. exploring the esoteric in nara buddhism 793
Nara schools before Kūkai’s Shingon transmission, it is not difficult
to understand why Nara scholar monks and their parent institutions
would have been anxious to develop these practices further and to
acquire new ones as Hieizan and Kōyasan attracted growing patronage
throughout the Heian era. Considerable wealth, influence, and even
survival were at stake for the established schools.
These were strong motivations for Nara monks like Myōe, Jōkei,
Eison, and many before them to master these ritual technologies, incor-
porate them into their practice, and reconcile problematic doctrinal
positions with prevailing esoteric beliefs. This is not to impugn their
motives, but rather to properly acknowledge the social, religious, and
even political context of their lives. Esoteric Buddhism represented a
paradigm shift in terms of the discourse and practice of Japanese Bud-
dhism. If the Nara schools were to survive this momentous transition,
they had little choice but to join the march.