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Japan Cultural Developments and the Establishment of Buddhism
Some of Japan's literary monuments were written during
the Nara
period, including the Kojiki and Nihongi,
the first
national histories compiled in 712 and 720, respectively;
the
Man'yoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), an
anthology
of poems; and the Kaifuso (Fond Recollections of
Poetry), an
anthology written in Chinese by Japanese emperors and
princes.
Another major cultural development of the era was the
permanent
establishment of Buddhism in Japan. Buddhism had been
introduced in
the sixth century but had a mixed reception until the Nara
period,
when it was heartily embraced by Emperor Shomu. Shomu and
his
Fujiwara consort were fervent Buddhists and actively
promoted the
spread of Buddhism, making it the "guardian of the state"
and
strengthening Japanese institutions through still further
Chinese
acculturation. During Shomu's reign, the Todaiji (Great
East
Temple) was built, and within it was placed the Buddha
Dainichi
(Great Sun Buddha), a sixteen-meter-high, gilt-bronze
statue. This
Buddha was identified with the Sun Goddess, and from this
point on,
a gradual syncretism of Buddhism and Shinto ensued. Shomu
declared
himself the "Servant of the Three Treasures" of Buddhism:
the
Buddha, the law or teachings of Buddhism, and the Buddhist
community.
Although these efforts stopped short of making Buddhism
the
state religion, Nara Buddhism heightened the status of the
imperial
family. Buddhist influence at court increased under the
two reigns
of Shomu's daughter. As Empress Koken (r. 749-58) she
brought many
Buddhist priests into court. Koken abdicated in 758 on the
advice
of her cousin, Fujiwara Nakamaro. When the retired empress
came to
favor a Buddhist faith healer named Dokyo, Nakamaro rose
up in arms
in 764 but was quickly crushed. Koken charged the ruling
emperor
with colluding with Nakamaro and had him deposed. Koken
reascended
the throne as Empress Shotoku (r. 764-770). The empress
commissioned the printing of 1 million prayer charms--the
Hyakumanto dharani--many examples of which survive.
The
small scrolls, dating from 770, are among the earliest
printed
works in the world. Shotoku had the charms printed to
placate the
Buddhist clergy. She may even have wanted to make Dokyo
emperor,
but she died before she could act. Her actions shocked
Nara society
and led to the exclusion of women from imperial succession
and the
removal of Buddhist priests from positions of political
authority.
Despite such machinations, Buddhism began to spread
throughout
Japan during the ensuing Heian period (794-1185),
primarily through
two major esoteric sects, Tendai (Heavenly Terrace) and
Shingon
(True Word). Tendai originated in China and is based on
the
Lotus Sutra, one of the most important sutras of
Mahayana
Buddhism. Shingon is an indigenous sect with close
affiliations to
original Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese Buddhist thought
founded by
Kukai (also called Kobo Daishi). Kukai greatly impressed
the
emperors who succeeded Emperor Kammu (782-806), and also
generations of Japanese, not only with his holiness but
also with
his poetry, calligraphy, painting, and sculpture. Kammu
himself was
a notable patron of the otherworldly Tendai sect, which
rose to
great power over the ensuing centuries. A close
relationship
developed between the Tendai monastery complex on Mount
Hiei and
the imperial court in its new capital at the foot of the
mountain.
As a result, Tendai emphasized great reverence for the
emperor and
the nation.
Data as of January 1994
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