The history of Shingon sect

There are various denominations in the Shingon sect. If you count only the main denominations, you can actually count 18 types. The Koyasan Shingon sect is one such denomination.
We, Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, teach the tradition and tradition of Shingon esoteric Buddhism today, with the Koyasan Okunoin and Kobo Daishi Mausoleum as the source of religion and the temple grounds as the place of study.

From Buddhism to Esoteric Buddhism

Buddhism is the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha, which started from the fact that the Buddha Buddha (Gautama Siddhartha) was enlightened in India about 2500 years ago. It is counted as a great religion. Buddha means "the awakened person," and taught me about the richness of the mind, how to get rid of the troubles and sufferings of the mind, and how to create a perfect personality. Some teachers say that Buddhism is anthropology. I think it is a very reasonable word. Buddhism at that time was better called atheism, and it did not allow worship of God or worship of Buddha himself.
By the way, in Buddhism, the three items of observing the precepts, deciding Zen, and acquiring wisdom are called "three studies," and it is especially important to "practice and practice." In the early days of teaching, Sanho-in (12 Ho-in), Twelve Engi, and Shii-hachi Shodo were introduced, but in the age of Mahayana Buddhism, Haramitsu, Buddhism, and Nyoraizo thought developed.
Buddhism born in India eventually passed through Central Asia to China, Mongolia, etc. (this is called northern biography), and then came to Japan around the 6th century via the Korean Peninsula. I will. Buddhism from India passed through Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to Burma (now Myanmar) and Thailand in the 11th century (this is called Nanden Buddhism).
Although Buddhism spreads all over the world in this way, the Shingon sect opened by Kubo Daiku Kukai is said to be an "esoteric Buddhism" developed from a relatively middle to late period.

Esoteric Buddhism and Shingon Buddhism

The Shingon sect is a denomination that is based on the teaching of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, which was established by Kobo Daishi Kukai in the early Heian period. Shingon Esoteric "true language" means the true "language" of the Buddha, but this "language" is a deep meaning of this world and various phenomena that cannot be expressed by human language activities, that is, hidden words. Has revealed the meaning of the secret. Kobo Daishi states that this hidden deep meaning is the true meaning, and the teaching that can be learned is "esoteric teaching." On the other hand, the teaching that understands the meaning that appears on the surface of the world and the phenomenon as truth is called "Kenkyo". "Kenkyo" refers to Mahayana Buddhism such as Shomon and Engaku teachings (square) and Hosso sect, Sanron sect, Tendai sect, and Kegon sect.
I can point out some differences between esoteric Buddhism and exoteric religion, but the most fundamental difference lies in how to practice the learning of the meaning of this hidden secret. The practice of Shingon esoteric Buddhism is called Sanmitsukaji or Sanmitsuyuga, but it refers to meditation (Sanmaji/Sanmaji) that focuses on the spirit. Characteristically, the secret function of the Buddha (honson), the mouth, and the intention (three secrets) and the function of the pedestrian's body, mouth, and intention are sensitive to each other (three adherences). However, it is a meditation in which the distinction between the Buddha (honson) and the pilgrims disappears and people live in peace together. Kobo Daishi refers to this method as "Igaigairi" in the sense that the Buddha enters me and my Buddha enters. Kobo Daishi states that the meditation, which should be called "introduction", is lacking in the teaching. However, it can be said that new Buddhism, which appears from the late Heian period to the Kamakura period, is influenced by the teachings and practices of Shingon esoteric Buddhism, so it cannot be said that meditation is generally absent from the teachings.

Esoteric Buddhism and Shingon Buddhism

Another difference is the understanding of Buddha and Bodhisattva. The Buddhist Buddha and the Bodhisattva are the "people" who open the Satori or seek the Satori, but the Buddhist Buddha and the Bodhisattvas are esoteric truths (laws). The Buddhist and Bodhisattva have captured the "law" as a physical image. That is why esoteric Buddha and Bodhisattvas are called Hoshinbutsu.
Kobo Daishi describes the way in which this Buddha Buddha, that is, the truth itself of the legal world, directly teaches us the wisdom of truth (Hosekiseputo). When you hear the wisdom of this wisdom, the space-time is the state of the three secret additions. In that sense, Shingon Buddhism is based on a method of practice that assumes the mysterious power (sustaining power or shaving) that Buddha and the legal world add to sentient beings. , It is a practical sect that thinks of accumulating merit, salvation and happiness of sentient beings (altruism, Ritagyo).