Kukai - 5 - Attaining Buddhahood in This Very Body

◎Jade Tablet - 06 - 27

◎Vertical Path of Youth - 27

◎The Hidden Treasure Suddenly Appears, and Myriad Virtues are Immediately Realized

I believe it was during his great enlightenment in Tang China that Kukai attained Buddhahood in this very body.

Instead of using explicit expressions like merging with Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana), Kukai, quoting the "Siddhi Manifestation Chapter" of the Mahavairocana Sutra, says things like, "In this very body, gaining the wondrous power to act as one wishes, one can freely move in the realm of the great void and moreover perfect the sacred body (body-secret)," or, quoting Nagarjuna's Bodhicittotpada Shastra, "Only in the teachings and practices of Esoteric Buddhism can one become a Buddha in this very body." In this way, he guides the imagination towards the idea that humans can become Buddhas while remaining human, using somewhat indirect expressions.

Since it is the tradition of the Kundalini Yoga path not to clearly write about the Kundalini awakening process, I don't think there is any particular problem with such indirect phrasing.

Furthermore, regarding the heights of that state, he presents a ten-stage worldview in the Ten Stages of Mind (Jujushinron). The tenth stage is the Tenth Stage of Mind, the Mind of Secret Adornment (Himitsu Shogon Jushin). Regarding this, it says, "Sweep away the dust of phenomenal appearances, open the storehouse of mantras. The hidden treasure suddenly appears, and myriad virtues are immediately realized."

In other words, he explains that when the mantras open the storehouse, the hidden treasure unfolds, and countless virtues become clear. However, the fact that he doesn't specifically and enumeratively explain the contents of this hidden treasure and virtues is etiquette and creates a sense of mystery, but this should be seen as the manner of one who understands it.

Moreover, in that era, the development of ego consciousness that could understand the concept of transcending humanity had not yet occurred, so these subdued expressions were likely used.

Furthermore, in the preface to his later work, the "Hizohoyaku" (Precious Key to the Secret Treasury):

"The madmen of the Three Realms do not know they are mad. The blind of the Four Births do not recognize their blindness. Born, born, born, born, obscure at the beginning of birth, Died, died, died, died, dark at the end of death."

In other words:

"The mad people in all the worlds do not know that they are mad. Living beings who are blind do not know that they are blind. People are born many times, but are obscure at the beginning of life. People die many times, but are dark at the end of death."

Firstly, I don't think that "obscure at the beginning of birth" simply means that all memories of the previous life are lost after birth, or that astral perceptive abilities disappear.

In the Tibetan Buddhist process of death, there is a stage where one sees the clear light of primordial luminosity, the cosmic consciousness (God, Buddha, Dainichi Nyorai, Tao), and then chooses the destination of rebirth from the Bardo. I believe that "obscure" refers to being born in a state of ignorance and default, having lost all memories and sensations of perceiving and experiencing this cosmic consciousness.

Next, I think there is a sentiment here that only those who have experienced physical death several times through vertical path meditation, having mastered the secrets of the world of death ("died, died, died, died"), return to the dark and mysterious world of death at the end of death. The world of the living is only a small part of the world of the dead. Therefore, I think the expression changes from "obscure" at the beginning of life to "dark" at the end of death as a result of knowing the secrets of that world.

In other words, I think we can see here the approach of knowing the world of the living by mastering the world of the dead, which is the basic form of vertical path meditation.

Also, Kukai, like a Kundalini Yogi in the broad sense (an esoteric Buddhist practitioner), has countless legends of using his supernatural powers. And because we can infer from his writings this idea predicated on mastering the world of death, Kukai can be considered one of the skilled Kundalini Yogis.

Now, in Kukai's last testament, he frankly states that when he boarded the ship to Tang China, there were many points in the Mahavairocana Sutra that he did not understand, and there was no one to ask.

Also, in the records of Wu Yin, a lay disciple of Huiguo in Chang'an, it is written, "The Shramana (Kukai) from Japan has arrived, but this person is not ordinary; his level is a Bodhisattva in the 'Illuminating Ground,' three stages below the ten grounds." Although there is the question of who said this, it means that Huiguo or a discerning person around him determined that Kukai was in the tenth stage from the top among the fifty-two levels of Bodhisattvas, in the "Illuminating Ground."

Since few of Kukai's disciples would have had such discerning eyes, this is likely a situation where Kukai, before his death, especially told his disciples about his level when he entered Tang China.

Furthermore, it is written that by the time Kukai left Huiguo, he had "received the Five Wisdom Initiation (Gochi-kanjo), which is the esoteric ritual for succeeding to the rank of Buddha, and learned the secret teachings of both the Womb and Diamond Realms, etc.," so it seems possible that he achieved union with Dainichi Nyorai.

Kukai - 4 - Depression

◎Jade Tablet - 06 - 26

◎Vertical Path of Youth - 26

◎Pessimistic Views Before Ordination

Kukai describes his feelings before becoming a monk in the Sankyo Shiki (Indications of the Three Teachings):

"Thus, I came to loathe worldly glory with each passing thought, and longed for the mists rising in the mountains morning and evening.

Seeing the lives of those who wear light and warm clothing, ride fat horses, and travel in swift carriages like flowing water, a feeling of lament for their impermanent state, like lightning or illusions, arose in my heart in an instant, and seeing the ugly and the poor, the sorrow for the karmic retribution of their previous lives never ceased.

Everything that met my eyes urged me to renounce the world. Just as one cannot hold back the blowing wind, who could stop this aspiration to leave the secular life?"

(Quoted from Kobo Daishi Kukai Zenshu (Complete Works of Kobo Daishi Kukai), Volume 6, Chikuma Shobo, p. 6)

Kukai also fell into impermanence and a pessimistic mood. Becoming depressed leads to a pessimistic outlook on life. We live in an era where one in six people experiences depression (the lifetime prevalence of depression is said to be 13-17%).

I don't think Kukai was depressed, and conversely, it's not as if most people with depression attain great enlightenment or oneness with the divine.

On the other hand, it is said that anyone who attains enlightenment is someone who has experienced all sensations. Having exhausted all experiences and almost finished with all sensations, a feeling arises that everything is empty. This was the case with Shakyamuni, Ikkyu, and Dogen. Buddhism is often associated with pessimism.

Seeing how widespread depression is in Japan, the popular theory that a significant percentage of modern people are reincarnated individuals close to the final cycle of reincarnation doesn't seem entirely unfounded.

Meditation doesn't necessarily cure depression, but still, sitting is what a seeker does.

Reference: Excerpt from "Signs Suspected of Depression - Changes You Notice in Yourself" listed in the "Report of the Study Group on Depression Measures in the Community" on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare HP, within the "Manual for Promoting Depression Measures - For Prefectural and Municipal Employees" http://www.mhlw.go.jp/shingi/2004/01/s0126-5b2.html

"Signs Suspected of Depression - Changes You Notice in Yourself

Sad, depressed, or gloomy mood
Loss of interest in everything, nothing is enjoyable
Easily fatigued, lack of energy (lethargic)
Awareness of decreased motivation, will, and concentration (sluggish, no desire to do anything)
Difficulty falling asleep, waking up early in the morning
Loss of appetite
Not wanting to see people
Feeling worse in the morning than in the evening
Worries constantly on one's mind, thoughts go in circles
Inability to recover from failures, sadness, or disappointment
Blaming oneself, feeling worthless, etc."

Kukai - 3 - Mountain Asceticism (Sangaku Shugen)

◎Jade Tablet - 06 - 25

◎Vertical Path of Youth - 25

◎The Deep and Ancient Roots of Mountain Asceticism

Kukai's meditative training on his path to enlightenment seems to have progressed from the mountain asceticism strongly influenced by En no Gyoja in his youth, to a state of depression, the morning star experience, and finally to great enlightenment in Tang China.

Before Kukai, there was no true esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo) in Japan. However, there are traces indicating that Kukai himself actively engaged in mountain asceticism. Kukai was a person of the 8th century.

"In my youth, I enjoyed rambling through mountains and waters. One day south from Yoshino, and further two days west, there is a quiet flatland deep in the mountains. It is called Koya. It is located south of Ito District in Kii Province. Its four sides are surrounded by high peaks, with no traces of human passage and no roads." (Shoryoshu - Collection of Spirit Manifestations)

The route up to a certain point is part of the Omine Okugake Trail (Yoshino), one of the main routes of mountain asceticism, suggesting that Kukai likely traversed this route in his youth.

The Sankyo Shiki (Indications of the Three Teachings) states, "At times I climbed golden cliffs and suffered from being snowed in, and at other times I climbed Mount Ishizuchi and ran out of food, experiencing terrible hardships."

"I climbed Mount Otaki in Awa Province and devoted myself to ascetic practice at Cape Muroto in Tosa Province. Responding to my sincere heart, the valleys echoed, and the morning star, considered a manifestation of Kokuzo Bosatsu (Akashagarbha Bodhisattva), appeared in the vast sky," indicating that he frequently practiced asceticism in the mountains, mainly in the Kii Peninsula and Shikoku.

It can be inferred that Kukai, far from being a weak scholar, learned the essence of Kundalini Yoga (both esoteric Buddhism and mountain asceticism are Kundalini-based and follow the vertical path) through mountain asceticism before his study abroad in China. On the other hand, mountain asceticism itself took on a form integrated with esoteric Buddhism after Kukai.

Later, in the 11th century, Abe no Seimei appeared. There are traces suggesting that he, an Onmyoji (diviner), also studied mountain asceticism on Mount Katsuragi in Izumi Province, and legends of Abe no Seimei remain throughout Izumi. This shows that the know-how of mountain asceticism was continuously transmitted even after Kukai. While both esoteric Buddhism and Onmyodo are related to Kundalini Yoga, mountain asceticism seems to have served as the backbone of Japan's vertical path. Mountain asceticism is formidable. Furthermore, the virtuous legacy of En no Gyoja cannot be forgotten.

Kukai - 2 - The Ten Stages of Mind (Jujushinron)

◎Jade Tablet - 06 - 24

◎Vertical Path of Youth - 24

◎Levels of Consciousness and Levels of Existence

Kukai advocated the Ten Stages of Mind (Jujushinron) as the developmental stages of human consciousness.

The "stages of mind" (jushin) are not ideologies or philosophies about the dwelling place of the mind or the locus of the spirit, but rather a developmental system of human consciousness levels and existence levels. While the discussion of the vertical and horizontal axes of meditation might suggest that the Ten Stages of Mind, also being a historical theory of social development, could be seen as vertical steps, this view cannot be denied.

Here, alongside the Buddhist theory of the Ten Realms, I would like to consider the characteristics and aims of the developmental system of human consciousness levels and existence levels. Kukai's Ten Stages of Mind follows the tradition of the esoteric Buddhist worldview, within which the Atman also appears.

The ten steps of the Ten Stages of Mind do not have a one-to-one parallel correspondence with the Ten Realms. Instead, the lower four realms – the Asura realm, the animal realm, the hungry ghost realm, and the hell realm – are grouped together in the First Stage of Mind. Furthermore, the stages from the Bodhisattva level upwards are finely classified, resulting in a somewhat stylized ten-step system, which is a notable characteristic.

The aim of this stylization can be considered in light of the fact that this treatise was compiled in 830 at the command of Emperor Junna, and that in order for Shingon Esoteric Buddhism to be nationally authorized, it was crafted to emphasize Shingon Esoteric Buddhism's preeminence over other schools.

However, looking at the challenges for modern people, the part corresponding to the Bodhisattva stages from the Sixth Stage of Mind onwards is the most relevant. In this sense, the ten steps of the Ten Stages of Mind are a very modern classification. A Bodhisattva is a person who has experienced seeing the Buddha, seeing the gods, and seeing their true nature, which, in the Ten Ox Herding Pictures of Zen, corresponds to the third picture, "Seeing the Ox," or beyond.

First Stage of Mind

The Mind of the Goat-like Ignorance (Isōteyōjūshin)

A level where one is captivated only by sex and food, living according to instinct, like a ram.

Corresponds to the Asura realm, animal realm, hungry ghost realm, and hell realm. It is immediately apparent that the lower four levels are grouped together, indicating that the Ten Stages of Mind emphasizes the higher levels.

Second Stage of Mind

The Mind of the Foolish Child's Abstinence (Gudōjisaijūshin)

A level where one, like a foolish child, awakens to the rules of life and to giving to others.

Corresponds to the human realm.

Third Stage of Mind

The Mind of the Fearless Infant (Eidōmuijūshin)

A level where one, still in the world of Samsara (reincarnation), temporarily finds peace like an infant, knowing that there will be a life in the next world.

Corresponds to the heavenly realm.

Fourth Stage of Mind

The Mind of No-Self in the Aggregates (Yuiunmūgashin)

Knowing that only phenomena are real, one denies the existence of the individual as a substance. The teachings of the Shravakas (listeners) are the Hinayana (Small Vehicle) level for oneself alone.

Corresponds to the Shravaka realm.

Fifth Stage of Mind

The Mind of Severing the Seeds of Karmic Causes (Batsugōinshujūshin)

Realizing that all things arise from causes and conditions, one removes the root of ignorance and attains enlightenment alone. Corresponds to the Pratyekabuddha (solitary Buddha) level.

From the Sixth to the Ninth Stages of Mind, I believe they mostly correspond to the Bodhisattva level in the Ten Realms. The Bodhisattva level is, at a minimum, the level of having seen the Buddha. However, Kukai considers up to the Eighth Stage of Mind to be delusion (ignorance).

In other words, he points out that it is not enough to have seen the Buddha and one's true nature; one must reach the Tenth Stage of Mind, the Mind of Secret Adornment, to truly resolve the issues.

I think it is not problematic that the Tenth Stage of Mind, the Mind of Secret Adornment, is Nirvana. On the other hand, the Ninth Stage of Mind, the Mind of Utter Absence of Self-Nature, is considered the sole world (Dharmadhatu) and is identified with Vairocana Buddha of the Avatamsaka Sutra, so it can be seen as the Atman. Therefore, I believe that the top two of the ten steps of the Ten Stages of Mind also place Nirvana and the Atman.

Sixth Stage of Mind

The Mind of the Great Vehicle Dependent on Others (Taen Daijōjūshin)

The ocean of the mind is calm and without waves, but waves arise because the wind of delusion blows. This is the level of those who do not know that heaven and hell are created by their own minds.

Even if one does not commit evil and performs all kinds of good deeds for many years, accumulating the fifty-two stages of Bodhisattva practice, this is the level of those who do not know that original enlightenment lies within their own minds. They think that the mind and the objects it perceives are separate things, but they are people who have accomplished a considerable amount of Bodhisattva practice.

Seventh Stage of Mind

The Mind of Awakening to the Non-Arising of Mind (Kakushinfushōjūshin)

Conceptual cognitions (the five aggregates) are not substantial. The mind that arises due to causes does not possess its own nature (svabhāva), is empty (sunya), is a provisional existence, is the Middle Way (madhyamaka), and exists a priori.

However, original enlightenment has existed since the distant past, and expressions such as "nature" or "purity" are inappropriate; it transcends verbal expression.

Here, one knows that the fundamental nature of the mind is immutable and free, and useless arguments cease, but one has only just stood at the entrance to original enlightenment.

Eighth Stage of Mind

The Mind of the Single Path of No-Effort (Ichidōmuijūshin)

Emptiness (sunyata) is apart from the senses and their objects, without form or boundaries. The Land of Eternally Tranquil Light (Pure Land) exists where the opposition between the mind as the perceiving subject and the perceived objects is eliminated. However, there is no means to eliminate this opposition and reach the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light. One remains in ignorance.

The challenge of the Sixth Stage of Mind was the opposition between the perceiving subject and the perceived objects. Here, one has attained the understanding to overcome that challenge, but the method of practice is not found.

Ninth Stage of Mind

The Mind of Utter Absence of Own-Nature (Gokumujishōjūshin)

Synthesizing all the accumulated understanding and philosophy, phenomena (delusion) and reality (enlightenment) exist within the sole Dharma-realm (Dharmadhatu = world). However, this is merely an objective worldview, just philosophy. It is still not true enlightenment.

Tenth Stage of Mind

The Mind of Secret Adornment (Himitsushōgonjūshin)

Mahavairocana Buddha is one with all Buddhas, enters the Samadhi (trance) of swift power, and expounds the mental unification that is the essence of the world of truth he himself realized. Corresponds to the Buddha realm.

Entering the rank of Buddha is the attainment of Buddhahood in this lifetime (sokushin jobutsu), which is becoming one with Mahavairocana Buddha.

Kukai - 1 - Attaining Buddhahood in This Lifetime and Achievements

◎Jade Tablet - 06 - 23
◎Vertical Path of Youth - 23
◎Process of Enlightenment and Activities

Looking at Kukai's path to enlightenment, before his voyage to Tang China, in a cave at Cape Muroto in Tosa, a morning star leaped into his mouth. I believe this corresponds to seeing the Buddha.

Before going to Tang, there were parts of the Mahavairocana Sutra he couldn't understand, so he hadn't yet attained great enlightenment.

After arriving in Tang and under the guidance of his teacher Huiguo, the straightforward interpretation would be that he achieved great enlightenment and awakening, that is, "sokushin jobutsu" (attaining Buddhahood in this lifetime) – an entry into the central sun.

Afterward, he extensively used his supernatural powers and greatly influenced Japanese religion, culture, and the imperial family. The fact that he did not perform shikai (corpse liberation, dissolving the body into the void) upon his death suggests a judgment that it was unnecessary for the Japanese people.

Kukai's general chronology is listed in the apocryphal "Failed the Civil Service Exam Group, Truant Group - 3 - Kukai," so please refer to that as well.

The following can be considered his spiritual achievements:

He brought a new wave to Buddhism with Shingon Esoteric Buddhism, which also contained profound mysteries. This made the vertical path of Japan consist of ancient Shinto and Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.

He expressed the levels of existence in the world through the ten stages of the Ten Stages of Mind (Jujushinron). Those who have attained enlightenment tend to want to speak about the entire world.

Regarding "sokushin jobutsu," he did not use provocative and misleading expressions such as merging with Dainichi Nyorai (Mahavairocana). However, he guided people to imagine that humans could become Buddhas while remaining human.

Shingon Esoteric Buddhism is about clearing the world of death. The preface of the "Hizohoyaku" (Precious Key to the Secret Treasury) states, "Die, die, die, die, die, and at the end of death, there is darkness (mei)." I think this implies that by actually dying many times (Onisaburo Deguchi died six times), one progressively reaches the ultimate of the world of death, which is mystery itself (mei).

In the "Shojitsussoi" (Significance of the True Aspect of Voices and Letters), he pointed out the existence of kotodama (the spiritual power of words) and advocated the fundamental meaning of the letter "A." He systematized kotodama using the 48 letters of the iroha syllabary.

The Gosainanomishoho is a state-protecting ritual of the Shingon sect, originally started by Kobo Daishi Kukai. From the 8th to the 14th day of the first month, starting in 834, he conducted this ritual in the Nakatsukasasho (Ministry of Central Affairs) of the imperial court. After several interruptions, the ritual is still performed annually today. Through this, the imperial family came to conduct Shinto rituals and Buddhist exoteric and esoteric practices.

While extensively using his supernatural powers, Kukai had a significant impact by greatly changing the imperial family's rituals. Through this, he succeeded in rooting Esoteric Buddhism in the Japanese spirituality, but the association with the imperial court also had the drawback of tending to prioritize worldly benefits.

Also, Mount Koya once faced decline but has now revived, and the pilgrimage event of the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage, which is known worldwide, is also thriving.

Kukai was a super-religious figure who appears once every few centuries, but perhaps due to the limitations of his time, a more concrete explanation of his enlightenment and "sokushin jobutsu" was not given.