The True Word (Shingon) teaching refers primarily to two sacred texts, the Kongocho-kyo (Sanskrit: Vajrasekhara Sutra) and the Dainichi-kyo (Sanskrit: Maha-Vairocana Sutra), written around the 2nd century at Nalanda Monastery in northern India.
This Buddhist school of the yoga of the three mysteries, the "traiguya-yoga", explains that it is possible to become a Buddha in this life.
These teachings affirm that the original nature of the spirit of man is pure. It is the heart of compassion, the “bodhi”, whose essence is identical to that of the Universe.
What differentiates the different schools of the True Word (Shingon) is precisely the means of apprehending this ultimate reality.
In general: if we suffer, it is because we attach ourselves to what is impermanent in this world of form and desire, which everyone conceives in this way according to what he is internally.
The passions, grouped under the term triple poison (lust, anger and blindness) correspond to vital forces necessary for the survival and development of any animal organism.
Desire and aversion structure the ego and force it to perfect itself in order to better achieve its material ends.
The "alchemical means" to use these "poisons" in energies of spiritual realization are explained in the sixteen chapters of the Adhyardhasatika Prajnaparamita Sutra (Rishu-kyo), basic texts of the esoteric teaching (mikkyo) of True Word (Shingon) tradition.
From a relative point of view, it remains true that the passions are a source of distraction and suffering. But in the Diamond Vehicle (Vajrayana), the passions are considered, in absolute truth, to be of the same nature as awakening (soku bodaishin).
Because this same vital force which animates beings towards worldly desires will be transformed, sublimated by internal alchemy into spiritual energy of compassion-wisdom, the essence of which is the ultimate nature of the universe and of all beings.
He who realizes that the bottom of his heart, "bodhi", is the same as that of all beings, becomes one with the whole.
He dissolves his self in the universe like a drop of water dissolves in the ocean.
Mahavairocana
In Japanese esoteric Buddhism, Mahavairocana (jp. Dainichi Nyorai) is the primordial Buddha from whom all phenomena emanate. He is the universe itself.
In esoteric Buddhism, all Buddhas and all forms that are within the worlds (mandalas), as well as all living beings (including humans) are therefore emanations from this primordial Buddha Mahavairocana.
1. The Diamond Plane Mandala
The Diamond Plane (sk. Vajradhatu, jp. Kongokai) represents the supreme wisdom of Buddha Dainichi. The diamond is a metaphor because like this wisdom it is unalterable.
This mandala is made up of nine concurrent sections called "assemblies", each having the Dainichi Buddha at its center, with the exception of the Assembly of the guiding principle where Vajrasattva (jp. Kongosatta) is placed at its center.
In True Word (Shingon) monasteries, it is placed to the west of the altar.
On the mandala itself north is depicted on the right, east below and so on.
In most of the sections, except the three placed at the top, the same motif is repeated: in the center, a circle with Dainichi Nyorai doing the mudra of wisdom, surrounded by four circles in which are:
- to the west (top) Amitabha (jp. Amida),
- to the north (right) Amoghasiddhi (jp. Fukujoju),
- to the east (bottom) Aksobhya (jp. Ashuku) and
- to the south (left) Ratnasambhava (jp. Hosho).
These five circles are actually a representation of the five families of Buddhas, that is to say a diagram which represents our mind.
Because Tantric Buddhism believes in the "nothing but mind" thesis (the idea that the world as we see it is only a projection of our mind shaped by our karma), this diagram of our mind is therefore the diagram explaining the world in its entirety.
The central section of the mandala represents the perfect mind of a Buddha.
Indeed, each circle represents one of the five wisdoms of a Buddha.
In the center the wisdom of the dharmadhatu, the supreme and omniscient wisdom of the Buddha from which emanate the other four wisdoms.
These other four wisdoms are:
- in the east (below), the mirror-like wisdom (the wisdom that understands the non-duality of phenomena),
- in the south, the wisdom of equality (all beings in this world have the same value ),
- in the west, the wisdom of discernment (which allows one to see the true nature of phenomena, that is to say that all is emptiness) and finally
- in the north, the all-fulfilling wisdom (that which allows the Buddhas to know spontaneously the best means to use to guide beings towards awakening).
Conversely, the section to the northeast (lower right) depicts the impure spirit of a human.
The five wisdoms of the Buddhas become in their impure aspect the five passions of the mind, namely:
- ignorance-stupidity,
- anger,
- pride,
- desire-attachment and
- jealousy.
Each of these five passions therefore corresponds to one of the five wisdoms of the Buddha.
The goal of practitioners of Tantric Buddhism is therefore to move from the impure mind of a human to the pure mind of a Buddha by transmuting these five passions into five wisdoms.
To achieve this, True Word (Shingon) Buddhists meditate on this mandala.
The diamond plan mandala is read in a spiral:
- either starting from the center going down in the section at the bottom in the center then going from section to section in a clockwise direction to finish at the section at the bottom right,
- or conversely starting from the bottom right section to go to the center in an anti-clockwise direction.
The first meaning of reading therefore starts from the pure mind of a Buddha, the latter becoming more and more impure over the sections to end in our human mind. It illustrates how our mind (and therefore the world) came into existence. But it also shows that we all have the nature of Buddha within us and that it is enough to purify our mind to find it.
Precisely, the second sense of reading, it starts from our human spirit which is a little purified at each stage and becomes pure at the end when arriving at the center, thus illustrating the transmutation of a human into a Buddha by mastering our five passions.
This shows how we can purify our five passions to transmute them into Buddha-wisdoms:
- ignorance-stupidity becomes the wisdom of Dharmadhatu,
- anger becomes the mirror-like wisdom,
- pride becomes the wisdom of equality,
- desire-attachment becomes the wisdom of discernment and finally
- jealousy becomes the all-fulfilling wisdom.
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West
Amida Desire-attachment Wisdom of discernment |
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South
Hosho Pride Wisdom of Equality |
Dainichi
Ignorance-stupidity Wisdom of Dharmadhatu |
North
Fukujoju Jealousy All-accomplishing wisdom |
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East
Ashuku Anger Mirror-like wisdom |
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Assembly of the Four Mudra
Shiin-ne ⑤ |
Assembly of the single mudra
Ichiin-ne ⑥ |
Assembly of the guiding principle
Rishu-e ⑦ |
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Tribute Assembly
Kuyo-e ④ |
Assembly of the perfect body
Jojin-ne ① |
Assembly of the descent into the three realities
Gosanze-e ⑧ |
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Assembly of Subtle Discernment
Misai-e ③ |
Samaya Assembly
Sanmaya-e ② |
Assembly of the descent into the three realities (samaya)
Gosanze Sanmaya-e ⑨ |
2. Matrix Plane Mandala
The plane of the matrix (sk. Garbhadhatu, jp. Taizokai) represents the innate principle of the Dainichi Buddha.
It illustrates the fact that all phenomena in the world, including humans, are manifestations of this primordial Buddha.
In True Word (Shingon) monasteries, it is placed east of the altar, opposite the Diamond Plane Mandala.
On the mandala itself the north is represented on the left, the east at the top and so on, that is, the opposite of the diamond plane.
It is divided into twelve quarters in which there are four hundred and eight or so deities.
In the center is the Central quarter of the Eight-petalled Lotus (jp. Chudai hachiyo-in) where the Dainichi Buddha is in its center.
He is surrounded by four Buddhas and four bodhisattvas, all of whom are emanations of Dainichi.
The four Buddhas are:
- Ratnaketu (jp. Hodo-nyorai) in the east,
- Samkusumitaraja (jp. Kaifukeo-nyorai) in the south,
- Amitabha (jp. Amida-nyorai) in the west and
- Dundubhinirghosa (jp. Tenkuraion-nyorai) in the north.
As in the Diamond Plane Mandala, these five Buddhas are Dhyani Buddhas, which means that each of them personifies a wisdom of the Buddha.
The four bodhisattvas are:
- Samantabhadra (jp. Fugen-bosatsu Samantabhadra) in the southeast,
- Manjusri (jp. Monju-bosatsu Manjusri Bodhisattva) in the southwest,
- Avalokitesvara (jp. Kanjizai-bosatsu or Kannon-bosatsu Bodhisattva) in the northwest, and finally
- Maitreya (jp. Miroku-bosatsu Maitreya Bodhisattva) in the northeast.
At the four corners of this quarter, in the extension of the bodhisattvas, are four vases.
Each of these vases contains a virtue of Dainichi:
- the treasure of inexhaustible prayers and practices,
- the treasure from which sentient beings profit inexhaustibly,
- the treasure of the inexhaustible vision of pure wisdom and
- the treasure of the inexhaustible means of salvation of great compassion.
In the first enclosure, above the central quarter, is the quarter of Universal Knowledge (jp. Henchi-in) where sits in the middle the symbol of the universal knowledge of the Buddhas: a white triangle surrounded by fire.
It is the only divinity of the mandala which is not represented under anthropomorphic features.
Below the central quarter is the quarter of the kings of science.
In the center is the bodhisattva Prajnaparamita (jp. Hannya Haramita Bosatsu).
Around him are four Kings of Science (jp. Myoo) including the famous:
- Acala (jp. Fudo Myoo) but also
- Trailokyavijaya (jp. Gosanze-myoo),
- Yamantaka (jp. Daiitoku-myoo) and
- Trailokyavijaya in another form (jp. Shozanse-myoo).
On the left is the Lotus quarter, also called "Avalokitesvara quarter". As its name suggests, there are several forms of this bodhisattva as well as other deities, and it symbolizes great compassion.
In front of it is the Vajrapani quarter which symbolizes innate wisdom.
In the second enclosure, we find:
- first the quarter of Sakyamuni,
- then the quarter of Manjusri,
- that of Sarvanivarana-Vishkambhin,
- that of Ksitigarbha,
- that of Akasagarbha
- and finally that of Susiddhi.
The third enclosure is the quarter outside the vajras. It is so named because the deities present there are not awakened. They are actually devas, deities from Hinduism.
We find there for example Indra (jp. Taishakuten), Brahma (jp. Bonten), Vaisravana (jp. Bishamon-ten), Yama (jp. Enmaten), Ganesh (jp. Kangiten); the deities of the four elements of Agni (jp. Katen), Varuna (jp. Suiten), Vayu (jp. Futen) and Prthivi (jp. Jiten); the nine astral divinities (sk. Navagraha, jp kuyo) or even the 28 lunar lodges of Chinese astrology.
The presence of these deities in this mandala is due to the fact that although not awakened, these deities have a considerable influence on the destiny of the world, and they are thus the object of several magic rituals aimed at taming their powers.
The Matrix Plane Mandala represents the great compassion of Dainichi Buddha, and for this reason it is sometimes referred to as the "Mandala of Great Compassion".
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The symbols of the visible world to explain the spiritual world
The True Word (Shingon) uses nature as a symbol to explain the invisible spiritual world considering that the life of beings and nature is the expression of the Buddha conceived in his Dharmakaya aspect, the life force of the universe. However, True Word (Shingon) is not a pantheism, it is not "reduced" to the cult of the forces of nature as in Shintoism. When we speak for example of the five elements or of the sun, these are states of consciousness which are described in this way.
In True Word (Shingon), the ultimate Buddha symbolizing the universe is called Maha Vairocana (jp. Dainichi-nyorai), the Great Sun Buddha, because sunlight best symbolizes the state of purified consciousness that perceives emptiness. White light is the synthesis and source of all other colors. This is why there is an ultimate Buddha who brings together all the qualities of the other Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which are the expression of his different aspects.
It is therefore a question of merging one's mind with Danichi-nyorai by practicing the three mysteries, which are the mystery of the body, of speech, and of thought, that is to say simultaneously performing a symbolic gesture with hands, a mudra, repeating a mantra and visualizing in front of you the form of the related Buddhist deity.
As the universe is very vast, we have to develop various qualities of consciousness to integrate ourselves harmoniously into it: they are the stages which lead to spiritual awakening, samadhi. This awakening process has been structured in the form of a mystical diagram called a mandala, featuring different quarters with many Buddhas.
A mandala is a map of the spiritual anatomy of man. Meditating on one's form by repeating the mantras and performing the mudras allows one to connect with the heart of the Buddhas and the master who initiated the practitioner. The two great mandalas of Shingon, the Kongokai (World of Thought) and the Taizokai (World of Phenomena), thus bring together numerous Buddhist divinities symbolizing different levels of consciousness. Arranged in several quarters, express compassion, gentleness, others intelligence, discernment, still others the energy, the strength to overcome all the negative aspects of the subconscious.
In order to understand what he perceives of the world, man must analyze it and elaborate concepts with discernment. This is why we symbolize by the vajra, the cutting diamond, the masculine principle of wisdom.
However, to really understand something, you must also perceive it in its totality beyond the details, otherwise the theory invented to explain it can be reductive and false. It is therefore necessary to increase the sensitivity and the volume of perceptions, by disregarding one's a priori or previous theories, that is to say, to develop an inner openness towards the other, towards live life, which is only possible if the heart is humble, gentle, unbiased, compassionate, this is the heart of bodhi. The greater the compassion, the more the perceptions become fine, direct, immediate, because one perceives the other by globalizing fusion of the heart. It is not by reasoning that knowledge is obtained, but by intuition, which is why it is identified with the feminine world of the matrix, the Taizokai which describes the diversity of life, corresponds to the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether. The world of Kongokai is the 6th element, consciousness.
Developing and uniting these two worlds, two polarities latent in each of us, feminine and masculine, intuitive and reflective, active and meditative, is to find inner balance. To achieve enlightenment, one must merge these two principles within oneself.
It is during anointing ceremonies called "kanjo", that the master the acariya consecrates water to directly transmit the essence of knowledge and compassion of Kongokai and Taizokai. Transmission that is done from heart to heart.
Kongobu-ji temple. |
Kompon Daito Pagoda. |
See also
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