Fascicle Three 143

Chapter 6 Fascicle Three

7 The Ritsu (Vinaya) School The teaching of the Vinaya School came to Japan a long time ago. After Bud- dhism was first transmitted to Japan in 552 during the reign of Emperor Kinmei (r. 539-571), the Buddha Dharma was gradually and successively trans mitted. In 588, thirty-seven years after its introduction, during the first year of the reign of the 33rd emperor of Japan, Sushun (r. 588-593)1, the country of Baekje presented Buddhist relics, monks, and painters. At that time, Kabane Soga no Umako (551?-626)2 invited the Baekje monks and asked them for the ordination rituals. They answered, “Monks should receive full monk precepts from ten preceptors or five preceptors. Nuns should receive full nun precepts first (from nun preceptors) in their nunneries, move to the monk monaster- ies later and receive the precepts again from monk preceptors.” In this country of Japan, nuns did not practice ordination rituals. Because it did not have these two groups of monastics, monks and nuns, Japan could not perform nun ordinations. Therefore, three nuns, Zenzō, Zenshin, and Ezen went to Baekje, received three types of ordinations, ten novice nun precepts, six probationary nun precepts, and 348 full nun precepts, completing all ordination procedures and returning to Japan after three years. (Based on this ordination), nun ordination rituals were transmitted to Japan (from Baekje). After these three nuns returned to Japan, the number of other nuns from foreign countries began to increase. Even so, the number was still insufficient, so they could not perform ordination procedures properly. Thus, nun ordination hardly happened at all. Those nuns who came from foreign lands managed monastic business based on proper rules and followed the rules of their countries. Japanese monastics at first could not ordain monastics in accordance with the rules. Even though they seemed like ordained monastics, they could not complete ordinations in accordance with rules and conditions. The number of monks grew to an extent that we cannot calculate (in later times). In the 4th month of 624, during the 32nd year of her reign, Empress Suiko issued an edict saying, “The government will appoint Sōjō and Sōzu and

1 Emperor Sushun was the 32nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. 2 Kabane is an honorific title.

will let them examine monks and nuns from now on.” In the 9th month of the same year, “When the government examined the number of temples and the number of monks and nuns, the number of temples was 46, the number of monks was 816, and the number of nuns was 569.” At that time, the government first appointed Gwalleuk, a Baekje monk as Sōjō and assigned the man- agement of the monastic order to him. In the next year (625), the government appointed Hyegwan, a monk whom the Goguryo king presented to Japan, mak- ing him assist the Sōjō. Even though the two monastic groups, monks and nuns, began to increase in number as seen above, the ordination rituals were not performed in accordance with rules. On the darkest (last) day of the 12th month of (651), the 2nd year of the Hakuchi (650-655) Era of his reign, the 37th emperor of Japan, Kōtoku (r. 645-654),3 invited more than 2,100 monks and nuns to his palace, Ajifu no Miya, and had them chant the Buddhist canon. Even though there were many monks and nuns as explained above, they were not properly ordained according to the rules. In the 5th month of (660) the 6th year of the 38th sovereign, Saimei (r. 655-661),4 a government official served an edict to make 100 seats, 100 robes, and 100 surplices, and held an Assembly of The Benevolent Kings Wisdom Sūtra. In the 4th month of the 4th year of the Hakuhō period (673-686)5 of Emperor Tenmu (r. 672-686), the fortieth sovereign of Japan (in 675), a government official invited more than 2,400 monks and nuns and hosted an extensive service of chanting and praising the Golden Light Sūtra. Even though there were many monks and nuns, Japan did not have the preceptors to transmit the precepts and rules. In this way, during his reign, Emperor Tenmu assigned Vinaya Master Dōkō to be an envoy to Tang China and made him study the Vinaya Piṭaka. He served the emperor’s edict, entered Tang China, spent several years there, studied the Vinaya, and finally returned to Japan in (678) the 7th year of the same reign. He wrote a book in one fascicle in the same year and named it Recorded Sentences Selected from the Four Part Vinaya. He mentions in the preface to this book, “On the 19th day of the 9th month (of 678), according to the great commission of Emperor Tenmu of Ki- yomi Hara Palace of the great country of Japan, Vinaya Master Dōkō who studied in Great Tang China compiled a procedure manual.” The book’s colophon calls it “Recorded Sentences Selected from the Four Part Vinaya in one fascicle.” During his reign, Emperor Tenmu sent the Vinaya Master to Great Tang and

3 Emperor Kōtoku was the 36th emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. 4 Empress Kōgyoku (594–661) was also known as Empress Saimei. She was the 35th (r. 642-645) and the 37th monarch (r. 655-661) of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. 5 The Hakuhō was an unofficial Japanese era name during the reign of Emperor Tenmu.