Kukai, also known posthumously as Kobo-Daishi was a Japanese Buddhist monk, civil servant, scholar, poet, and artist who founded the Shingon or "True Word" school of Buddhism that emphasizes spells, magic formulas, ceremonials, and masses for the dead. Shingon followers usually refer to him by the honorific title of Odaishisama and the religious name of Henjo-Kongo.
Background
Kukai was born in 774 in the present-day Zentsū-ji precincts in the province of Sanuki (Kagawa Prefecture) on the island of Shikoku. He was the son of Ataeda-no-Kimi Saheki. Kukai belonged to a long line of famous scholars. His family were members of the aristocratic Saeki family, a branch of the ancient Otomo clan.
Kukai was born in a period of important political changes with Emperor Kanmu seeking to consolidate his power and to extend his realm, taking measures which included moving the capital of Japan from Nara ultimately to Heian (modern-day Kyoto).
Education
At the age of fifteen, Kukai began to receive instruction in the Chinese classics under the guidance of his maternal uncle.
Kukai journeyed to Nara, the capital at the time, to study at the government university, the Daigakuryo.
Around the age of 22, Kukai was introduced to Buddhist practice involving chanting the mantra of the Bodhisattva Akasagarbha (Kokuzo). During this period, Kūkai frequently sought out isolated mountain regions where he chanted the Ākāśagarbha mantra relentlessly. At age 24 he published his first major literary work, Sangō Shiiki, in which he quotes from an extensive list of sources, including the classics of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. The Nara temples, with their extensive libraries, possessed these texts.
Kukai was first a disciple of Gonso, then attended Daigakuryo (ancient university) to study Confucianism and Buddhism.
Career
Kukai began practicing religious austerities at Mount Otaki in Awa (Tokushima Prefecture) and at Murotozaki (Kōchi Prefecture) and then became a priest at Makioji Temple (Osaka Prefecture) (792). Not satisfied with the standards of Buddhist teachings in those days, he decided to go to China for further study and spent several years in preparation. Finally, he accompanied the Japanese envoy to China and studied Buddhism at various temples there and also collected and copied religious books to take back home (804).
In 804, Kukai took part in a government-sponsored expedition to China in order to learn more about the Mahavairocana Tantra.
The expedition included four ships, with Kūkai on the first ship, while another famous monk, Saichō was on the second ship. During a storm, the third ship turned back, while the fourth ship was lost at sea. Kūkai's ship arrived weeks later in the province of Fujian and its passengers were initially denied entry to the port while the ship was impounded. Kūkai, being fluent in Chinese, wrote a letter to the governor of the province explaining their situation. The governor allowed the ship to dock, and the party was asked to proceed to the capital of Chang'an (present day Xi'an), the seat of power of the Tang dynasty.
In 805 that Kukai met Master Huiguo (746 – 805) the man who would initiate him into the esoteric Buddhism tradition at Chang'an's Qinglong Monastery. Huiguo immediately bestowed upon Kukai the first level abhisheka (esoteric initiation). Whereas Kukai had expected to spend 20 years studying in China, in a few short months he was to receive the final initiation, and become a master of the esoteric lineage.
Kukai arrived back in Japan in 806 as the eighth Patriarch of Esoteric Buddhism, having learnt Sanskrit and its Siddhaṃ script, studied Indian Buddhism, as well as having studied the arts of Chinese calligraphy and poetry, all with recognized masters. He also arrived with a large number of texts, many of which were new to Japan and were esoteric in character, as well as several texts on the Sanskrit language and the Siddhaṃ script. Upon his return he was received in audience by Emperor Heizei and obtained the Imperial sanction to promulgate esoteric Buddhism.
In 810 Kukai emerged as a public figure when he was appointed administrative head of Todai-ji, the central temple in Nara, and head of the Sogo (Office of Priestly Affairs). He was given Mount Koya, where he built Kongōbuji Temple (816) and then set forth on a preaching mission through Tohoku (northeast Japan). Returning was granted the Toji Temple at Kyoto, which he turned into a seminary for holding prayers for the peace and security of the country and its peoples. Kukai was bestowed title of Daisozu (rank next to Sojo) (827) and the following year founded Shugei-Shuchi-in, the first private school in Japan. Kukai retired to Mount Koya, where he died (835). Kukai was posthumously given the sacred name of Kobo Daishi (921).
Religion
Kukai is one of the best-known and most-beloved Buddhist saints in Japan, founder of the Shingon ("True Word") school of Buddhism.