Shingon's Ninth Level of Mind

Kukai gives the name, "The Profoundest Exoteric Buddhist Mind that is Aware of its Nonimmutable Nature" to his ninth level of mind. (p. 211) Kukai identifies the mythic origin of this level of mind in the following passage:

"Vairocana Buddha preached extensively for two weeks the meaning of this [mind], after having attained enlightenment for the first time, to the great Bodhisattva Samantabhadra and to others. He was residing, as it were, in a lotus-adorned abode of glorious enlightenment in the country called the World of Dharma. He manifested himself in seven places and held eight assemblies to unfold the Avatamsaka Sutra. He first entered the concentration known as the sagaramudra samadhi and meditated on the complete diffusion of the Nature of Dharma (dharmata). (p. 212 - 213)

The reference to the Avatamsaka Sutra links this mind to the Hua-yen (Kegon in Japanese) School of Buddhism.

(Quotations are from "Kukai: Major Works", Hakeda, 1972)

If you are interested in Shingon, please write to us at mandalavermont@gmail.com

Unconditioned and signless...

 

"The One Way, unconditioned and signless, is spotless;

It unfolds the teaching of nonduality of neither being nor nonbeing.

When both the seeing and the seen are negated, the eternal ground of quiescence will be found;

When all thought determinations are exhausted, one will meet with Mahavairocana."

Excerpted from the verse conclusion of Kukai's eighth level of mind, "The Mind that is Truly in Harmony with the One Way".  (Kukai: Major Works, Hakeda, 1972, p. 73 or 210)

Please contact us at mandalavermont@gmail.com to learn more about the study and practice of Shingon.

Kukai's Ninth Level of Mind...

 

"That which is near to us and yet difficult to perceive is our Mind. He who is infinitesimal and yet who pervades all space is our Buddha. Our Buddha is suprarational and our Mind is boundless... What is really mysterious and unfathomable is the Buddha which is our Mind."

From Kukai's description of the ninth level of mind ("Kukai: Major Works", Hakeda, 1972, p. 211)

If you are interested in the study and practice of Shingon, please contact us at mandalavermont@gmail.com

The roots of all good...

"Just as the sea embraces a hundred rivers, the roots of all good are gathered in this single syllable. Therefore it is called the mantra of the ocean mudra samadhi. Thus if you visualize this syllable one time, it surpasses the merit of reciting simultaneously the eighty thousand Buddhist teachings."

From the "Ajikan Yojin Kuketsu", Kukai's Record of Oral Instructions on the A-syllable Visualization transcribed by his student Jichie. (Shingon: Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, Yamasaki, 1988, p. 193)

For more information about our practice and study of Shingon, please reach out to us at mandalavermont@gmail.com

Emptiness of self...

Perhaps everyone knows the Heart Sutra's most famous lines:

"O Shariputra form is emptiness, emptiness is form, form is no other than emptiness, emptiness is no other than form."

There is no doubt that this classic formulation of non-duality has a unique place in Buddhist thought and practice. But today I'd like to draw your attention to the line that follows:

"Of sensation, conception, predisposition and consciousness the same can be said."

So it follows that:

"O Shariputra sensation is emptiness..., conception is emptiness..., predisposition is emptiness..., and consciousness is emptiness..."

All five skandhas are emptiness, shunyata. In truth we could rewrite this passage in a summary form saying:

"Oh Shariputra, the skandhas are emptiness, emptiness is the skandhas, the skandhas are no other than emptiness, emptiness is no other than the skandhas."

And what are the skandhas? They are ourselves...

Please contact us at mandalavermont@gmail.com to learn more about our practice and study of Shingon.

Ungraspable void...

From Kukai's "Aji-gi", The Meaning of the A-Syllable...

"The A-syllable is the originally unborn, ungraspable void. This ungraspable void is endowed with a multitude of virtues and embraces the truth of all Buddhas everywhere. Because it is based on mutual empowerment with the void, it embraces all Buddha-truths..."

(Shingon: Japanese Esoteric Buddhism, Yamasaki, 1988, p. 193 - 194)

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Dream...

 

"Meditate deeply to know the very bottom of the mind.

Where the Great Mirrorlike Wisdom of Mahavairocana shines infinite virtue all around."

From "Singing Image of a Dream", number three in a collection of poems called "Poems that Sing Ten Images" ("Tantric Poetry of Kukai", M.Gibson & H. Murakami, 1987, p. 26)

If you would like to learn more about our practice and study, please email us at mandalavermont@gmail.com

Release from suffering & cultivating goodness...

From an inscription on a Chinese Buddhist stele circa 543 AD...

"True enlightenment has no words, but without language one cannot interpret its essence. Although manifestations [of the Truth] appear in response to [sublime] stimuli, without [Buddhist] images there would be no way to express its appearance. Therefore, for the release from suffering, nothing surpasses devotion to images; and for cultivating goodness, there is nothing better than reverence for scriptures and icons."

From "With a Single Glance" (C.J. Bogel, 2009, p. 42)

P.S. If you are interested in the study and practice of Shingon, one of Japan's few surviving tantric (vajrayana) traditions please reach out to us at mandalavermont@gmail.com...

Song of the Echo...

"Seeking the origin, we find that things have no essence.

All is unborn, imperishable, and has no beginning or end.

Stay in the One Mind of no discrimination."

From "Singing Image of an Echo", number six in a collection of poems called "Poems that Sing Ten Images" ("Tantric Poetry of Kukai", M.Gibson & H. Murakami, 1987, p. 29)

P.S. If you are interested in the study and practice of Shingon, one of Japan's few surviving tantric (vajrayana) traditions please reach out to us at mandalavermont@gmail.com...

Ueno Daibutsu...

I'm a big fan of Ueno Park.  On my last two trips to Japan, while visiting Tokyo, I stayed at a hotel in Taito City within walking distance of the park.  In March and April the cherry blossoms are amazing as the park has around 1000 cherry trees.  But the Japanese locals enjoying the hanami - cherry blossom viewing - eating, drinking and just relaxing are the best.  It's hard to imagine us American's doing anything like it.

Additionally, there are amazing museums, temples, shrines, a pond as well as great places to just stroll in the park to just enjoy Japan's cultural richness.  

Despite all that, there is one thing in the park that, at least to me, stands out as totally unique, a one of a kind, totally worth seeking out, a really special thing.  Especially if you are a Dharma person.

It's the Ueno Daibutsu.  Yeah, move over Nara, Ueno has it's own Great Buddha.

On the grounds of the Ueno Daibutsu is a really unusual stupa, almost Indian in it's design and feeling.  It's marked with Siddham syllables on the four sides of it's middle layer, signaling a tantric connection.  In contrast, the eight spoked Dharma Wheel (a symbol of the Eight Fold Path) that adorn it's doors link it to the historical Buddha and his original teachings.  The moss growing on it's shoulders, gives it a very ancient and natural look and feel.

Originally, the Ueno Daibutsu was an Edo Period (1603 - 1868) bronze statue of Shakamuni Buddha dating to 1631.  Here he is in his original, meditative glory...

The Ueno Daibutsu was struck by an earthquake early on after it's casting but restored in 1640.  A fire in 1841 and another earthquake in 1855 both required additional restoration.  But the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 toppled the statue's head...

And then much of the remaining body was melted down for Japan's Pacific War, what we call World War II.  

Sadly, only Shakamuni's face is left for us to see, appreciate and know today...

It's simply amazing that we can see this Buddha's face hundred's of years and untold catastrophes after it's creation.  It's lidded eyes and serene features are vivid and full of meaning, having survived almost 400 tumultuous years.  The efforts of the Japanese people who preserved this Buddha face against all odds are even more amazing than what remains of the original statue.  I know I'm grateful to them all.

If you happen to be in Tokyo, please visit Ueno Park and try to find this Buddha.  He's well worth a visit...

jim

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ueno_Daibutsu

P.S. If you are interested in the study and practice of Shingon, one of Japan's few surviving tantric (vajrayana) traditions please reach out to us at mandalavermont@gmail.com...

Book Review: A History of Japan...

I found this book in a bookstore in the Naritia Airport as I waited for my flight back to Vermont.  I picked it up with every intention of reading it on the plane.  Instead I watched three movies trying to pass the time as I was so psyched to be heading home I just couldn't concentrate enough to read.  

But since I've been back I've been (slowly) reading this book and I have to say it's great.  It starts with Japanese pre-history, which may stretch back 30,000 years and traces Japanese history, life and culture up to the Occupation after World War II.  It treats cultural elements such as poetry, religion, art and architecture with wonderful appreciation as well as politics and war with informative detail.

But most of all it reminded me that all of Buddhism, with our Shingon being no exception happens in a historical context that shapes, contributes and even constrains its expression, development and eventual character.  And if anyone wishes to understand Shingon or Buddhism or anything cultural phenomena it has to include what we can and can't know about the time and place it happened.

So, even though I haven't finished it yet, I'm very enthusiastic about this book.  Give it a try if you want to get a nice introduction to Japan's history without going back to college.

jim

A History of Japan, Revised Edition

R.H.P. Mason & J.G. Caiger

Tuttle Publishing

1997