Tendai Esotericism
Tendai Esotericism
台密 ( Jpn Taimitsu)
The esoteric teachings of the Japanese Tendai school. In 804 Dengyo, who would later become the school's founder, went to China, where he received the essentials of T'ient'ai's teachings from Miao-lo's disciples Tao-sui and Hsing-man.
He also received the Zen teachings from Hsiao-jan and the anointment ceremony of Esoteric Buddhism from Shun-hsiao. In 805 he returned to Japan and the next year established the Tendai school. Dengyo included the study of esoteric teachings in the school's curricula.
His disciples, Jikaku and Chisho, who later respectively became the third and fifth chief priests of Enryaku-ji temple, went to China in 838 and 853 respectively and brought various texts of Esoteric Buddhism, notes concerning rituals, and mandalas back to Japan.
They incorporated the esoteric teachings into the Tendai doctrines and promoted them. Annen (b. 841), a disciple of Jikaku, is known as the priest who systematized the practices and doctrines of Tendai Esotericism.
