Jōkei (monk)
Encyclopedia
was an influential Buddhist, scholar-monk and reformer of the Hosso sect in Japan
, posthumously known as .
Jokei was a prolific author, asserting and compiling the Hosso/Yogacara
doctrine, while simultaneously refuting newer Buddhist movements, particularly the Pure Land
movement begun by Honen. Like his contemporary Myoe
, Jokei sought to make Buddhism more accessible to the public through the promotion of rebirth to Mount Potalaka
, the dwelling of Kannon Bodhisattva, or aspiring for rebirth in the Tusita Heaven where the Bodhisattva Maitreya
dwells. Jōkei actively promoted devotion to Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder, through devotional practices, access to relics of the Buddha, and promotion of ancient Vinaya
monastic code.
Clan at a time when the Taira Clan was gaining ascendancy. Due to his father's and grandfather's involvement with Emperor Go-Shirakawa and the Minamoto Clan, the former was exiled while the latter was killed as depicted in the Tales of the Heike. Jōkei and his siblings took Buddhist tonsure, and Jōkei was admitted to the temple of Kofukuji, the tutelary temple of the Fujiwara, at the age of 11.
Jōkei rapidly rose to prominence for his understanding of Hosso doctrine, and records show that starting in 1186, he delivered lectures on Buddhist texts such as the Lotus Sutra
, and the Greater Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (daihannya kyō 大般若経). Prominent aristocrat, and chancellor to the Emperor Go-Shirakawa, Kujō Kanezane, described his exposition of the Dharma as "profound", but his voice was so soft that it was difficult to hear.
By 1192, Jōkei made an unexpected move by moving to a remote temple named Kasagidera northeast of Nara
and the Kofukuji hierarchy. His move was lamented by Kanezane among others, and even Myoe his contemporary records a dream where the deity of Kasuga Shrine
(once part of Kofukuji's temple complex), came to him in a dream protesting Jōkei's departure. Research tentatively shows that Jōkei intended to devote more time to study of Buddhist texts, and complete a project to copy the Greater Prefection of Wisdom Sutra, or devote more time to his devotion of Maitreya
Bodhisattva.
Time spent at Kasagidera records numerous building projects, ceremonies, and campaigns to rebuild temples decimated by the Genpei War
(including Kofukuji) as well as many recorded lectures. Contrary to his intended seclusion, Jōkei actually spent considerable time visiting Kyoto
and Nara
by request to officiate ceremonies or deliver lectures. In 1205, Jōkei completed the in concert with other Buddhist schools in Nara. The petition singled out the exclusive-nembutsu practice of Honen, defending the traditional Mahayana
Buddhist position, while requesting that the government put a stop to the rapidly growing movement and followers who allegedly defamed Buddhism and were guilty of antinomianism
.
In 1208, Jōkei retired to a temple named Fudaraku Kannonji, later renamed to Kaijūsenji. The final five years of Jōkei's life represent a very active time in his life, when he attempted to reach a doctrinal reconciliation between the Hosso and Tendai
sects, who had been bitter rivals since the time of Tokuitsu
and Tendai founder Saicho
. Jōkei additionally led a successful revival movement to restore discipline in the monastic community that had declined in the late Heian Period
, with emphasis on traditional monastic code, or Pratimoksha
. Jōkei restored Vinaya
lineages to Kofukuji, Toshodaiji and other temples by 1210, while he gained a number of prominent disciples including Eison, through Jōkei's disciple Kainyo, who went on to found the Shingon Risshu
sect and Ryohen the so-called "Hosso restorer".
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...
, posthumously known as .
Jokei was a prolific author, asserting and compiling the Hosso/Yogacara
Yogacara
Yogācāra is an influential school of Buddhist philosophy and psychology emphasizing phenomenology and ontology through the interior lens of meditative and yogic practices. It developed within Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism in about the 4th century CE...
doctrine, while simultaneously refuting newer Buddhist movements, particularly the Pure Land
Pure land
A pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
movement begun by Honen. Like his contemporary Myoe
Myoe
Myōe was a Japanese Buddhist monk active during the Kamakura period who also went by the name Kōben , and contemporary of Jōkei and Honen. Born into the Yuasa family , allegedly descended from a branch of the Fujiwara clan, he came to be ordained in both the Shingon school of Buddhism and the...
, Jokei sought to make Buddhism more accessible to the public through the promotion of rebirth to Mount Potalaka
Mount Potalaka
Mount Potalaka , which means "Brilliance", is the mythical dwelling of the Buddhist figure Avalokitesvara, said to exist in the seas south of India. The mountain is first mentioned in the final chapter of the Flower Garland Sutra, the Gandavyuha Sutra, where the chapter's protagonist journeys to...
, the dwelling of Kannon Bodhisattva, or aspiring for rebirth in the Tusita Heaven where the Bodhisattva Maitreya
Maitreya
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
dwells. Jōkei actively promoted devotion to Shakyamuni Buddha, the historical founder, through devotional practices, access to relics of the Buddha, and promotion of ancient Vinaya
Vinaya
The Vinaya is the regulatory framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha, based in the canonical texts called Vinaya Pitaka. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: 'Dharma' or doctrine, and 'Vinaya', or discipline...
monastic code.
Biography
Jōkei was born into the prestigious, but rapidly declining FujiwaraFujiwara
, literally "wisteria field", is a Japanese surname.The name can refer to:-People:* The Fujiwara clan and its members** Fujiwara no Kamatari* Northern Fujiwara clan** Fujiwara no Kiyohira...
Clan at a time when the Taira Clan was gaining ascendancy. Due to his father's and grandfather's involvement with Emperor Go-Shirakawa and the Minamoto Clan, the former was exiled while the latter was killed as depicted in the Tales of the Heike. Jōkei and his siblings took Buddhist tonsure, and Jōkei was admitted to the temple of Kofukuji, the tutelary temple of the Fujiwara, at the age of 11.
Jōkei rapidly rose to prominence for his understanding of Hosso doctrine, and records show that starting in 1186, he delivered lectures on Buddhist texts such as the Lotus Sutra
Lotus Sutra
The Lotus Sūtra is one of the most popular and influential Mahāyāna sūtras, and the basis on which the Tiantai and Nichiren sects of Buddhism were established.-Title:...
, and the Greater Perfection of Wisdom Sutra (daihannya kyō 大般若経). Prominent aristocrat, and chancellor to the Emperor Go-Shirakawa, Kujō Kanezane, described his exposition of the Dharma as "profound", but his voice was so soft that it was difficult to hear.
By 1192, Jōkei made an unexpected move by moving to a remote temple named Kasagidera northeast of Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
and the Kofukuji hierarchy. His move was lamented by Kanezane among others, and even Myoe his contemporary records a dream where the deity of Kasuga Shrine
Kasuga Shrine
is a Shinto shrine in the city of Nara, in Nara Prefecture, Japan. Established in 768 AD and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it is the shrine of the Fujiwara family...
(once part of Kofukuji's temple complex), came to him in a dream protesting Jōkei's departure. Research tentatively shows that Jōkei intended to devote more time to study of Buddhist texts, and complete a project to copy the Greater Prefection of Wisdom Sutra, or devote more time to his devotion of Maitreya
Maitreya
Maitreya , Metteyya , or Jampa , is foretold as a future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on...
Bodhisattva.
Time spent at Kasagidera records numerous building projects, ceremonies, and campaigns to rebuild temples decimated by the Genpei War
Genpei War
The was a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the fall of the Taira clan and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto Yoritomo in 1192....
(including Kofukuji) as well as many recorded lectures. Contrary to his intended seclusion, Jōkei actually spent considerable time visiting Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
by request to officiate ceremonies or deliver lectures. In 1205, Jōkei completed the in concert with other Buddhist schools in Nara. The petition singled out the exclusive-nembutsu practice of Honen, defending the traditional Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
Buddhist position, while requesting that the government put a stop to the rapidly growing movement and followers who allegedly defamed Buddhism and were guilty of antinomianism
Antinomianism
Antinomianism is defined as holding that, under the gospel dispensation of grace, moral law is of no use or obligation because faith alone is necessary to salvation....
.
In 1208, Jōkei retired to a temple named Fudaraku Kannonji, later renamed to Kaijūsenji. The final five years of Jōkei's life represent a very active time in his life, when he attempted to reach a doctrinal reconciliation between the Hosso and Tendai
Tendai
is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
sects, who had been bitter rivals since the time of Tokuitsu
Tokuitsu
was a scholar-monk of the Hossō sect of Buddhism in Japan. He is best known for his debates with other leading Buddhists of the time, Kūkai and Saichō, and for asserting a more orthodox view of Mahayana Buddhism based on the state-sanctioned schools of Nara, Japan.- Biography :Little is known about...
and Tendai founder Saicho
Saicho
was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan, based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei near Kyoto. He is also said to have...
. Jōkei additionally led a successful revival movement to restore discipline in the monastic community that had declined in the late Heian Period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, with emphasis on traditional monastic code, or Pratimoksha
Pratimoksha
The Pratimoksha is a Buddhist moral discipline. A loose translation of the term is "personal liberation", and thus the discipline is concerned with the Buddhist's quest for personal liberation, and originated with the Pratimoksha Vows given by the Buddha to his followers. "Prati" means 'towards' or...
. Jōkei restored Vinaya
Vinaya
The Vinaya is the regulatory framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha, based in the canonical texts called Vinaya Pitaka. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: 'Dharma' or doctrine, and 'Vinaya', or discipline...
lineages to Kofukuji, Toshodaiji and other temples by 1210, while he gained a number of prominent disciples including Eison, through Jōkei's disciple Kainyo, who went on to found the Shingon Risshu
Shingon Risshu
The is a comparatively small medieval sect of Japanese Buddhism that arose in the Kamakura Period as an offshoot of the parent Shingon sect. The founder was a monk named Eison , a disciple of Jōkei, and carried further by Eison's disciple Ninshō .The school is marked by an increased emphasis...
sect and Ryohen the so-called "Hosso restorer".