introduced into Japan by Kukai (774-835, alias Kobo Daishi). In his youth, Kukai had received the Confucian training suitable for an official career but,growing disenchanted with such a prospect, became a Buddhist monk and studiedassiduously. He was also sent by Emperor Kammu in 804, and returned to Japan in 806, aconvert to the Shingon school of Buddhism. It is possible that he did not spend all his time overseas in the Chinese capital of Ch'ang-an, but traveled to the far south of China where itborders on India.Shingon is a form of Japanese esoteric Buddhism, it is also called ShingonMikkyo. This school was founded in 804 AD by Kukai (Kobo Daishi) in Japan. Theteachings of Shingon are based on the Mahayana Sutra and the Vairochana Sutra, thefundamental sutras of shingon. Through the cultivation of three secrets, the actions ofbody, speech and mind, we are able to attain enlightenment in this very body. When wecan sustain this sate of mind, we can become on with the life force of the Universe, knownas Mahavairocana Buddha. The symbolic activities are present anywhere in the universe. Natural phenomena such as mountains and oceans and even humans express the truthdescribed in the sutras. The universe itself embodies and cannot be separated from the teaching. In theShingon tradition, the practitioner uses the same techniques that were used over 1200years ago by Kukai, and have been transmitted orally generation after generation to thepresent. As Shingon Buddhists, there are three vows to observe in their lives:.May we realize Buddhahood in this very life..May we dedicate ourselves to the well-being of people .May we establish the World of Buddha on this earth.Within Kukai's monastery the Shingon initiate spent much time reciting mantras(sacred words or incantations), and practicing mudras (sacred gestures). He also studiedmandalas (sacred pictures) which represented in diagrammatic form the boundless powerand presence of the co...
