Tachikawa-ryu

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The Tachikawa-ryū ( Japanese立 川流) was a school of esoteric Japanese Buddhism .

There is some evidence that the name goes back to the place Tachikawa in Musashi province , where the founder or one of his successors lived.

history

The Tachikawa-ryū was founded at the end of the 11th century by a priest at Daigo-ji and Shugendō adepts, Ninkan (仁 寛; 1057–1123?), As a new branch of Shingon-shū and by Kōshin Monkan (文 観; 1278–1357) further developed. It represents an attempt to establish left-handed tantrism (cf. Hindu Tantra ) in Japan. Because of this violation of the morality based more on Confucian principles, the Tachikawa-ryū was banned, but continued its activity until the end of the 17th century.

Fonts

It is unclear to what extent the texts of the Tachikawa-ryū depend on the Chinese tradition, which is based on translations from Sanskrit. Van Gulik sees a direct connection from Indian Vajrayana (Sanskrit: vajrayâna) to Japan, as the writings on sexual mysticism translated into Chinese were brought with them by pilgrims during the relatively permissive Tang dynasty .

The relevant texts are:

  • the naya -sûtra ( 理 趣 経 , Rishu-kyō );
  • the Yoga-sûtra ( 瑜 祗 経 , Yugi-kyō );
  • the Karandamudrâ-dhâranî ( 宝 篋 印 経 , Hōkyōin-kyō ).

In the specific interpretation of the Tachikawa school, the teachings of esoteric Shingon Buddhism are connected with sexual practices.

There was also non-canonical literature such as:

  • Gozō-kōtei-kyō ( 五 臓 皇帝 経 , "Sûtra from the king of the five internal organs");
  • Myō-a-ji-kyō ( 妙 阿 字 経 , "Sûtra of the wonderful character 'A'");
  • Shinnyo-jissō-kyō ( 真如 実 相 経 , "Sûtra of the reality of the absolute");

and other.

Teaching

Since the local life ultimately coincides with the enlightened one in the tantric systems, one thought the highest truth in sexual intercourse between man and woman:

“The way of man and woman, that is the secret method of enlightenment, in this present existence. The method of becoming Buddha consists in nothing else ”(Hōkyō-shō, transcript of the precious mirror, by Yūkai, 1345–1416; quoted from Sh. Manabe).

The seed syllables (Sanskrit: bîja) 'a' and 'hûm' are symbolically set for the sexual organs, 'a' for the female womb (Sanskrit: garbha), 'hûm' for the vajra, the male organ.

On the other hand, there are also depictions of two 'a' in which the color ensures the assignment, white for the masculine, the seed, red for the feminine principle.

literature

  • Bernard Faure: Japanese Tantra, the Tachikawa-ryû, and Ryôbu Shintô . In: David Gordon White : Tantra in Practice . Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford 2000, ISBN 0-691-05779-6 .
  • RH van Gulik: Sexual Life in Ancient China. A preliminary Survey of Chinese Sex and Society from approx. 1500 BC till 1644 AD With a new introduction and bibliography by Paul R. Goldin . Brill, Leiden and Boston 2003, ISBN 90-04-12601-5 .
  • Sh. Manabe: The Heretical Tachikawa School in Esoteric Buddhism of Japan . In: Roger Goepper : Shingon. The Art of Secret Buddhism in Japan . Museum for East Asian Art, Cologne 1988.

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