Hui-kuo
Encyclopedia
Hui-kuo (746–805) was a Buddhist monk during Tang Dynasty
China, particularly in the recently imported Tantric Buddhist
tradition from India
. Later, he would become the teacher of Kukai
, who in turn founded the Shingon school in Japan
. Hui-Guo was one of two Buddhist masters at Ximing Temple, the other being the Indian monk, Prajñā
. Hui-Guo began his study of Buddhism at age 9, under a senior disciple of Amoghavajra
, another Indian monk of the tantric tradition, eventually becoming a direct disciple. By age 20 (766), Hui-Guo was officially an ordained priest and extensively studied the Womb Realm
and Diamond Realm
Mandala
s, before being fully initiated into the esoteric order that same year by Amoghavajra.
In time, Hui-Guo's prominence attracted students from Korea
, Central Asia
, and even Java
, aside from his Chinese students. By 805, Hui-Guo was introduced to the Japanese monk Kukai, who writes of the encounter (emphasis added):
Hui-Guo began an intensive training of Kukai that finally ended in his death on the fifteenth day of the twelve month (805) by the Chinese calendar. While the tantric tradition largely died out in China, the lineage survived in Japan through the Shingon school founded later by Kukai.
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
China, particularly in the recently imported Tantric Buddhist
Vajrayana
Vajrayāna Buddhism is also known as Tantric Buddhism, Tantrayāna, Mantrayāna, Secret Mantra, Esoteric Buddhism and the Diamond Vehicle...
tradition from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Later, he would become the teacher of Kukai
Kukai
Kūkai , also known posthumously as , 774–835, was a Japanese monk, civil servant, scholar, poet, and artist, founder of the Shingon or "True Word" school of Buddhism. Shingon followers usually refer to him by the honorific titles of and ....
, who in turn founded the Shingon school in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Hui-Guo was one of two Buddhist masters at Ximing Temple, the other being the Indian monk, Prajñā
Prajna (Buddhist Monk)
Prajñā , was an important 9th century Buddhist monk from Gandhara, born in the area of modern Kabul, Afghanistan.He visited China during the Tang dynasty, and contributed several important translations of Sanskrit sutras into Chinese...
. Hui-Guo began his study of Buddhism at age 9, under a senior disciple of Amoghavajra
Amoghavajra
Amoghavajra was a prolific translator who became one of the most politically powerful Buddhist monks in Chinese history, acknowledged as one of the eight patriarchs of the doctrine in Shingon lineages.-Life:Born in Samarkand of an Indian father and Sogdian mother, he went...
, another Indian monk of the tantric tradition, eventually becoming a direct disciple. By age 20 (766), Hui-Guo was officially an ordained priest and extensively studied the Womb Realm
Womb Realm
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Womb Realm is the metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Wisdom Kings. The Womb Realm is based on the Mahāvairocana Sutra...
and Diamond Realm
Diamond Realm
In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Diamond Realm is a metaphysical space inhabited by the Five Wisdom Buddhas...
Mandala
Mandala
Maṇḍala is a Sanskrit word that means "circle". In the Buddhist and Hindu religious traditions their sacred art often takes a mandala form. The basic form of most Hindu and Buddhist mandalas is a square with four gates containing a circle with a center point...
s, before being fully initiated into the esoteric order that same year by Amoghavajra.
In time, Hui-Guo's prominence attracted students from Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, and even Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, aside from his Chinese students. By 805, Hui-Guo was introduced to the Japanese monk Kukai, who writes of the encounter (emphasis added):
Hui-Guo began an intensive training of Kukai that finally ended in his death on the fifteenth day of the twelve month (805) by the Chinese calendar. While the tantric tradition largely died out in China, the lineage survived in Japan through the Shingon school founded later by Kukai.