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Form of --Kottegoda S. Warnasuriya Shingon Refractions Author: Mark Unno Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2004 Four 710-794, Heian 7

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Form of --Kottegoda S. Warnasuriya Shingon Refractions Author: Mark Unno Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2004 Four 710-794, Heian 7 Hsi Lai Journal of Humanistic Buddhism Like Sabbasava sutra it is an exposition of has taken a lot of materials from Nikaya cankers. In it six ways of dealing with texts as well as Abhidhamma, references cankers have been explained, i.e. are not given clearly in the form of penetration into cankers, penetration into footnotes or endnotes. There is no Index or conditioned origin of cankers, penetration Bibliography at the end of the Book. into variety of cankers, penetration into Despite these shortcomings, this is a good the results of cankers, penetration into the contribution to Buddhist studies. cessation of cankers and penetration into the path leading to cessation of cankers. In --Kottegoda S. Warnasuriya the chapter seventeen, Probing Into Life, life is compared to a machine. To get the best out of a machine one should know its Shingon Refractions mechanism. What is emphasized is that one should be able to penetrate into one's life in order to overcome cankers. Author: Mark Unno 2004 Chapter eighteen, Persisting Compulsions, Wisdom Publications, Boston, chapter nineteen, Uncovering Mind and chapter twenty, Analytical Approach are Shingon Refractions written by Mark Unno interesting accounts of Buddhist and published by Wisdom Publications of psychology. The chapter twenty one, The Boston is a work dealing with the Mantra Mundane and Supra-mundane, is an of Light - an important esoteric practice of analysis of Sacca, truth, in Buddhism. In the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. this analysis, Vinaya and Sutta are The original text was written by Myoe considered as the conventional truth and Kohen, a monk of thirteenth-century Japan. Abhidhamma as the ultimate truth. Nine This mantra consists of series of tables are included. Three Ultimates,i.e. incantatory syllables, translated from Citta (mind), Cetasika (mental factors) and original Sanskrit. This practice is said to Rupa (corporeality) are explained briefly have originated in India in the early in terms of the Abhidhamma method. The beginnings of Mahayana Buddhism and fourth Ultimate, Nibbana, is explained in brought to China by an Indian monk named chapter twenty second as Bodhiruci during the sixth century CE, who Asamkhatadhatu. In this brief analysis of translated it into Chinese. This practice is Nirvana it has been emphasized that believed to have power to effect the karmic Nirvana is the object of supra-mundane purification of practitioners on many levels. states of consciousness which transforms the mind from the mundane to the supra­ The introduction deals with a short history mundane. of Japanese Buddhism during the four periods: i.e. Nara 710-794, Heian 794-1185, The chapter twenty three, The Cluster of Kamakura 1185-1333 and Modem 1800-. Cankers, is a translation of some parts of And also a mention is made briefly of the the Dhammasangini, the first book of the founder of Shingon sect, Kobo Daishi A Abhidhamma Pitaka. The last chapter, is Kukai. biographical sketch of Myoe has on The Worthy One, the Arahant or also been included. In that his contribution Emancipated One in Buddhism. The to esoteric Buddhism of the Kamakura qualities of the canker-free have been period has been briefly explained. In the explained in accordance with the Arahanta section called Myoe's Approach to the Vagga of the Dhammapada. Mantra of Light, it has been pointed out that even though Myoe was ordained and In conclusion it can be said that even remained as a monk of Shingon and Kegon though the present work is not the result of sects, he entirely rejected their authority academic research, it is an elaboration of and practiced independently. cankers and the path leading to overcoming them. The arrangement of the The book is divided into two parts: Part book is done randomly. Even though he One is named "Intellectual and Cultural 428 Book Reviews History: Refraction of Light" and Part existed symbolically similar to that of Two includes translations of Illuminating Mount Sumeru. The author's idea is that Texts. later the sutras expounding the Mantra of Light became a part of devotion to The first chapter of Part One, The Mantra Amitabha and Sukhavati. of Light, is a textual history, which focuses mainly on the Mantra of Light as Tracing the history of the practice of advocated by Myoe in the thirteenth­ Mantra of Light in Japan, it is stated that century Japan. An attempt is made here to the Amoghavajra's translation of the Sutra trace the early history of this practice in of the Mantra of the Unfailing Rope Snare India. The author surmises that there were of the Buddha Vairocana's Baptism was Sanskrit texts written in India probably first brought to Japan by the Shingon sect's during the first centuries of the Common founder Kukai. According to the author, Era. This mantra was used for the purpose initially the practice did not receive much of extinguishing sins, curing illnesses and attention in Japan. Mantra of Light, at the leading the practitioner to be born in the beginning, was an auxiliary practice of Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha. It is Amitabha (nembutsu) cult. We are mentioned that this cosmic Buddha informed that the earliest use of the Mantra originated as two separate but closely of Light in Japan took place in 880 for a associated Buddhas in India: Amitabha, memorial service for the emperor Seiwa. the Buddha of Infinite Light and Amitayus, The implementation of the Mantra of Light the Buddha of Eternal Life. These cosmic as a major practice took place for the first Buddhas have their own Buddha-lands time at funeral rites for the nobility in order (Buddhaksetras). It is said that the origin to expiate evil karma of the deceased. In of Amitabha and Amitayu cult in this chapter the author describes the Mahayana sutras is rather murky. There is complex ritual of seven stages and sixty­ also an important note regarding eight steps. Mahayana sutras and their origin. Following that are short accounts of Myoe The author's opinion is that this practice is and Eizon, and the Mantra of Light in the related to Amitabha cult, which had been late Kamakura period and beyond, and also influenced and shaped by Indo-Iranian Iconographic Representations from Nara to religion, specially by Zoroastrian cult of Kamakura. Mithra, a deity of light associated with the Sun Worship. It is pointed out that this Chapter Two of Part One is "Knowledge cult was induced by eclectic influences of Enlightenment and Religious from Central Asian Kushan practices too. Authority." At the very outset, it is made clear that there are many ways of acquiring The Mahayana scriptures describing the knowledge of Buddhism, for example by practices leading to birth in the Sukhavatr reading, listening to sermons and so forth. (Land of Bliss) of Amitabha Buddha Knowledge and enlightenment are two belonged to a very early period of things that should be distinguished. The development of Buddhist thought and enlightenment is attaining through the practices. These early Mahayana sutras proper practice, for which. having a began to appear around the beginning of qualified master is important. Here, very the Common Era, when both the Larger important information is provided Sukhavativyiiha and Smaller regarding the practice of Buddhism in Sukhavatrvyiiha sutras were composed. medieval temples in Japan. Women and those who engaged in lower occupations The author, on the authority of Gregory were not allowed to come to temples and Schopen, considers that the Sukhavatr cult they did not have access to sacred learning. in early Mahayana developed Only the members of the aristocracy and independently, that is, without any link to nobility had access to sacred scriptures. Buddha Amitabha. The idea of Sukhavatr Tpis chapter further deals with Lineage- 429 Hsi Lai Journal of Humanistic Buddhism continuity and -discontinuity, Scholarly societies, women were integral to the Confusion Over Questions of Lineage, religious and social life of Japan too and Myoe and His Lineage, The Three Buddha women played a considerable role in Bodies and the Three Mystic Powers of religious activities But women were not the Buddha, Scriptural Authority and The allowed to come to some Buddhist centers Three Learnings. like Mount Hiei and Mount Koya until nineteenth century. It was Myoe, Chapter Three on "Emptiness and Illusion according to the author, who was the first in the Mantra of Light," is a description of to impute a gender-based reading of the the doctrine of emptiness in Buddhism and Mantra of Light. Referring to women's role its emphasis by Myoe. It is pointed out the author mentions that they facilitated My that all sects of Japanese Buddhism accept Oe's journey between the two worlds of Nagarjuna as the key figure. Myoe form and emptiness, samsara and nirvana. attempted throughout his career to In this chapter titles like Lady Sanmi, expound and emphasize the centrality of Uisang and Shanmiao, Vairocana the emptiness. It is mentioned that when Queen, The Women of Yuasa and the Myoe was expounding emptiness he did Kasuga Deity, Female Power of Light have make references to earlier scriptural and been discussed briefly. commentarial sources, but made his own interpretation. Chapter Six, Concluding Beginnings, is the conclusion of the study. In his concluding 'The Logic of lllusions' describes Myoe's remarks the author says 'It is somewhat understanding of the twofold truth as it surprising that this is the first monograph appears in his Komyo Shingon dosha devoted to the topic in Western-language kanjin ki (Recommending Faith in the scholarship.' This study of the history of Sand of the Mantra of Light). Myoe the Mantra of Light mainly limited to the pointed out that learning without faith is period from its early beginnings to the time counterproductive.
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