Kakuban
Encyclopedia
Kakuban known posthumously as Kōgyō-Daishi (興教大師) was a priest of the Shingon sect of Buddhism
in Japan and credited as a reformer, though his efforts also led to a schism
between and . Kakuban is also famous for his introduction of the "esoteric nembutsu".
in Hizen Province
(near modern-day Kagoshima
City) about three hundred years after Shingon Buddhism was first founded by Kūkai
(空海). His given name was Yachitose-maro (弥千歳麿).
The third of four children, his father died at the age of 10, so he renounced the world at age 13 to enter the priesthood and became a pupil of the famous teacher, Kanjo
(寛助) in Kyoto
, who in turn had founded the Jōju-in (成就院). Kakuban had briefly studied the Kusha
and Hossō teachings at Kōfuku-ji
in Nara
before returning to his master. At that time, he was given the ordination name of Shōgaku-bō Kakuban (正覚房覚鑁). After prolonged training in Buddhism at Tōdai-ji
in Nara, the twenty year old received full ordination. Kakuban left for Mount Koya
(Kōya-san), then the center of the Shingon sect, to pursue further learning of Shingon Buddhism and its founder under the tutelage of Shōren (青蓮), a devout follower of the Pure Land
teachings.
By age 30, he received patronage from the noble families in Kyoto, including Cloistered Emperor Toba
's permission to build the Denbō-in (伝法院) on Mt. Koya as a center for studying Buddhism. The following year, he constructed the Daidenbō-in (大伝法院).
in Nara. Eventually, he gathered an increasing throng of followers and became the of both the temples Daidenbō-in and Kongōbu-ji
. In time, he came to govern the entire religious district of Kōyasan as the chief priest under Imperial decree. This led to animosity from some monks, who called for his expulsion. Kakuban soon resigned from his post as chief priest, and retired to Mitsugon-in (密厳院).
The animosity continued, however, and armed monks burned down the Denbō-in Temple in 1139. Kakuban and his pupils fled to Negoro-ji
, where Kakuban ended his days at the age of 49 on December 12, 1143. According to legend, he died while sitting in the lotus posture, facing an image of Vairocana
's Pure Land. His ashes remain buried in a tomb in the Okunoin cemetery there. Later he was given the posthumous title of by Emperor Higashiyama
in 1690.
One of his disciples, Raiyu (頼瑜, 1226–1304) moved the Daidenbō-in and the Mitsugon-in Halls to Negoro-ji in 1288 and established the independence of a new school called .
Similarly, he analyzed mantra
s related to Amitabha Buddha in the Shingon tradition, in order to discover their hidden meanings.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
in Japan and credited as a reformer, though his efforts also led to a schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
between and . Kakuban is also famous for his introduction of the "esoteric nembutsu".
Biography
Kakuban was born in KyūshūKyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
in Hizen Province
Hizen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...
(near modern-day Kagoshima
Kagoshima, Kagoshima
is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
City) about three hundred years after Shingon Buddhism was first founded by Kūkai
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 ....
(空海). His given name was Yachitose-maro (弥千歳麿).
The third of four children, his father died at the age of 10, so he renounced the world at age 13 to enter the priesthood and became a pupil of the famous teacher, Kanjo
Kanjo
in Shinto terminology indicates a propagation process through which a kami, previously divided through a process called bunrei, is invited to another location and there reenshrined.- Evolution of the kanjō process :...
(寛助) in 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:...
, who in turn had founded the Jōju-in (成就院). Kakuban had briefly studied the Kusha
Kusha (Buddhism)
Kusha was one of the 13 Chinese Buddhist schools and one of the 6 Japanese Buddhism schools , introduced to Japan during Asuka and Nara period. Along with Jōjitsu and Ritsu, it was initially based on Nikaya schools, sometimes known derisively as Hinayana. Kusha was never considered to be an...
and Hossō teachings at Kōfuku-ji
Kofuku-ji
is a Buddhist temple in the city of Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school and is one of the eight Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.-History:...
in 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...
before returning to his master. At that time, he was given the ordination name of Shōgaku-bō Kakuban (正覚房覚鑁). After prolonged training in Buddhism at Tōdai-ji
Todai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
in Nara, the twenty year old received full ordination. Kakuban left for Mount Koya
Mount Koya
is the name of mountains in Wakayama Prefecture to the south of Osaka. Also, Kōya-san is a modifying word for Kongōbuji . There is no one mountain officially called Kōya-san in Japan....
(Kōya-san), then the center of the Shingon sect, to pursue further learning of Shingon Buddhism and its founder under the tutelage of Shōren (青蓮), a devout follower of 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...
teachings.
By age 30, he received patronage from the noble families in Kyoto, including Cloistered Emperor Toba
Emperor Toba
was the 74th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123.- Genealogy :...
's permission to build the Denbō-in (伝法院) on Mt. Koya as a center for studying Buddhism. The following year, he constructed the Daidenbō-in (大伝法院).
Schism
When he was thirty-six, Kakuban took leadership in the revival of the Shingon Sect, by attempting to unify the existing branches of Ono (小野) and Hirosawa (広沢). Further, he attempted to assert authority of the Shingon sect from Mt. Koya, not the traditional seat at Tō-jiTo-ji
is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon sect in Kyoto, Japan. Its name means East Temple, and it once had a partner, Sai-ji . They stood alongside the Rashomon, the gate to the Heian capital. It is formally known as which indicates that it previously functioned as a temple providing protection for the...
in Nara. Eventually, he gathered an increasing throng of followers and became the of both the temples Daidenbō-in and Kongōbu-ji
Kongobu-ji
Kongōbuji is the ecclesiastic head temple of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, located on , Wakayama prefecture, Japan. Its name means Temple of the Diamond Mountain...
. In time, he came to govern the entire religious district of Kōyasan as the chief priest under Imperial decree. This led to animosity from some monks, who called for his expulsion. Kakuban soon resigned from his post as chief priest, and retired to Mitsugon-in (密厳院).
The animosity continued, however, and armed monks burned down the Denbō-in Temple in 1139. Kakuban and his pupils fled to Negoro-ji
Negoro-ji
The complex of Buddhist temples stands on the side of, and is surrounded by, the sacred peaks of the Katsuragi Mountains which dominate the horizon at the northern end of the city of Iwade, Wakayama in Japan....
, where Kakuban ended his days at the age of 49 on December 12, 1143. According to legend, he died while sitting in the lotus posture, facing an image of Vairocana
Vairocana
Vairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
's Pure Land. His ashes remain buried in a tomb in the Okunoin cemetery there. Later he was given the posthumous title of by Emperor Higashiyama
Emperor Higashiyama
was the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Higashiyama's reign spanned the years from 1687 through 1709.-Genealogy:...
in 1690.
One of his disciples, Raiyu (頼瑜, 1226–1304) moved the Daidenbō-in and the Mitsugon-in Halls to Negoro-ji in 1288 and established the independence of a new school called .
Teachings
Kakuban wrote many works elaborating on the foundational teachings of Kūkai, as well as existing rituals at the time, however he also introduced a new ritual called the . Kakuban, in keeping with Shingon thought, felt that the regular nembutsu used in Pure Land Buddhist practices contained esoteric elements as well. In the , he describes each of the syllables of the nembutsu, their underlying esoteric meaning, and the important symbolism of breath as life, and as a means of recitation.Similarly, he analyzed mantra
Mantra
A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation"...
s related to Amitabha Buddha in the Shingon tradition, in order to discover their hidden meanings.