- kōmyō shingon 875
of the Mantra of Light) (Hase 1973, 2:6–14), he emphasizes the more
yogic dimensions of the practice through which the mystic power of
all of the cosmic buddhas enters into the practitioner.
However, it is not simply that one ideally progresses from a more
devotional attitude to a more yogic realization within what at first
appears to be predominantly either a devotional or yogic practice. Such
figures as Myōe, Shinran, and their contemporary in Zen Buddhism,
Dōgen, continued to express profound devotion to the buddhas and
bodhisattvas throughout their lives, in part as an expression of their
ever-deepening religious humility. In that sense, what at first appear as
polar opposites—devotional versus yogic—turn out to be more mutu-
ally intertwined and interpenetrating than expected. As we continue to
develop our understanding of the mantra of light and other practices,
many other dimensions of religious practice within the esoteric tradi-
tions and beyond are likely to come to light.