Some questions

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nomono
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Some questions

Post by nomono »

Which are the main and highest meditation techniques in Shingon Buddhism?

And which Sutras/Texts are classified as the main texts of the Traditions (also including works of the Patriarchs and the Founder)

What do Shingon Buddhists believe about Kukais whereabouts? Is he in a pureland? I heard that some believe hes still around in Koyasan in meditation. Do Shingon Buddhists really believe that or is that just a legend?

Can a Shingon Buddhist simultaneously practice and participate in other traditions like in prayers to Guru Rinpoche or Tara for instace or participating in the Zen/Seon tradition?

Is there Amitabha practice in Shingon?
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Zhen Li
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Re: Some questions

Post by Zhen Li »

nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm Which are the main and highest meditation techniques in Shingon Buddhism?
Main meditation techniques involve mantras, mudras, and visualisations, including during homa. It's highest meditation techniques are yogatantra.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm And which Sutras/Texts are classified as the main texts of the Traditions (also including works of the Patriarchs and the Founder)
The Mahāvairocana Sūtra, the Vajraśekhara Sūtra, the Prajñāpāramitā Naya Sūtra, and the Susiddhikara Sūtra.

The works of Kūkai are all the main texts. As for patriarchs, Kakuban's writings are important also.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm What do Shingon Buddhists believe about Kukais whereabouts? Is he in a pureland? I heard that some believe hes still around in Koyasan in meditation. Do Shingon Buddhists really believe that or is that just a legend?
Yes, he is in eternal samādhi at Oku no In on Koyasan. Every morning his breakfast is brought to him.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm Can a Shingon Buddhist simultaneously practice and participate in other traditions like in prayers to Guru Rinpoche or Tara for instace or participating in the Zen/Seon tradition?
If you are a lay person and take refuge at Koyasan or receive Kechien Kanjo, there is no obligation to stick to only Shingon practices. Most people who belong to Shingon-shu do so because their family temple happens to be a Shingon temple, so it is more of a coincidence. I know people whose family temple was Shingon or Tendai but practiced zazen or Pure Land. No one checks your lineage at the door of a temple, so if there are public practices you are always free to join. As for someone who undergoes tokudo or ajari kanjo (i.e. becomes a monk and priest) then they may have some ritual obligations to their lineage—but I am not aware of any prohibitons against receiving practices from elsewhere.

If you are interested in practicing a tradition, I suggest going fully into it for a few years at least. If you find something is seriously lacking which Guru Rinpoche provides you that Kukai does not, then maybe you should talk about it with your Shingon teacher.
Is there Amitabha practice in Shingon?
Yes. Here is Amida Hishaku by Kakuban, which explains it.
tingdzin
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Re: Some questions

Post by tingdzin »

Not to split hairs, but calling Shingon practices Yogatantra is to adopt a later classification scheme used by Tibetans which implicitly devalues them by considering them as less profound than the so-called Anuttarayoga (or Yogini or etc.). Even if the Tibetans believe this, I was not aware that the East Asian "esoteric" schools had in any way accepted this evaluation.
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Aemilius
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Re: Some questions

Post by Aemilius »

Zhen Li wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 6:00 am
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm Which are the main and highest meditation techniques in Shingon Buddhism?
Main meditation techniques involve mantras, mudras, and visualisations, including during homa. It's highest meditation techniques are yogatantra.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm And which Sutras/Texts are classified as the main texts of the Traditions (also including works of the Patriarchs and the Founder)
The Mahāvairocana Sūtra, the Vajraśekhara Sūtra, the Prajñāpāramitā Naya Sūtra, and the Susiddhikara Sūtra.

The works of Kūkai are all the main texts. As for patriarchs, Kakuban's writings are important also.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm What do Shingon Buddhists believe about Kukais whereabouts? Is he in a pureland? I heard that some believe hes still around in Koyasan in meditation. Do Shingon Buddhists really believe that or is that just a legend?
Yes, he is in eternal samādhi at Oku no In on Koyasan. Every morning his breakfast is brought to him.
Why would he need a breakfast, if he is in eternal samadhi? Or is that a joke?
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: Some questions

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

Aemilius wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:34 am
Zhen Li wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 6:00 am
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm Which are the main and highest meditation techniques in Shingon Buddhism?
Main meditation techniques involve mantras, mudras, and visualisations, including during homa. It's highest meditation techniques are yogatantra.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm And which Sutras/Texts are classified as the main texts of the Traditions (also including works of the Patriarchs and the Founder)
The Mahāvairocana Sūtra, the Vajraśekhara Sūtra, the Prajñāpāramitā Naya Sūtra, and the Susiddhikara Sūtra.

The works of Kūkai are all the main texts. As for patriarchs, Kakuban's writings are important also.
nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pm What do Shingon Buddhists believe about Kukais whereabouts? Is he in a pureland? I heard that some believe hes still around in Koyasan in meditation. Do Shingon Buddhists really believe that or is that just a legend?
Yes, he is in eternal samādhi at Oku no In on Koyasan. Every morning his breakfast is brought to him.
Why would he need a breakfast, if he is in eternal samadhi? Or is that a joke?
I dunno but it sounds like a sweet offering practice.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
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Aemilius
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Re: Some questions

Post by Aemilius »

Könchok Thrinley wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 10:00 am
Aemilius wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:34 am
Zhen Li wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 6:00 am
Main meditation techniques involve mantras, mudras, and visualisations, including during homa. It's highest meditation techniques are yogatantra.

The Mahāvairocana Sūtra, the Vajraśekhara Sūtra, the Prajñāpāramitā Naya Sūtra, and the Susiddhikara Sūtra.

The works of Kūkai are all the main texts. As for patriarchs, Kakuban's writings are important also.

Yes, he is in eternal samādhi at Oku no In on Koyasan. Every morning his breakfast is brought to him.
Why would he need a breakfast, if he is in eternal samadhi? Or is that a joke?
I dunno but it sounds like a sweet offering practice.
And that presumably means that you do it in order to accumulate merit, right? (And not for some other reason).
svaha
"All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sarvē mānavāḥ svatantrāḥ samutpannāḥ vartantē api ca, gauravadr̥śā adhikāradr̥śā ca samānāḥ ēva vartantē. Ētē sarvē cētanā-tarka-śaktibhyāṁ susampannāḥ santi. Api ca, sarvē’pi bandhutva-bhāvanayā parasparaṁ vyavaharantu."
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 1. (in english and sanskrit)
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Könchok Thrinley
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Re: Some questions

Post by Könchok Thrinley »

Aemilius wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:48 am
Könchok Thrinley wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 10:00 am
Aemilius wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:34 am

Why would he need a breakfast, if he is in eternal samadhi? Or is that a joke?
I dunno but it sounds like a sweet offering practice.
And that presumably means that you do it in order to accumulate merit, right? (And not for some other reason).
I'd say yes. They do it as a way to accumulate merit, like any other offering.
“Observing samaya involves to remain inseparable from the union of wisdom and compassion at all times, to sustain mindfulness, and to put into practice the guru’s instructions”. Garchen Rinpoche

For those who do virtuous actions,
goodness is what comes to pass.
For those who do non-virtuous actions,
that becomes suffering indeed.

- Arya Sanghata Sutra
HauntedHotel
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Re: Some questions

Post by HauntedHotel »

nomono wrote: Sun Oct 16, 2022 1:18 pmAnd which Sutras/Texts are classified as the main texts of the Traditions (
Universal gate chapter is the daily prayer book.

Koyasan was totally flooded the last few days
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Zhen Li
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Re: Some questions

Post by Zhen Li »

Könchok Thrinley wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 12:43 pm
Aemilius wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 11:48 am
Könchok Thrinley wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 10:00 am

I dunno but it sounds like a sweet offering practice.
And that presumably means that you do it in order to accumulate merit, right? (And not for some other reason).
I'd say yes. They do it as a way to accumulate merit, like any other offering.
What I can gather is that it's called 生身供, an offering to the living. It's offered at breakfast and lunch. It includes a drink, usually tea, but sometimes coffee. Apparently western dishes like spaghetti have been offered too.

This website describes the offering as being for gratitude that Kobo Daishi saves us everyday.
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