1038 thierry robouam
strong relationship with the Shingon school. The direct influence of
esotericism on these religious movements can be traced to famous
places of pilgrimage; to temples in Kyōto; to Kōyasan; and, to a lesser
extent, to Hieizan.
The Daigoji of Kyōto has been a particularly important
temple for the founders of new religions. The founder of the Gedat-
sukai, Okano Seiken (1881–1994), received tokudo
, the basic rite of entry in the Buddhist community, in the Great
Hall of the Sanbōin of the Daigoji. Similarly, the founder of
the Shinnyoen, Itō Shinjō (1906–1989), trained at Daigoji
and was ordained as a Shingon high priest (daiajari ;
mahācārya) in 1941. The Daigoji also played an important role in the
creation of the most important “stars ritual” (hoshi matsuri )
of Agonshū. Its founder, Kiriyama Seiryū , born in 1921,
found his inspiration in the rituals of the Daigo branch of
Shingon Buddhism.
These new religions give great importance to extraordinary spiritual
powers ( ). Depending on the personality of the founders, the
teachings about these powers vary greatly. For example, the founder
of Agonshū, Kiriyama Seiryū, claims that he has gained powers that
ordinary human beings, including his followers, cannot possess. On
the contrary, the founder of Shinnyoen, Itō Shinjō, claims that the
spiritual powers he was able to cultivate can also be acquired by his
followers.
Most of the new religions introduced above have been able to extend
their activities beyond Japan and have very often been more success-
ful than more traditional schools of esoteric Buddhism in recruiting
foreign members. Other religious foundations influenced by the Shin-
gon school are less known but still have influence in some parts of
Japan. This is the case, for example, in the different branches of the
new religious movement Shingoshō. These movements are
influential in Kyūshū and in Wakayama prefecture, and they claim to
have a strong connection with Kōyasan.
The AUM Shinrikyō movement offers a good example of the com-
plex relationship between established esoteric traditions and new reli-
gious movements. It is not the place here to discuss the reasons why
the AUM movement turned violent and was involved in the 1995 sarin
gas attack in the Tokyo subway, though there is no reason to think
that esoteric teachings had a direct influence on the violent behavior of
AUM members. I am more interested in the fact that the 1995 attack