Jinge Temple in Wutai Shan and the early transmission of Tantra to China-Japan

[Ringo Starr]

Amoghavajra was born in Samarkand of an Indian father and Sogdian mother, he went to China at age 10 after his father's death. In 719, he was ordained into the sangha by Vajrabodhi and became his disciple.

After all foreign monks were expelled from China in 741, he and some associates went on a pilgrimage to gather texts, visiting Sri Lanka, Indochina and India. During this voyage, he apparently met Nagabodhi, Vajrabodhi's master, and studied the Tattvasa?graha Tantra at length. He returned to China in 746 with some five hundred volumes.

In 750, he left the court to join the military governorship of General Geshu Han of the Tang dynasty, for whom he conducted large-scale tantric initiations at his field headquarters. In 754, he translated the first portion of the Tattvasa?graha Tantra texts (Taish? Tripi?aka. 865), central to the Outer Tantras of Vajrayana Buddhism, which became one of his most significant accomplishments. He regarded its teachings as the most effective method for attaining enlightenment yet devised, and incorporated its basic schema in a number of writings.

Amoghavajra was captured in the An Lushan Rebellion but in 757 was freed by loyalist forces, whereupon he performed rites to purify the capital and consolidate the security of the Tang state. Two years later, he initiated the emperor Emperor Suzong of Tang as a chakravartin.

In 765, Amoghavajra used his new rendition of the Humane King Sutra in an elaborate ritual to counter the advance of a 200,000-strong army of Tibetan and Uyghurs which was poised to invade Chang'an. Its leader, Pugu Huai'en, dropped dead in camp and his forces dispersed.

The opulent Jinge Temple on Mount Wutai was completed in 767, a pet project of Amoghavajra, one of his many efforts to promote the bodhisattva Mañju?r? as the protector of China.



Amoghavajra continued to perform rites to avert disaster at the request of Emperor Daizong of Tang.

On his death in 774, three days of mourning were officially declared, and he posthumously received various exalted titles.

The Chinese monks Huilang, Huiguo and Huilin were among his most prominent successors. Seventy-seven texts were translated by Amoghavajra according to his own account, though many more, including original compositions, are ascribed to him in the Chinese canons.

The Shingon lineage is an ancient transmission of esoteric Buddhist doctrine that began in India and then spread to China and Japan. Shingon is the name of this lineage in Japan, but there are also esoteric schools in China, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong that consider themselves part of this lineage (as the originators of the Esoteric teachings) and universally recognize K?kai as their eighth patriarch. This is why sometimes the term "Orthodox Esoteric Buddhism" is used instead.

Shingon or Orthodox Esoteric Buddhism maintains that the expounder of the doctrine was originally the Universal Buddha Vairocana, but the first human to receive the doctrine was Nagarjuna in India. The tradition recognizes two groups of eight great patriarchs - one group of lineage holders and one group of great expounders of the doctrine.

The Eight Great Lineage Patriarchs (Fuho-Hasso ?)
Vairocana (Dainichi-Nyorai ?)
Vajrasattva (Kong?-Satta ?)
Nagarjuna (Ry?ju-Bosatsu ?) - received the Mahavairocana Tantra from Vajrasattva inside an Iron Stupa in Southern India
Nagabodhi (Ry?chi-Bosatsu ?)
Vajrabodhi (Kong?chi-Sanz? ??)
Amoghavajra (Fuk?kong?-Sanz? )
Huiguo (Keika-Ajari ??)
K?kai (K?b?-Daishi ?)

From:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoghavajra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingon_Buddhism#Lineage

[grandmapele]

Another interesting sharing. Never really thought of Shingon as Tantric or Vajrayana.

Jinge Temple on Mount Wutai built by Amoghavajra to promote bodhisattva Mañju?r?  looks opulent. Could this be one of the temples that the Emperor Kangxi visited in his lifetime? How apt that this temple of Manjushri is here at Wu Tai Shan, considered the earthly abode of Manjushri.

Thanks for the sharing.

[SabS]

Thank you for this interesting sharing of Amoghavajra's life and his dharmic activities. I am amazed at his ability to eliminate the threat of war in Chang'an and to avert major disasters in China. The Jinge Temple on Mount Wutai is indeed opulent and shows his importance in China, to be able to receive the sponsorship to build temples like this. Shingon lineage attributed to him is still very much practiced in Japan, China and some parts of Asia. Certainly an attained Master.

[Rowntree]

 

Another great achievement in history. Building temple is the way to preserve the sacred lineage as temple is a place where serious practitioners would gather together to learn and actualised the lineage teachings through various means. Because of the kindness and generosity of the sponsors, the admirable vision of Amoghavajra, the lineage is still alive today and continues to benefit. I am grateful for this.

[grandmapele]

Rowntree, how true that temples are such a monument to Buddhism. When pure teachings are propagated, and real tenets of Buddhism practiced, then Buddhism will flourish and benefit many. Many will come forward to make it grow in many ways such as helping out at the the temples or sponsoring the temple and the Sangha.

May the Jinge Temple at Wu Tai Shan flourish to bring more Dharma to the people.

[Rinchen]

This is just so cool. Like how Manjushri's holy abode is at the Five Peak Mountains which is located in China and how Manjushri is said to be the protector of China. These facts are just so cool.

Also adding on to that, it is now said that Dorje Shugden is the protector to China who is the emanation of Manjushri. So I guess what is said that Manjushri being the protector to China is accurate.

[grandmapele]

@Rinchen, well put,  but don't let us remind the followers of the Dalai Lama, else they may renounce Manjushri too. Then there will be a fresh round of ban. They may come out and say Manjushri is bad!!!!!!

Anyone is is seen to be on China's side is bad, even Buddhas. It's starting to get annoying, when these people are quick to accuse and not educate themselves and decide what is morally right or wrong. That's why the debating tradition was introduced in the Gelug and is still active today.

The Dalai lama was trained in that tradition and so his followers better learn up their dharma and know that threats and assaults are acts of violence and is the direct opposite of what Buddhism is all about.