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Research draft

Shingon Buddhism

vr.tr.shingon-buddhism · SOC.ORG

Let an agent explain Shingon Buddhism, its founder, doctrines and practices with scholarly attribution, relay its branches and institutions, describe its history, and distinguish Shingon from Tendai and other esoteric traditions, respectfully.

Thing Registry Society, people and institutions

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent explain Shingon Buddhism, its founder, doctrines and practices with scholarly attribution, relay its branches and institutions, describe its history, and distinguish Shingon from Tendai and other esoteric traditions, respectfully.

A school of Japanese esoteric Buddhism founded by Kukai, known as Kobo Daishi, in the early ninth century after study in Tang China, centred on Mount Koya and Toji temple in Kyoto, teaching that enlightenment can be attained in this body through mantra, mudra and mandala practices focused on the cosmic Buddha Mahavairocana, and divided into branches such as Koyasan Shingon, Toji Shingon, Daikakuji, Sennyuji and Yamashina branches and the Shingi-Shingon lineages of Chisan and Buzan; Shingon remains a major Japanese Buddhist tradition.

What it is for: Not applicable; a religious tradition.

It can be explain doctrines and practices; relay branches and institutions; describe history; distinguish from related traditions.

Distinguishing features

Kukai foundation

Mahavairocana focus

Three mysteries practice

Branch structure

What it looks like

Not a visible object; temples, mandalas and ritual practice.

Physical character

founded: 806 year - Kukai return from China

Mount Koya established: 816 year

temples: about 4000 count - estimates

How it is recognised

Japanese esoteric Buddhism of Kukai

Kogi and Shingi Shingon; Toji, Daikakuji, Sennyuji, Yamashina and other branches

Tendai has its own esoteric lineage; Vajrayana is the broader esoteric tradition

Related models

is a kind of - in registry terms

Heian Buddhism

was founded by - in the ninth century

Kukai

is centred on - and Toji

Mount Koya

is a form of - esoteric Buddhism

Vajrayana

In practice

Families and kinds

Kogi Shingon branches such as Koyasan, Toji, Daikakuji, Sennyuji, Yamashina and Zentsuji

Shingi Shingon branches Chisan and Buzan

Shingon Risshu and other related schools

lay associations and pilgrimage traditions such as the Shikoku pilgrimage

Standards and regulation

Japanese Religious Corporations Act

Branch organisations and head temple regulations

UNESCO World Heritage status of Koyasan sites

Failure modes and hazards

Disrespectful or sensational presentation of esoteric practice

Confusing branches and lineages

Presenting contested historical claims as settled

Also called

Shingi-ShingonTōji Shingon-shūShingon-shū Daikakuji-haShingon-shū Yamashina branchShingon-shū Tōji-haShingon-shū Sennyūji-haShingon-shū Daigo-haShingon Sect Zentsuji SchoolKogi Shingon-shūKōyasan Shingon-shūOmuro schoolShingon RisshuShigisan Shingon-shūShingon-shū Murōji-haShinnyo Sanmaya-ryū

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Understand What Shingon is.

Attribution.

Definition

Definition and doctrine.

Definition

Definition.

  1. What is Shingon Buddhism, and what are its core doctrines of Mahavairocana and enlightenment in this body? definition
  2. Is the question about Shingon, Tendai esotericism or Vajrayana broadly? boundary

Practice

Practice.

Practice

Practice.

  1. What are the three mysteries of mantra, mudra and mandala, and how are the two mandalas used, in general terms? provenance
  2. Is the presentation respectful of a living tradition? boundary
Institutions Branches and temples.

Sources.

Branches

Branches.

Branches

Branches.

  1. What are the Kogi and Shingi branches, such as Toji, Daikakuji, Sennyuji, Yamashina, Chisan and Buzan? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the specific branch? action

Temples

Head temples.

Temples

Temples.

  1. What are Mount Koya, Toji and other head temples, and what can visitors see? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance
History History.

Attribution.

Kukai

Kukai and founding.

Kukai

Kukai.

  1. Who was Kukai, and how did he establish Shingon after study in China, as historians describe? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance

Development

Later history.

Development

Development.

  1. How did Shingon develop through the Kakuban reforms, medieval and modern periods? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of Japanese Buddhism? action
Context Culture.

Context.

Culture

Art and culture.

Culture

Culture.

  1. How has Shingon shaped Japanese art, calligraphy and pilgrimage? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Shikoku pilgrimage? action

Today

Shingon today.

Today

Today.

  1. How is Shingon practised today in Japan and abroad? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Buddhism in Japan? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should Kukai and Mount Koya be the primary linked entries?
  • How should scholarly sources be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming branches; should they be split off?
Draft as JSON