. kkai and the development of shingon buddhism 697
academic and intellectual activity, particularly of scriptural translation
and bibliographical studies. It must have provided Kūkai with a wealth
of study material. After becoming a resident at the monastery, Kūkai
records that he “visited and searched among eminent masters in the
city” (KZ 1: 3; translated by Abé 1999, 120). He received instruction
in South Indian Brahamanical philosophy from Prajñā (734–810?), a
North Indian Tripitaka master then residing in the city. It is highly ̣
likely that Prajñā, a noted teacher and translator, also taught Kūkai
Sanskrit, and he later presented Kūkai with a copy of the Avataṃsaka
sūtra in the original Sanskrit along with other Sanskrit texts. Kukai
placed great importance on understanding Sanskrit in order to cor-
rectly comprehend esoteric Buddhism.
Four months after entering Ximing, Kukai met the teacher from
whom he was to inherit the Shingon teachings, Huiguo (Keika ,
746–805; cf. Katsumata 1981, 317–324) at Qinglong monastery
( ) in the capital. Huiguo was a disciple of Amoghavajra
(Bukong jin’gang; Fukūkongō ; 705–774), whose own master
was the Indian esoteric master and translator Vajrabodhi (Kongōchi
; Jin’gangzhi; 671–741). These three masters are identified in
Kūkai’s Record of the Dharma Transmission on the Secret Mandala
Teaching ( Himitsu mandarakyō fuhōden, here-
after Record; KZ 1: 63–116, written by 821 at latest), as the fifth, sixth,
and seventh patriarchs of esoteric Buddhism (KZ 1: 68). According to
Kūkai’s account, Huiguo determined to make Kukai his disciple upon
their first encounter (KZ 1: 35), and after receiving full abhiṣeka (kanjō
; esoteric ordination), Kukai became one of six official Dharma
successors to his teacher and one of only two disciples to receive the
teachings of the two mandalas central to Shingon Buddhism, making
him the eighth patriarch.^9
The Question of Transmission
Huiguo’s transmission of teachings to Kūkai is remarkable for its
rapidity. Shortly after his first meeting with Huiguo, Kūkai received
abhiṣeka ritual of mastering the Dharma (jimyo , or gakuhō
(^9) The other was I-ming who was entrusted with propagating in China. I-ming
and Kūkai’s legitimate successions are recorded by Wu-yin in the 806 biography of
Huiguo (Datang qinglongsi dongta yuan guanding guoshi Huiguo aduli xingzhuang;
Daitō shōryūji tōtōin kanjō kokushi keika ajari gyōjō
) quoted in Record ( KZ 1: 63–116).