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There are not any different lines in the transmission of this Law among tlie Sam-mon and Ji-mon. 78 CHAPTER VITT. The Shiu-gon-sliu, or True Word (Mantra) sect. 1. A history of the sect. The doctrine of this £ect is a great secret law. It teaches ns fehat we can attain to the state of the ^Great Enlightened/ that is the state of 'Buddha/ while in the present physical body which was bora of our pa- rents (and which consists of six elements, Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Ether and Knowledge), if we follow the three great secrotlaws regarding Body, Speech and Thought. The Tathagata .Mahavairo^ana (Dai-nichi Nyo- rai) in the state of his Dharma-kaya or 'spiritual body/ preached the doctrine of the secret Mantras or true words (Shin-gon) to his own subjects; in order to show the truth understood by him. This doctrine is recorded in the sutras such as the Mahava'roZi^ana- bhisambodhi-sutra (Dai-nichi-kyo,)'' and the Va^ra- sekhara-sutra(Kon-go-cho-kyo),- etc. Although there are numerous words in these sutras, yet the essential point is nothing but the Ma?i6^ala or the ^circle' of the Two Parts (Ryo-bu) of Var/ra-dhatu (Kon-go-kai)and Garbha-dhatu (Tai-zo -kai). The Ma.nda]ai>, therefore, the body or substance of the doctrine of this sect. In the assembly called Ji-sho-e (^self-niture-assembly') in which Ruddha preached the law, Va^/rasattva (Kon- ' No, 530. 2 No. 534. SHIN-GON-SHU. 79 gOsatta) received the secret Abhislieka(K wan-jo), i. e. the initiation by sprinkling water npon the liead, as the sign of tlie successor in the Law. Afterwards the great-minded Nagar^nna (Ryfi- myo) saw Ya^/rasattva in t^.e iron tower in Soutli Indin, and received the pecret doctrine from him, con- cerning the Two Parts of Va^ra and Garbha-dhatu. Nagar^nna transmitted the Law to his disciple Ka- gabodhi(? Kyu-clii), who transmitted it toVa^rabodhi (Kon-go-chi). Va^rabodhi was a man very learned with regard to many doctrines of Buddhism and other religions, and was exjecially well acquainted with the deepest meaning of the doctrine of this sect, which he taught in India for a considerable time. This is an outline of the transmission of this doctrine in India. In 720 A. D. Va^/rabodhi bringing his disciple Amoghava^/ra (Fu-ku-kon-go) arrived in Cho-an, the capital of China. The Emperor Gen-so of the T'ang or To dynasty was then greatly delighted, and ordered hira to translate the work called the Yu-ga-nen-ju-ho, or the ' Law of reading and recital in the Yoga doc- trine.' He is cons'dered the founder of the secret doctrine of Buddhism in China. A tier his death, Amoghava^/ra went back to India, in order to make further researches in his doctrin. In 74G A. D., he came back to China and translated tlie sacred books, to the number of seventy-sevcn in all. Kei-kwa of 80 SHIN-GON-SHU. the Sei-ryu-ji was his disciple, who like h's master was a very learned man; we'l versed in the Tripi^aka and the Two Parts. Thus ha ])ropagated this doc- trine throughout the Chine.se empire. In 804 A. D., Ku-kai, better known by his pos- tliuraons title Ko-bo Dai-shi, went to China from Japan, and became the disciple of Kei-kwa. The latter was very pleased to eee him, and said: *I have waited for jous coming here a long time.' During two months after his arriv^al there, Ivii-kai received secret instruction concerning the Two Parts. In the fourth month, Kei kwa gave him the Abhisheka, or 'sprinkling water on the head' (K wan-jo), as the sign of successorship, and said: ^Tlie Bhagavat, or the Blessed one, gave the secret key to the truth to Va^rasattva, who transmitted it to Nagar^una, and so on till myself. Now, because I see you are indeed a man well qualified for this learning, I give you the key to the secret great doctrine of the Two Parts. You should propagate it in your native country.' In 806 A. D., he came back to Japan. The Emperor Hei-zei received him cordially, and ordered him to teach it to the people at large. Thus, from the Tathagata Mahavairo/:ana to Ku-kai, there were eight patriarchs who were the successors in the Law. Besides them there is another series of so-called eight patriarchs who transmitted SHIN-GON-SHU. 81 the Law. Their names are Nagar^una (Ryu-myo), Nagaboclhi (Ryu-chi), Va^rabodhi (Kon-go chi), /S'uLhakarasi??iha (Zen-mu-i), Araoghava^ra (Fiiku- kon-go), Kei-kwa, Ichl-gyo and Ku-kai. Ku-kai had ton great disciples, hut two of them were the true successors; namely, Jichi-e and Shin-ga. Gen-nin succeeded them and transmitted the Law to Yaku-shin and Sho-bo. Sho-bo was the founder of the 0-no school; and Yaku-shin, of the Hiro-sawa school. A genealogical table of the succeeding Patriarchs. India. 1. Mahavairo^ana (Dai-nichi), ' yS'akyamnni's self and inner enlightened body ' (Sha-ka-ji-nai-sho- shin). 2. Va^rasattva (Kon-go-satta). 3. Nag ^r (/una, 4. Nagabodhi. China. 5. Yaj/rabodhi. 6. Amoghava^/ra. 7. Kei-kwa. Japan. 8. Ku-kai, Ko-bo Dai-slii. Jichi-e and Slun-o:a. Yaku-shin, of the Hiro-sawa school. Sho-bo, of the 0-no school. 82 SHlN-GON-SIltJ. II. The doctrine of the sect. (a) The doctrinal divisions. According to this sect, there are two ways of classifying all the doctrines of Buddha. First, as the ^ Ten Stages of Thoughts' (Ju-ju-slun), when the doctrines are tabulated and considered consecutively, or lengthwise, of the tible. Secondly, as two doctrines, hidden and apparent (Ken-mitsu Ni-kyo), a division which cuts the table across the middle. In the latter divissioD, all the Laws preached by /S'akyaraun are called apparent doctrine (Keti-gyo); and those delivered l)y the Dharmakaya (Hosshin), or the spiritual body, hidden or secret doctiine(Mitsu-kyo). The Dharmaka3\a is the inner enlightened body of Buddha. It is consid- ered by the adharents of the apparent doctrine form- less and speechless; but in the hidden doctrine, the Dharmakaya is said to have a form and to preach the Law. The apparent doctrine is that which is adapt- ed to the hearers, like formal conversation with honoured gnests. The hidden doctrine, on the other hand, is the Law understood secretly by Buddha and given to his own disciples, like familiar conversation among relatives. This division iS; therefore, used to explain the differences of de[)th and shallowness of the doctrines of this sect and four others, viz., the Hosso, San-ron, Ten-dai and Ke-gon. The Ten Stages of Thoughts are originally enu- merated in the Chapter on the ^Stages of Thoughts,' SHIN-GON-SHU. 83 in tlio Dai-nichi-kyp. Tliey are tlie names used to illustrate ten difFerent stagjes of tlie tiioiisflits of living beings. Ku-kai however wisely took thorn to illustrate the difference of aacts. There are also two ways of explaining these tliougiits 'crosswise' and 'lengthwise.' 'Crosswise/ they explain the different sorts of ohj?cts in th3 D!iarniilh:xtn-nia?i':?ala (Flo- , ^ kai-f'pan-da-ra), or the 'circle of the stat3 of things/ and include the meaning of all the doctrines of Buddha. 'Lengthwise/ tliey explain the gradual improvement of the thoughts of thos3 who practise the doctrine of this sect, from the first moment of their good thought, till the final perfect enlighten- ment. The Ten Stao^es of Thoughts are as follow: — 1) The I-sho-tei-yo-shin, (lit 'different-birth -ram- sheep-thought ') is the characteristic of the thre3 evil states of Narakasor dwellers in hell^Pretas or doperted spirits, and Tiryagyonigata-sattvas or lower animals. The I-sho me ms ignorant people who are 'different in birth ' from the wise men. They are maddened with pas.>ions, and can not distinguish good and bad, nor comprehend the reason of cause and effect; but only long for the s.itisfaction of their appetite and lust, just as a ram. Tliis animal is very low and stupid in nature, and knows nothing but appetite and lust; so that a mm who is ignorant of the doctrine of cause and effect is, in India, conipar.^d to a ram. 84 SHIN-GON-SHU. This first Stasre of Thonorht is the o-radual cause of pure thought; and when tliis is once got rid of, the good thought in the second stage is to be substi- tuted. 2. The Gu-do-ji-sai-shin (lit. ^ stupid-boy-holding- fasting- thought') is the characteristic of mankind. The darkness of ignorance of common people is com- pared with the state of miud of a stupid boy. The fasting is a Sila, or moral precept, to keep the body and speech from disorder. If a man keeps the moral precept, according to the instruction of the teacher and friends, and cultivates his gocd thought, his state is as the flourishing state of trees and grasses in the spring time.