860 anna andreeva
deity Hie Sannō 10 , such as the previously mentioned Yōtenki,
Sange Yōryakki, and Keiran shūyōshū, contain many accounts that in
one form or another underline the crucial link between Hieizan and
Miwa myōjin Miwa myōjin ), or that discuss the significance
of kami worship in Miwa.
Indeed, so powerful was the Tendai interpretation of the Miwa deity
that after a few centuries it “returned” to Miwa and was recorded in
the Origins of the Great Miwa Deity (Miwa daimyōjin engi
), which may have been compiled as early as in 1318. The
production of this text is usually attributed to the lineage of Eizon
(1201–1290) or the Saidaijiryū monks who resided at
Ise and Miwa (Itō 1993). However, the contents of the engi suggest that
the majority of esoteric reinterpretation of the sacred site of Miwa and
the identity of Miwa myōjin is largely owing to Taimitsu discourse.
For instance, the traditional Tendai view of esoteric doctrine rested
on the notions of Three Parts (or Three Mandalas) (sanbu ),
three bodies [of Buddha] in one (santai soku ichi ), and
Three Points (santen ). Veneration of the Lotus Sūtra and its doc-
trine was also a pinnacle of Taimitsu discourse, and the echo of this
influence is precisely what is seen in the Miwa daimyōjin engi. In its
description of kami the text also uses terms that are very close to the
interpretations of the One-syllable Golden Sphere (ichiji kinrin
) seen in esoteric scriptures of the same title brought by Ennin to
Japan. The argument of the engi is built around the notions of “one
body but three names” (ittai sanmyō ), which resembles clas-
sic Tiantai theories seen in the Mohe-jin guan and the Lotus Sūtra. It
is important to note that one of the engi chapters relates a story how
Saichō transferred the Miwa myōjin to Hieizan to serve as a protec-
tive deity of Tendai. Could it be that the identity of Miwa, the deity of
“three rings” (Miwa was particularly suitable for the propaga-
tion of the core Tendai doctrine?
The ichiji kinrin ritual seems to have been of real importance to
the Tendai interpretation and ritual communication with kami. It
appears that the previously mentioned Sūtra of One-syllable Golden
Sphere of Buddha’s Pate had a special significance for both the political
(^10) Also written as , when associated with Hieizan. Also note that in this
context, “Hiyoshi” is a mistaken pronunciation for.