Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia

73. THE DEITY OF MIWA AND TENDAI

ESOTERIC THOUGHT

Anna Andreeva

In recent years academic scholarship concerning the history of wor-
ship of Japanese deities (kami has made significant progress. New
approaches have been steadily developing, and major frameworks
have now been established. More historical case studies of combina-
tory cults in which kami, esoteric Buddhist and other divinities played
important roles, continue to arrive. However, some details still need to
be fleshed out. For example, how and why did kami enshrined at spe-
cific local sites became incorporated into multiple and highly diverse
strands of esoteric Buddhist worship in premodern Japan? How did
Japanese kami came to be at the centre of esoteric Buddhist rituals that
claimed to provide new means for securing instant enlightenment or
to ensure a safe passage to a Pure Land? More precisely, what were the
mechanisms or agents that allowed such incorporations?
Perhaps the answer can be sought in the nature of interaction
between major hubs of esoteric Buddhist learning and sacred kami
sites that dotted the landscape of premodern Japan. One of such hubs
was undoubtedly the temple complex at Hieizan founded by
Saichō (767–822) upon his return to Japan from Tang China in
the early Heian period. Tendai’s own esoteric tradition, Taimitsu
cultivated by Saichō’s disciples at Hieizan and by practitioners associ-
ated with Tendai monastic circles elsewhere became a major current
of esoteric Buddhism that shaped local kami cults in medieval Japan.
However, the exact details and the extent of such influence only begin
to emerge.
A variety of premodern sources testify that Tendai esoteric think-
ers paid particular attention to the worship of kami. An example that
helps us trace and explain their interest is the case of kami divinities
enshrined at Mt Miwa.
In prehistoric times Mt. Miwa had been an important ritual center
for the early Yamato kingdom. It was considered a sacred mountain
and three powerful deities, Ōnamuchi , Ōmononushi
and Ōkuninushi , were enshrined there, along with several