Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies Vol. 40, No. 1, December 1991
On the Concept
of Mind in Kkai
and Bonaventure
-A
Study in Comparative Philosophy-.
Tadashi
KASAI
Kukai (空 海774-835), one of the most erninent learned bonze that the Japanese peophe can remember, has been geeTally known not only by the posthumous name of Kb-daishi (弘 法 大 師), but also as founder of the Jap
anese Shingon Sect. He has also been one of the historical figures that an average Japanese entertains friendly sentiments toward. According to the statistical data compiled by Prof. Shuyu Kanaoka1), K.kai predominates over other historical figures, in terms of numbers of famous Buddhist tem-ples that are said to have been founded by them in Japan. This shows how high Ki kai has been positioned in the history of Japanese Buddhism.
Saint Bonaventure (1221-1274) is an Italian theologian who gave directional force to the newly established order of St. Francis. Bonaventure's inter-pretation of mystical Christianity has been said to be one of the greatest Phil osophico-theological analysis of Christian doctrine. E. Gilson says') that Saint Thomas Aquinas' philosophy and that of Bonaventure serve as com-plementary one to the other, to be a universal interpretation of Christianity.
These two great philosophers differ in age and place they lived and in philosophy and theology to which they owed their origin. The aim of this brief treatise is to obtain a clearer grasp of the fundamental features of both these philosophical concepts by making a comparison of and exploring their resemblances and differences, especially in terms of the "mind" that -interpreted philosophy and theology.
Kukai wrote the "Ten Stages of the Development of Mind of Secret Mandala". the ultimate essence of which was condensed in the "Precious
Key to the Secret treasury"(秘 蔵 宝 鍮:hoyaku)written ater by Kkai. In these two books Kfikai summarized. what he learned from many sutras
-491-On the Concept of Mind in Kukai and Bonaventure (T. KASAI) (27) and discourses, describing, in terms of ethics and religion, ten different stages through which the mind of an ordinary mortal reaches that of a Buddha. The "Precious Key to the Secret Treasury" is a summary of Kukai's philosophical ideas. What follows below is an outline, of what is written in the book.
The First Stage: 異 生 抵 羊 心2)(Isho-tiiyo-shin)
The mind is the one whose desires are that of a sheep or of an unen-lightened man. The mind in this stage lacks morality. It does not believe in the principle of causality. It thinks only of making an immediate profit. It insists that it has atman or a permanent ego. Chained to evil passions, it cannot free itself, clinging persistently to the three realms of the world of unenlightened men. It is called a "sentient being" of the "three evil realms".
The Second Stage: 愚 童 持 斎 心4)(Gudo-jisai-shin)
The mind is the one whose desires are those of a foolish child. The mind in this stage tries to keep precepts, with a consciousness of morality. It learns the five Confucian virtues and admires the ten Buddhist good deeds.
The Third Stage: 嬰 童 無 畏 心5)(Yodo-mui-sbin)
The mind is the one whose desires are those of a mortal who, in the general, desires to live a religious life.
-The Fourth Stage: 唯 薙 無 我 心6)(Yuiun-muga-shin)
The mind is the one whose desires are those of a mortal who desires to
follow the "sravaka-yana". The "sravaka-yana" includes instilling the
pre-cepts of the "tripitaka" and observing the "four truths". The mind in this
stage is only conscious of the existence of components, admitting that a
permnent ego is nonexistent. The wisdom that the mind obtains from the
four truths enables it to free itself from evil passions that disturb and
pollute the mind and body.
The Fifth Stage: 抜 業 因 種 心7)(Batsugo-inju-shin)
The mind in this stage is in the sphere of a Pratyekabuddha-a self-enlightened Buddha. It meditates on the twelve-linked chain of dependent
(28) On the Concept of Mind in Kukai, and Bonaventure (T. KASAI)
origination. It has a deep aversion to the world of samsara consisting of the four great elements and the. five aggregates. It functions with deep concentration, being fully aware of impermanence of the four modes of phenomenal world. It only knows how to relieve its own sufferings, realiz-ing Nirvana.
The Sixth Stage: 他 縁 大 乗 心8)(Taen-daijo-shin)
The mind in this stage is in the sphere of Hosso-shu. It attains enligh-tenment through the five stages of practice leading to enlightenment, while heretics never learn that Heaven and Hell are what their minds have fab-ricdated. It claims that those who seek after the truth outside their own minds are utter fools.
The Seventh Stage: 覚 心 不 生 心9)(Kakushin-fusho-shin)
The mind in this stage is in the sphere of the Sanron Sect. One of the precepts of Sanron Sect says that material form is itself non-substantial, and non-substantiality is identical with material form. The mind refutes every meaningless argument with the help 'of the eightfold negation. The "middle way of the eightfol d negation", which is a doctrine taught in the Sanron Sect, is the middle way that can be shown through the eightfold negation.
The Eighth Stetage: 一 道 無 為 心10)(Ichido-mui-shin)
The mind in this stage is in the sphere of the Tendai Sect. One of the precepts of the Tendai Sect says that to attain enlightenment is to know one's own mind as it really is. What is called the "One Way" in the Tendai Sect is inactive and formless. It takes a practical form of nondual-ity in the shape of neither a being nor a nonbeing. When the antagonism between the subject and the object is negated, the Land of eternal, tran-quil light appears. People who live in the land will meet Vairocana.
The Ninth Stage: 極 無 自 性 心11)(Gokumu-jisho-shin)
The mind in this stage is in the sphere of the Kegon Sect. One of the precepts of the Kegon Sect says that one and all are identical without hindrance, with all things influencing one another endlessly. The mind and the Buddha are in a form of nonduality.
On the Concept of Mind in Kokai and Bonaventure (T. KAsAI) (29) The Tenth Stage: 秘 密 荘 厳 心12)(Himitsu-shogon shin)
The Singon Sect contains sermons preached by Mahavairocana-tathagata, who is dharma-kaya. The mind that practices yoga meditation is suppossd to go in for the. three. mystic practices and learn what the fivefold medi-tation for realizing buddhahood is. The three mystic practices are bodily mystic practice, verbal mystic practice and mental mystic practice. The mind becomes one with a Buddha through the three mystic practices. The five enlightenment wisdoms, which were learned by Mahavairocana-tatha-gata, are also what a devotee of Shingon is supposed to learn. The three
mystic practices help the self co be one with the mind, the three categories of acts help the mind to be a Buddha, and thus the self becomes a Buddha immediately with its present body. Thus the mind becomes egoless with its ego attachment completely severed. The communication between the Buddha's power and man's receptivity enables the mind to achieve a mystical unity called the "self is Mahavairocana". This means that a mortal is able to become a Buddha in this world. The mind in this stage not only include but also transcend those in the other nine stages.
One of Saint Bonaventure's notable works, "Itinerarium Mentis in Deum13), the "Journey of the Mind into God", describes the upward jour-ney to God of the "mens"- mind, soul and spirit, in six steps. The fol-lowing is an outline of my study of the work, describing especially how the"mind" returns to God.
The first step14) is "Contemplations on God based on the steps in the ascent to Him and the vestiges of Him occurring in all of nature. It begins with the discovery of vestiges of God through the order and beauty of His creations, in accordance with the teachings of Saint Paul.
God helps those who are humble. and who pray faithfully and earnestly. Man is at the pinnacle of all creatins and was created in the image of God (imago Dei) and it is to that God, the source, toward which he ascends. The faculties, which were innate in man, were distorted by sin and can be redeemed only 'through divine grace. Man should release his attachments to his ego and other objects of creation in order to cleanse
-488-(30) On the Concept of Mind in Kukai and Bonaventure (T. KASAI) his mind tainted by the original sin (peccatum originale).
The second step15) is "Contemplations on God based on His vestiges in the sentient world. Bonaventure considers the Father to be the power of God, Christ the Son to be the infinite wisdom of God and the person of the Holy Spirit to be the infinite charity of God. He also considers all
creatures to be the reflection and the image of the-Trinity.
The third step") is "Contemplations of God based on the natural faculties bearing the mark of the image of God". In this step man reflects on himself and contemplates on the natural faculties of the mind. He then contemplates on God, the root of those faculties. Such contemplation is
based on the fact that the mind of man is in the image of God. In this step, based upon Augustine philosophy, he would be able to enter into the mind within himself and know God through his memory, intelligence
and will.
The fourth step") is "Contemplations on God based on the image of God transformed by a gift of divine grace". Ego sum ostium - he who enters through Christ shall be saved. The spiritual sense, which was lost as a result of the original sin, can be restored through faith and divine grace. When the Mind is corrected through Faith, Hope and Charity, it is on its way to becoming one with God and to the possession of Truth.
The fifth step 18) is "Contemplations on the oneness of God based on His primary appellation, Being (esse). Through Aristotelian means, man is then able to contemplate on God within his Being itself. God, as Being, is then linked with the God of the Old Testament. God is an eternal, absolute and perfect Being.
The sixth step") is "Contemplations on the Trinity based on the Good (bonum), an appellation of God. As Plato and Plotinus did, man must contemplate on a God of Goodness beyond existence. Then as with Anselm, he will learn that the highest Good,. beyond which no higher Good can be contemplated, is Charity and the Trinity. It is only through that the Son Christ that a man who has sinned can be redeemed and become one with God and the Trinity again.
On the Concept of Mind in Kukai and Bonaventure (T. KASAI) (31) It is through the above six steps that the emotions that arise from complete entry into God by stripping away one's self-spiritually and mystically--impart tranquillity (requies) to the intellect"). The mystical unity with God is an experience bestowed on man by Christ and is one that can be had only through [the Holy Spirit. It is beyond the realm of human intellect. After entry into a mystical world that transcends the human intellect and stripping away of the self from the Mind, viz, after
"excessus" or
ecstacy (ecstasis), as with Denis Pseudo-Areopagite, the Mind comes to repose within God. The Mind of man is not transformed into God. By cleansing his heart, obeying God's commandments and performing virtuous deeds, man can become aware of and experience his unity with God through Christ.
The above is an outline of my attempt to make a comaparison between the "Precious Key to the Secret Treasury" of Kukai and the "Itinerrarium"
of Saint Botaventure, mainly centering on the question of how the "mind" is described in these two works.
In Kukai's philosophical concept the mind is "sunyata" (non-substantial-ity). Egolessness, the negation of the self, revies as the true self. Dharma-Kaya, which transcends the individual mind, is also incarnated within the mind of the individual. Mahavairocana-tathagata, dharma-Kaya as the principle of the True Thusness, dwells, not outside the innately pure mind that has no attachments to the ego and other created object, but within the mind of man. Thus, it is preached that the self is Mahavairocana. Perceiving the existence of dharma-Kaya, the mind becomes a Buddha immediately with its present body.
In Bonaventure's philosophical concept, on the contrary, God is the only and absolute Being which has transcended time and space, and sharply and carefully distinguished from created objects. Nevertheless, by virtue of His supreme infinite charity and wisdom and with a subtle reflection of His powers, God dwells within the mind of man. When man releases his attachments to his ego and other created objects and cleanses his mind, he will be redeemed to be one with God and Triinity with the help of Christ
(32) On the Concept of Mind in Kukai and Bonaventure (T. KAsAI) who dwells and functions within the mind of man. Thus, only through
"excessus stripping away of the self from the mind, man experince his mystic unity with God, which is bestowed by Christ and can be had only through the Holy Spirit.
Both Kukai and Bonaventure admit that the mind possesses dignity. However, while the former claims that the mind, because of its imper-fectness, is chained to evil passions, the latter claims that the mind is tainted by the original sin. Kukai preaches that the mind should attain
perfect freedom while Bonaventure preaches that the mind should attain salvation. The former's "samadhi" (concentrating the mind) and prajfia (wisdom) obtained through "samadhi" correspond with the latter's contem-plations and wisdom obtained through contemcontem-plations. However, the latter claims that the human mind obtains wisdom from the. Holy Spirit, the infinite charity of God. The mystic unity with God, described in the final sixth step of the latter's philosophy, is bestowed only by Christ and can be had only through the Holy Spirit. Kakai's philosophy and that of Bona-venture both belong to. mysticism. Kukai and BonaBona-venture, two great phi-losophers of different ways of thinking in philosophy and theology, both grasped the very truth itself. However, because of a fundamental difference in their philosophical orders, they describe what is very basic to the truth in different ways.
1) Prof. Shuyu Kanaoka, Nihon no Mikkyo (Esoteric Buddhism in Japan) Tokyo, Pitaka,1978, p. 43. 2) Etienne Gilson, La Philosophie de Saint Bonaventure,
Vrin, 36d., 1953, p. 396. 3) 弘法 大 師全 集1密 教 文 化研 究 所1978, p. 420.
4) op. cit., p. 423. 5) op. cit., p. 425. 6) op. cit., p. 431. 7) op. cit., p.445. 8) op., cit., p.450. 9) op, cit., p.452. 10) op, cit., p.455. 11) op. cit., p. 459. 12) op, cit., p.465. 13) S. Bonaventurae Opera Omnia,
edita studio et cura PP. Collegii a S. Bonaventura, Firenze-Quaracchi. Tom. V, 1891, pp. 295-316. 14) op, cit., p.296. 15) op. cit.,p. 299. 16) op. cit., p. 303. 17) op. cit., p. 306. 18) op. cit., p. 308. 19) op. cit., p. 310. 20) op. cit., p. 312.
