Buddhism : Critical Concepts in Religious Studies, Vol. VI

TANTRIC BUDDHISM (INCLUDING CHINA AND JAPAN)

Kobo-daishi ( 5.&l*Mi, the great master Kobo 774-835 A.D.), the founder of
the Japanese sect of Shingon Buddhism(~~).
In the concluding part of the Un-ji-gi (fO!f*ft~, 'The Meaning of the Char-
acter Hiim"), the last work of his life, Kiikai states:

"Moreover, I will explain the fact that this single character (Hiim)

includes all the truths (:@) expounded in all the scriptures and treatises.

Whatsoever is expounded in the Mahiivairocana-siitra and the

Tattvasamgraha-tantra is nothing more than 'the three phrases' (:=:'cJ);

viz. '(of sarvajiiajiiiina, viz. the omniscience -!ff.J~~) the human mind

seeking for enlightenment (bodhicitta :tf~{,,) is the cause; the great

compassion (mahiikarw:zii *ilf.) (of Vairocana Tathagata) is the root;

and (employing) practical means ( upiiya :;!] ~ ) (to save all the living

beings of the world) is the final aim (paryavasiina 5e:l;)'.

If we summarize the diffusive to the concise, and the derivative to

the original, all the doctrines can be brought back to these three

phrases; and these three phrases can be condensed to the single charac-

ter Hiim. Even if(these doctrines are) diffused, (they are) not confused;

even if (they are) condensed, none of them is left behind. This is pos-

sible because of the unthinkable talent of the tathiigatas and the natural

efficacy of the truth itself. (Truths expounded) in tens of thousands of

scriptures and treatises do not go beyond these three phrases".^3

As will be explained later, 'the three phrases' thoroughly represent the idea of
the Vairocaniibhisambodhi-siitra, but not that of the Tattvasamgrahatantra; and
it goes without saying that Kiikai was well aware of this fact. I am convinced that
Kiikai clearly noticing that the ridge composed by the two slopes of these 'two
great scriptures' was too sharp for one to balance onself upon, kept himself
consciously on the side of the Vairocaniibhisambodhi-siitra. He must have inten-
tionally mentioned both the Tattvasamgraha-tantra and the Vairocaniibhisa-
bodhi-siitra to remind us that the ideal of 'the three phrases' is to be retained by
one who, keeping himself on the humane slope of Mahayana Buddhism, can
command a view of the tempting, but dangerous slope of Tantrism yet to be syn-
thesized with Mahayana Buddhism. I imagine, it must have been an unfinished
dream of I<Tlkai to establish an ideal Tantric Buddhism precisely on the soaring
ridge of the two greatest scriptures by harmonizing the noble humanism of the
Vairocaniibhisambodhi-siitra with the dazzlingly miraculous secret of the quick
attainment of enlightenment advocated within the Tattvasamgraha-tantra.

iii. Tantrism subsequent to the Tattvasarilgraha-tantra

In the Tattvasamgraha-tantra, the secret of the quick attainment of enlighten-
ment was actually revealed. There, the Mahayanic ideal of strenuous effort
(:~fff.f), the idea of the accumulation ofthe two kinds of merits c.::::•mO)fl!i~)