensive
force'thoroughly,'completely,'and'universal-ly.' Aya derived from-i(to go or to come) means 'going' or'coming.
The term samaya is interpreted in a similar manner as the term upaya
(upa-aya literally means'going or coming'toward or near to.') is the
ascending and descending approach' and their'means.'
According to Buddha-guhya (8th century A.D.), a Tibetan
com-mentator of the Mahdvairocana-sutra, the term samaya is, on one hand,
going (-aya) thoroughly (sam-) to Buddha from man, that is, the state of
Bodhi (enlightenment) and the path to it, and on the other, coming
(-aya) universally (sam-) from Buddha to man, that is, the state of
Karuna (compassion) and its activivities. (233)
In short, the term samaya connotes four significations, that is,
1) going up to Bodhi, 2) Bodhi as such, 3) Karuna as such, and 4)
com-ing down from Karuna.
(232) Loc.cit., p.200.
b) Samaya, the essential symbol of Bodhi and Karuna
Bodhi (enlightenmet, or inner witness) and Karund (compassion,
or vow) are symbolized by Samaya."Going up and coming down" are
"ascending and descending" or "self -benefitting (jiri) and benefitting
others (rita)" approaches. This double-edged approach (uyapa) is the
in-herent activity of Samaya, i.e., Bodhi and Karuna.
Samaya symbolizes both Bodhi and Karuna, or, in other words,
Bodhi and Karuiia are two aspects of Samaya.
In the last part of the Significance of the Letter "Hum", Kukai
explains the letter "huin" from the view-point of the two aspects of
Samaya in this manner: The written letter hubn (h) is composed of
three parts:(T)ha, (M)m, and (M)u. The center letter letter (Vj) ha,
signifying the sound of laughing "ha-ha-ha, " represents the great
pleas-ure. The upper part (M) m represents the Samaya of enlightenment, or
self-benefitting, and the lower part (1) u the Samaya of compassion, or
benefitting-other. All tathagatas, envisaging equally these two aspects of
Samaya, reside in great pleasure. Therefore, the significance of the letter
"hum" is to envisage equally the two aspects of Samaya and to please
greatly. (234)
In the ninth volume of the Commentary of the
Mlahavairocana-sutra, Samaya is also explained as having four significations:1)equality,
2) vow, 3) awakening, and 4) disposal of hindrances. (235)
"Equality" is to envisage the three secrets (tri -guhya) of Buddha
and the three actions (tri-karma) of man without discrimination and to
equate the former with the latter, and this is, in a word, Bodhi. "Vow"
is a solemn promise of Buddha to benefit others or to save all sentient
(234) Cf. Daishi., vol.1, p. 553 and also see Toganoo, Gendaigo no Sam-bu-no-Sho to Kaisetsu, or The Three Main Writings of kukai Explained in a Living Language (Osaka: Koyasan Shuppan-sha, 1949), vol.2, p, 56.
(235) Taisho., vol.39, p.674c and also see Daishi., vol 2, pp.7-8.
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beings from suffering. This is Karuna."Awakening"and"disposal of hindrances"indicate the activities of Karund.
The long and short of it is that the term samaya that appeared recurrently as an essential verbal symbol in Shingon Buddhism signifies "equality"and"vow" and Samaya is the symbol of both Bodhi and Karuna.(236)
Now we must turn our search to samaya and its relationship to Samaya.
c) Sama ya and sama yas
In Shingon Buddhism, the term used for samaya is"samayagyo"
Gyo (Chinese, hsing) means 'figure, 'form, 'appearance.'Therefore,
samaya is a concrete figure of Samaya. In the Tibetan tantric scriptures,
the term samaya is usually translated as"dam-tshig,"which means
literal-ly "a sacred or solemn vow."
Snellgrove applies tentatively the word "guarantee" to it and says,
... This is a constantly recurring term in the tantras and it
seems impossible to find a fixed translation for it. The basic
notion is that of a bond, that is to say between the divinity
and his devotee....It is convenient to note also two
coin-pound words based on dam-tshig,...One is vi-dam (which
stands for skr. devata, divinity, or more explicitly,
ishtade-vata, chosen divinity) meaning 'thought-guarantee,' for it is
by the concentrated direction of thought, that the monk
se-eks unity with his chosen divinity, who is for him the
guarantee of buddha-hood. The other word is dam-can...,
which refers to a very different class of divinity, those who
`possess the bond, 'viz. those who have bound themselves to
serve the doctrine in the role of protector...(237)
Lama Anagarika Govinda states,
(236) Daishi,vol.4, pp.18, 43, 59.
(237) D.L.Snellgrove, Buddhist Himalaya, Travels and Studies in Quest o f the
'Dam -tshig' is the devotion for the Buddha in one's own
heart. The syllable'darn' means 'bound, 'fixed'; as, for
instance,'bound by oath, promise, agreement or convention
(Skt. samaya)'. But in this connexion it is a bond of inner
relationship through the power of loving devotion, by which
the devotee dedicates himself to the Dharma and identified
himself with the Buddha...
'Dam -tshig' is in the truest sense the religious principle
(the `inner bond, ' in the sense of the Latin 'religio, ' which
is derived from 'ligare,'to bind), without which no
medita-tion and no ritual has any meaning or value. (238)
The Tibetan rendering "dam-tshig" of "samaya,"according to these two scholars, is a "guarantee" or "religious principle" by which man can attain Bodhi. It is a bond between Buddha and man. In short, it is what we call samaya, "symbol."
As I have explained, Sarnaya is the symbol of Bodhi and Karuna.
Every honorable one, according to their respective compassionate vow,
opens the gate of his enlightenment for people. And by opening the gate,
the honorable one pledges himself to save all sentient beings. Then, the
honorable one, in order to make his pledge known to his followers, holds
various cihna-mudras. These held-objects are the symbols of his pledge.
These are sarnayas. These sanayas are also called gyo (figures) of
para-mita, that is, the symbols by which. man can reach the other shore, i.e.,
enlightenment. (239)
To sum up, samaya is the symbol of Samaya which represents Bodhi and Karuna. In other words, samaya represents the natures of the minds of deities. (240) Here we can very clearly see that "Samaya and samayas" form the double system of symbol. Samaya is the essential,
(238) Lama Anagarika Govinda, Foundations o f Tibetan Mysticism (New York:
E.P.Dutton & Co., Inc., 1960), p.112. (239) Cf. Daishi., vol.1, p.844.
(240) Cf. Ferdinand D. Lessing & Alex Wayman, Mkhas Grub Rje's
Fundamen-tals of the Buddhist Tantras (Paris, the Hague: Mouton, 1968), p.228, n.23.
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abstract verbal symbol of Bodhi and Karund, and samaya the subordinate, concrete, non-verbal symbol of Sarnaya. Man can approach Samaya through samaya, and Buddha shows Sa9naya to man in samaya.
The time when samayas started to appear in the Chinese Buddhist
scriptures was in the early Tang Dynasty (618-907). In the Buddhist
scriptures translated by Chih-t' ung and Atikuta in the middle of the
seventh century A.D., the held-objects of Buddhas or of Bodhisattvas,
being separated from their holders, appear independently as cihna-mudrd,
and are begun to be called samaya.(241)
Cihna-mudrds, such as vajra, padmna, moon-circle, caitya or stupa,
etc., have their own long history of symbolism.
Vajra was the thunderbolt or, sceptre of Indra in Rg-veda and was
also a weapon used in Ancient India. The term "vajra" refers to its
adamantine-ness, which can smash anything. (242) In Shingon Buddhism,
vajra is generally used as a symbol of wisdom and power over illusions
and evil spirits. There are three kinds. The single-pronged vajra
repre-sents the tathagata; the three-pronged one the three secrets or the three
families of all deities, i.e., Buddha, Padma and Vaira; and the
five-pronged one the five wisdoms of Buddha.
Lotus-and moon-symbolim are thought to have been introduced from Mesopotamia. (243) In Shingon Buddhism, the former symbolizes the merits and compassion of Buddha, and the latter the Inner witness of Buddha, or Enlightement.
The symbolism of caitya or stupa has its origin in the popular belief of ancient India. The cult of caitya was that of sacret spots, and
(241) Matsunaga, Mikkyo no Rekishi, or The History of Esoteric Buddhism
(Kyoto: Heirakuji-shoten, 1969), pp. 45-46.
(242) Cf. Toganoo, Rishukyo no Kenkyu, or The study of Naya-sutra (Kyoto:
Naigai, 1959), p.447.
(243) Cf.Heinrich Zimmer, Myths and Symbols in Indian Art and
"it was the cult of the caitya that Buddhism made its own."(244) In Shingon Buddhism, caitya or stupa symbolizes the assembly of all tathd-gatas, or the collection of the merits of Mahavairocana Buddha.
We have no further intention to describe in detail each symbolism of cihna-mudras. We must, however, be aware of the fact that all of these sign-symbols have their proto-type in the popular belief of ancient India, and in the course of time they had been incorporated and adapted into the system of Buddhism, and that at the daybreak of Mantra-yana, they, being called samaya, became the symbol of Samaya.
Truly the formation of this symbol-system, that is,"Samaya samayas" marked a new epoch of the"secret" Buddhism. All corporeal, perceptible, and concrete existences were considered to be the symbols of Samaya, and through these symbols (samayas) man was able to approach or attain the final goal of Enlightenment.
This symbol-system of "Samaya;samayas" is based on the
relig-ious experience of "non-duality (advaita) of concrete existence and abstract
principle (ji-ri funi)"and "one-ness of matter and mind (bus shin-ichinyo)."
In Shingon Buddhism, this religious experience is expressed in this
man-ner:"All concrete things or phenomena are identical with the truth
(soku-ji-ji-shin)"or "That which appears is as such the path
(to-so-soku-do)."
The truth of this symbol-system as a religion is that by which
man, unifying the opposition of concrete existence and abstract principle,
harmonizing the confrontation of that which has form and that which
has not form, experiences tathatd (such-ness) of Dharma.
If man understood the truth of this symbol-system and through a
single object did envisage and experience the Inner-witness of
Dharma-kaya, it would appear to him that any and every existence in the
unive-rse is nothing but samaya.
(244) Basham, The Wonder That Was India, p.262.
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Kukai, drawing a line of demarcation between the "revealed"
doctrine and the "secret" doctrine by this symbolsystem, says,"In the
revealed' doctrine, are, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, etc.,'treated as
non-sentient objects, but in the "secret" doctrine, they are explained as
samaya-bodies of tath. agata."(245)
In Shingon Buddhism, `Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Space, and
Consciousness' are termed Roku-dai (Skt. sad-maha-bhutani literally
mean-ing'six-great-beings or that which exist'), which we shall treat as a
compound symbol later. This Six Great represents not six elements but
samaya-bodies of tathagata: this is what Kukai would like to emphasize.
4. Sam-mitsu, a Compound Symbol of the Faculties of Dharma-kaya
Sam-mitsu is the symbol of the three secrets (tri-guhya) of
Dharma-kaya; and shingon the symbol of vac-guuhya; mudra that of kaya-guhya;
samaya that of manas-guhya. Sam-mitsu is a sole symbol of the secret
action of Dharma-kaya and is a compound symbol of shingon, mudra, and
samaya, that is, three faculties of Dharma-kaya. Conversely, shingon,
mudra, and samaya are the three concrete symbols of Sam-mitsu.
Historically speaking, among these three symbols, firstly shingons
(mantras, dharanis, and other words of prayer) were introduced into
Bud-dhism; secondly pasta-mudras (hand-gestures), especially the natural type
of them, and cihna-mudras (sign-symbols) were incorporated into the
system of. Buddhism; thirdly these cihna-mudras, being called samaya,
became, the symbol of Sarnaya and concurrnetly the artificial type of
pasta-mudra including that of samaya were devised; then lastly all of
these three symbols were compound as three symbols of Sam-mitsu.
There is no further necessity to discuss these three symbols of Sarn-mitsu; however, without the description of several concrete examples of these symbols, it would appear as if something was omitted; therefore,
as a finishing touch, selecting the five kinds of practices of Goshin-bo
(the dharma of protecting body) from among a great number of practices,
we shall describe a concrete example of the symbols of Sam-mitsu.
5. A Concrete Example of the Symbols of Sam-rynitsu:-Goshiu-b6
Goshin-bo (literally the dharma of protecting body)246. is one of the
most important practices performed by Shingon priests. The main purpose
of this practice is the protection and purification of the sddhaka
(practi-tioner), and this practice is performed before any other practices or rites
in Shingon Buddhism.
Goshin-bo consists of five kinds of practice and each has its owi
mudrd, shingon and samddhi (contemplation):
(i) "Purifying Three karmas"
(a) inudra: mi fu-renge (Skt.kudmala), the unopened lotus
hand-clasp:
(The two hands are placed together, palm against
palm. Between the hand a slight space is left. Ten
fingers(247) join, and only the middle finfers are
slightly separated to leave an opening.)
This mudrd represents the lotus flower just beginning bloon
It is the symbol of "starting out for Bodhi."
(b) shingon: om svabhdva-Buddha-sarva-dharma svabhdva Buddhoham
(Orh ! All dharmas which are pure by nature! I am
pure in its nature!)(248)
(246) As to Goshin-bo, see Kankai Takai, "Goshin-bo no Kenkyu, or the Study of Goshin-bb,"Chizen Gakuho, new series, vol.4.
(247) Five fingers of both hands reprerent various things such as
panca-skandha (five aggregates), Panca-indriyani (the five roots), the five elements, the five dhyani-buddhas, the five letters, etc.. See, Saunders, op.cit., pp.32-34 and also Toganoo, Jiso, pp.281-283.
(248) Cf. Benoytosh Bhattacharyya, An Introduction to Buddhist Esoterism
(Vara-nasi: The Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Revised second ed.,1964), p.106.
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Chanting the shingon, bringing the mudrd to the five parts of the body: forehead, right and left shoulders, breast and throat, then conte-mplate the following.
(c) samddhi: By Kaji (adhisthdna), the ten evil things (Skt.
dasd-kusala) produced by three karma are removed and purified, then I bathe
the body and purify the innermost heart.
(ii) "The samaya of the Buddha Family(249)
(a) mudrd: buccho-in (Skt. usnisa-mudrd), themudrd representing
the head of Buddha':
(The ten fingers are brought together, but between
the hands a slight space is left. Then, bend the
index fingers and attach the tipe to the middle
part of middle fingers. The two thumbs subjoin
the index fingers.)
This mudrd is called that of the head of Buddha, because, the three fingers, little, ring, and middle, represent the head of Buddha and the space between the middle and index fingers the eyes of Buddha.
(b) shingon: om tathdgatodbhavdya svdhd (Om ! For the arising of
tathdgata, hail!) (250)
(c) samddhi: All tathdgatas in the Buddha Family, adhisthdna
(enpower) the sddhaka, and have him purify immediately his body-karma,
extinguish his sinfulactions, and enlarge his wisdom.
(iii) "The samaya of the Lotus Family"
(a) mudrd: hachiyo-in, the mudrd of eight petals, or kai fu-renge,
full-bloomed lotus:
(249) Tish is one of the three families (tri-kula). In the Mahdvairocana-sutra,
all deities (Tathagata Bodhisattvas, and Vidya-rajas) are classified into three
families (tri-kula): Buddha Family, Lotus-Family, and Vajra Family.
(250) Svdhd is the sacred word signifying `May there be success! the origin of which can be traced back to Rg-veda. Cf.'Waddell, "The Dharani' Cult in Bud-dhism,"Ostasiatistische Zeitschrift, I.(1912), p.161.
