The Shikoku Pilgrimage

"For human beings, vanity is the most intolerable thing: worrying about causing others offense is the most complicated. Existent and non-existent, visible and invisible, audible and inaudible, how joyful is the artlessly pure and independent mind. In such a mind, a most precious and abundant love arises. Life exists within the vastness of the universe. Detached but not detached, I love everything intensely. For me there is not the slightest uneasiness or sorrow. When the sun sets, I sleep: when the dawn breaks, I walk." (Tennant, p. 29)

-Takamure Itsue

Over the last few years our teacher, Ajari Jomyo Tanaka has been working his way through the four sections of the well known, 88 temple Shikoku Pilgrimage. Ajari Tanaka has been traversing each section on foot and trying to visit not only the 88 temples officially part of the pilgrimage but as many of the side temples as his time allows. This past Spring he walked the third section, which spans Ehime Prefecture. This spring he plans to return to Shikoku to complete the pilgrimage by walking the final section through Kagagawa Prefecture. This pilgrimage has been part of Shingon and Japanese spirituality for centuries. The pilgrimage as spiritual practice provides a very interesting compliment to the deep philosophical teachings of Kukai, the elegant complexity of ritual and the vast variety of meditation method which characterizes the Shingon tradition. Walking 900 miles and visiting 88 temples is a very rugged, direct and uncomplicated practice that Ajari Tanaka speaks quite highly of and always recommends.

There are many accounts of the pilgrimage, even in English. The above quote comes from a very interesting account of a young woman's pilgrimage from 1918. Rendered beautifully into English by the translator, this small quote captures a little of the spirit of her journey.

{"The 1918 Shikoku Pilgrimage of Takamure Itsue (Musume Junreiki)", Translated by Susan Tennant, Bowen Publishing, 2010}

Many people know Basho's famous haiku about the old pond, the jumping frog and the cosmic splash it made. Ajari Tanaka will often create beautiful, spidery renderings of this famous poem when performing calligraphy. During these demonstrations he will translate what he calls Basho's enlightenment haiku as follows:

Old pond,

Jumping frog,

Infinity sound.

Here is an old rendering of Basho's poem by Ajari Tanaka. It was made into a very nice postcard a long time ago.

Enjoy.

This single syllable...

"The sound A is the mother of all letters; it is the essence of all sounds; and it stands for the fountainhead of all-inclusive Reality... ...If we see the letter A, we know all things are empty and nil..." (Hakeda, p. 247)

This syllable is a symbolic representation of Mahavairocana as he appears in the Taizo-kai Mandala. It is also a central symbol in one of Shingon's most common but important meditations. Like the image of Mahavairocana, the syllable A is a universal symbol that excludes nothing. It represents all the teachings of the Dharma and, as stated above, the empty nature of all things and the ultimate reality that exists simultaneously.

The image here, often referred to as the "Aji" image depicts the syllable A resting on the lotus of great compassion and held within the full moon sphere of Bodhicitta. Please enjoy this elegant image.

"Just as we hear the sound A when we hear all sounds, so we perceive that which is the limit, the "original uncreated," when we perceive the arising of phenomena. He who perceives that which is the limit, the "originally uncreated," will come to know his mind as it really is. To know one's mind as it really is is [to gain] all-inclusive wisdom. Thus, this single letter is the mantra of Mahavairocana." (Hakeda, p. 249)

(Source: "The Meaning of the Word HUM", Ungi gi, as translated in "Kukai: Major Works", by Yoshito S. Hakeda, Columbia Press 1972)

Nyoirin Kannon

"He has six arms and his body is the colour of gold... In his crown sits Jizai-o (King of Spontaneity), shown in the form he adopts to preach the Dharma. The first (right) hand makes the 'mudra of thinking' because he thinks with Compassion of sentient beings; the second hand holds a Wish-granting Jewel, which satisfies all desires; the third holds a rosary, which rescues those in the animal births of suffering; the (first) left hand holds a shining mountain, which is perfectly immovable and untilting; the second holds a lotus, which purifies all those who lack the Dharma; and the third hand holds a wheel, whose turning is the preaching of the supreme Dharma. The six arms are omnipresent, and reach into the six paths. Employing the Method of Great Compassion they cut away the suffering of sentient beings."

From the "Nyoirin-yuga" as quoted in The Matrix and Diamond World Mandalas in Shingon Buddhism by Adrian Snodgrass (International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan, New Delhi, 1988, page 303).

Fudo Myo-o #2

"Fudo Myoo (Acala Vidyaraja). The Immovable One, incarnation and messenger of Dainichi Nyorai. Fudo's terrifying appearance represents the fierce aspect of Dainichi when combating wrong-doing. Surrounded by cosmic flames that consume evil and passions, Fudo will not allow the enemies of Buddhism to prevail. Though it appears frightening, Fudo's fury is actually sublime, and designed to protect his worshippers. He smites those who oppose him yet imparts knowledge to those who acknowledge his presence."

From "Sacred Calligraphy of the East" by John Stevens (p.49, published by Shambhala Publications, Inc. , 1981)

Fudo Myo-o is a complex and old fashioned esoteric symbol. It takes time, study and reflection to truely understand the meaning and message of this critical element of Shingon.

Fudo Myo-o

"Fudo Myoo grasps a sword in his right hand and holds a rope in his left hand. He bares his teeth and his eyes flash with anger. His form stands firmly, ready to defeat the evil spirits that would obstruct the Buddhist Law. This is not hidden in any country anywhere. His form is made in the shape of a protector of Buddhism, while his embodiment is that of immovable wisdom. This is what is shown to living beings."

"Seeing this form, the ordinary man becomes afraid and has no thoughts of becoming an enemy of Buddhism. The man who is close to enlightenment understands that this manifests immovable wisdom and clears away all delusion. For the man who can make his immovable wisdom apparent and who is able to physically practice this mental dharma as well as Fudo Myoo, the evil spirits will no longer proliferate. This is the purpose of Fudo Myoo's tidings."

"What is called Fudo Myoo is said to be one's unmoving mind and a unvacillating body."

From "The Unfettered Mind" by Takuan Soho

(Translated by William Scott Wilson, published by Kodansha International, 1986, p. 20 - 21)

Understanding and Freedom

"When the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara was practicing profound Transcendental Wisdom, prajna paramita, he decerned clearly that the five skandhas were empty and thereby became free from all suffering."

-The opening lines of the Heart Sutra

Shingon recognizes the Heart Sutra as containing the essence of Buddhism and the esoteric Buddhist teachings. In its one page we can find a lifetime of contemplation. All of it rich, challenging and well worth returning to again and again.

Our own Ajari Tanaka has emphasized the recitation practice of this sutra as a meditative method since he began teaching in the West. He teaches an almost mantric recitation of the sutra, repeating it over and over many times, sometimes at speed. This practice is wonderfully vigorous and when done in a group can be beautiful in its rhythm and harmony.

Though full of teachings, the opening lines quoted above are very interesting.

We can think of Avalokitesvara as a committed student of meditation. Prajna Paramita is the meditation method he has undertaken. The skandhas are those elements that have come together to form his individuality. Overcoming suffering is none other than enlightenment.

So, we learn from these opening lines, that through meditation we can uncover our very best. We can leave behind the self caused hinderances through expanding our self knowledge. Through our meditation we can liberate our complete human potential.

Takahashi Sensei's Impact on Us All

This is a great picture of Takahashi Sensei in his full brocade robes.

When Ajari Tanaka arrived in the United States in the late seventies, Takahashi Sensei was the head priest at the Koyason Temple in Los Angeles. Ajari Tanaka's plan was to briefly visit the US on a sight seeing tour and then continue on to France where he intended to live and teach.

During Ajari Tanaka's short stay at LA's Koyasan Temple, Takahashi Sensei encouraged him to change his plan and stay, live and teach in the US. Since his arrival in the United States, Takahashi had wanted to teach beyond the boundries of the Japanese American community served by the temple but was never able to achieve that dream. Takahasi Sensei asked Ajari Tanaka to take on that task and fulfill Takahashi's mission to teach Shingon broadly in America.

If it wasn't for Takahashi Sensei's encouragement we wouldn't be studying Shingon today.

Ajari Tanaka's Core Message

In the second section of his exposition on Kukai’s “Thought” entitled, “ Essentials of Kukai’s Esoteric Buddhist Thought and Practice”, Professor Hakeda defines two aspects of Kukai’s esoteric Buddhism. The first is "kyoso", the theoretical aspect and secondly is "jiso", the practical aspect (Hakeda, p. 76).

Further, Professor Hakeda elaborates that the practical dimension of Kukai’s Buddhism is also broken down into two aspects. First is "kai" or observance of the precepts and secondly was "jo" or sitting in meditation (Hakeda, p. 93).

From the earliest days of his teaching in the West, Ajari Tanaka has emphasized practice of what Professor Hakeda has defined as “jo”. Since those early days, Ajari Tanaka has worked uninterruptedly to transmit to a small group of his students a collection of meditations and recitation practices that he has established as the core of our training.

Again and again in his discussions and talks with these students, Ajari Tanaka has established practice as the first and single most important commitment his students need to make. Ajari Tanaka encourages his students to develop a daily practice of meditation and to keep to it, allowing practice to become part of the fabric of our everyday lives.

Ajari repeatedly reminds his students that through this consistent daily practice we can come to not only grow in our self knowledge, but also find genuine happiness while uncovering our true enlightenment.

(Kukai: Major Works, translated with an account of his life and a study of his thought by Yoshito S. Hakeda, published by University Press New York, published in 1972)

Incomparable Dharma

"Then Subhuti asked Buddha: World-honored One, in the attainment of the Consumation of Incomparable Enlightenment did Buddha make no acquisition whatsoever?"

"Buddha replied: Just so, Subhuti. Through the Consumation of Incomparable Enlightenment I acquired not even the least thing: wherefore it is called Consumation of Incomparable Enlightenment."

The quote is from the 22nd chapter of the Diamond Sutra, entitled "It Cannot be Said that Anything is Attainable."

(The Diamond Sutra and The Sutra of Hui Neng, page 61, translated by A.F. Price and Wong Mou-Lam, publised by Shambhala Publications Inc. Boston, 1969)

Good Basic Dharma

"Mind is the forerunner of all actions.

All deeds are led by mind, created by mind.

If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,

suffering follows,

As the wheel follows the hoof of an ox pulling a cart."

"Mind is the forerunner of all actions.

All deeds are led by mind, created by mind.

If one speaks or acts with a serene mind, happiness follows,

As surely as one's shadow."

The above quote is the first two verses from the first chapter of the Dhammapada, entitled "Twins".

(The Dhammapada, The Path of Truth, page 9, translated by the Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, revised by Rose Kramer, published by Parallax Press in 1995)

The Essence of Shingon

"Oh master of mysteries, what is Enightenment (bodhi)? That is to know one's own mind as it really is."

The above quote is the Mahavairocana Buddha speaking to the Bodhisattva Vajradhara in the first chapter of the Mahavairocana Sutra.

(Mahavairocana Sutra, page 3, translated by Chikyo Yamamoto of Koyasan University, published by the International Academy of Indian Culture and Aditya Prakashan of New Delhi, first published in 1990, reprinted in 2001.)