Bodhisena
Encyclopedia
Bodhisena (704–760) was an India
n Buddhist scholar and monk, known for traveling to Japan and establishing the Kegon
school, the Japanese transmission of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.
His stay has been noted in the official history records called the Shoku Nihongi
, where he is referred to as Bodai-Senna.
at Mount Wutai. However, on reaching Mount Wutai, he was told the incarnation was in Japan. He also became acquainted with the tenth Japanese ambassador to China, Tajihi no Mabito Hironari. He also met the Japanese monk Rikyo.
, he visited Japan to spread the use of Sanskrit
and establish Huayan Buddhism in the country. He traveled with the Japanese delegation of Tajihi no Hironari, via Cambodia
and Champa
in Vietnam
.
On the same ship were other important historical figures.
They included the traveling companions Genbō
and Kibi no Makibi. Genbo was a monk and was returning from China with the over 5,000 fascicles that made up the Chinese Buddhist Canon. Kibi brought with him the arts of embroidery, playing the lyre, and the game of Go. Kibi is also said to have invented katakana
, whose Sanskrit influence is attributed to Bodhisena. The Man'yōshū contains a poem by Kibi about a crow that fed on rice grown by a Brahmin.
The famous Chinese Buddhist monk Dosen (道璿, Chinese Daoxuan, 702–760) was also present. Dosen would significantly influence Saichō
, the founder of the Tendai
School.
Accompanying Bodhisena was a Cambodian priest and musician called Fo-t'ieh in Chinese (also known as Buttetsu and Fat-triet). He later resided at Daian-ji with Bodhisena, and wrote a work on the Sanskrit alphabet. He also composed religious dances representing subjects taken from Indian mythology, which came to be known as Rin'yu-gaku or Champa dances. These dances were still extant in the early 20th century.
(Osaka
) in August 736 and was met by the monk Gyoki
.
According to a number of sources, Gyoki and Bodhisena recognised each other from a past life. According to the Shui Wakashu, quoting from the Tōdaiji Yōroku, Gyoki stated that they were together at Vulture Peak when the Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra. Bodhisena, called the "Baramon Sojo" (Brahmin Priest), additionally refers to them being together at Kapilavastu
. He also recognised Gyoki as the reincarnation of the boddhisatva Manjusri he was seeking. Their exchange is recorded thus:
Gyoki:
Baramon Sojo in reply:
Gyoki conducted Bodhisena to Nara
and presented him to the emperor. He was treated with great honour and lodged in the temple called Daian-ji
, where he founded Kogen Buddhism and also taught Sanskrit
In 752, Emperor Shōmu
asked him to perform the eye-opening ceremony for the giant bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana
built in Tōdai-ji
. Dosen also played a significant role. The painting of the eyes was done by Bodhisena.
After a visit to Mount Tomi (Nara
), Bodhisena petitioned the emperor to name the prayers' hall there , as he found the place to strongly resemble the mountain in India where Buddha
preached, known as Vulture Peak, or Ryoujusen in Japanese.
Bodhisena resided in Daian-ji
in Heijō-kyō
for the rest of his life. He died on February 25, 760 at Daian-ji
temple, and was buried on the Ryoujusen mountain, following his wish when he died.
The fortyseven letters of the Japanese alphabet are said to have been devised after the pattern of the
Sanskrit alphabet by the Japanese Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi (774-835 AD). The
arrangement of the Japanese syllabary based on the Sanskrit system is also attributed to the
influence of Bodhisena in Japan, which, according to Riri Nakayama, “will continue as long
as the Japanese language continues to exist”.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Buddhist scholar and monk, known for traveling to Japan and establishing the Kegon
Kegon
Kegon is the name of the Japanese transmission of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.Huayan studies were founded in Japan when, in 736, the scholar-priest Rōben originally a monk of the Hossō tradition invited Shinshō to give lectures on the Avatamsaka Sutra at...
school, the Japanese transmission of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.
His stay has been noted in the official history records called the Shoku Nihongi
Shoku Nihongi
The is an imperially commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the Six National Histories, coming directly after the Nihon Shoki and followed by Nihon Kōki. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi served as the primary editors...
, where he is referred to as Bodai-Senna.
Early years
Bodhisena got mystical inspiration from Manjusri Bodhisattva. He initially went to China, having heard that he could meet the incarnation of ManjusriManjusri
Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva associated with transcendent wisdom in Mahāyāna Buddhism. In Esoteric Buddhism he is also taken as a meditational deity. The Sanskrit name Mañjuśrī can be translated as "Gentle Glory"...
at Mount Wutai. However, on reaching Mount Wutai, he was told the incarnation was in Japan. He also became acquainted with the tenth Japanese ambassador to China, Tajihi no Mabito Hironari. He also met the Japanese monk Rikyo.
Voyage to Japan
On the invitation of Emperor ShōmuEmperor Shomu
was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:...
, he visited Japan to spread the use of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and establish Huayan Buddhism in the country. He traveled with the Japanese delegation of Tajihi no Hironari, via Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Champa
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
.
On the same ship were other important historical figures.
They included the traveling companions Genbō
Genbō
, also known as Gembō, was a Japanese scholar-monk and bureaucrat of the Imperial Court at Nara.In 717-718, he was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China along with Kibi no Makibi and Abe no Nakamaro...
and Kibi no Makibi. Genbo was a monk and was returning from China with the over 5,000 fascicles that made up the Chinese Buddhist Canon. Kibi brought with him the arts of embroidery, playing the lyre, and the game of Go. Kibi is also said to have invented katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
, whose Sanskrit influence is attributed to Bodhisena. The Man'yōshū contains a poem by Kibi about a crow that fed on rice grown by a Brahmin.
The famous Chinese Buddhist monk Dosen (道璿, Chinese Daoxuan, 702–760) was also present. Dosen would significantly influence Saichō
Saicho
was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan, based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804. He founded the temple and headquarters of Tendai at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei near Kyoto. He is also said to have...
, the founder of the Tendai
Tendai
is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
School.
Accompanying Bodhisena was a Cambodian priest and musician called Fo-t'ieh in Chinese (also known as Buttetsu and Fat-triet). He later resided at Daian-ji with Bodhisena, and wrote a work on the Sanskrit alphabet. He also composed religious dances representing subjects taken from Indian mythology, which came to be known as Rin'yu-gaku or Champa dances. These dances were still extant in the early 20th century.
Life in Japan
The party arrived at NaniwaNaniwa
Naniwa can refer to:* The former name of Osaka, Japan* Naniwa-ku , a ward in Osaka* The Naniwa Vehicle Registration Office of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which issues "Naniwa" license plates for automobiles registered in the city of Osaka* Naniwa, an express train that once...
(Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
) in August 736 and was met by the monk Gyoki
Gyoki
was a Japanese Buddhist priest of the Nara period, born in Ōtori county, Kawachi Province , to family of Korean Baekje descent. Gyōki became a monk at Asuka-dera temple in Nara at the age of 15, and studied under master Dōshō as one of his first pupils. Gyōki studied Yogacara , a core doctrine of...
.
According to a number of sources, Gyoki and Bodhisena recognised each other from a past life. According to the Shui Wakashu, quoting from the Tōdaiji Yōroku, Gyoki stated that they were together at Vulture Peak when the Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra. Bodhisena, called the "Baramon Sojo" (Brahmin Priest), additionally refers to them being together at Kapilavastu
Kapilavastu
Kapilavastu is the name of a region of ancient Shakya kingdom that is considered a holy pilgrimage place for Buddhists. The search for the Buddha's birthplace following the accounts left by Xuanzang and Faxian involved various searches in the late 19th century...
. He also recognised Gyoki as the reincarnation of the boddhisatva Manjusri he was seeking. Their exchange is recorded thus:
Gyoki:
- On the Holy Mount,
- In the presence of Sakya,
- The self consistent
- Truth we swore has not decayed:
- I have met with you again!
Baramon Sojo in reply:
- The vow we swore
- Together at Kapilavastu
- Has borne fruit:
- For the face of Manjusri
- I have seen again today!
Gyoki conducted Bodhisena to Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
and presented him to the emperor. He was treated with great honour and lodged in the temple called Daian-ji
Daian-ji
was founded during the Asuka period and is one of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, Japan.-History:The Nihon Shoki records the founding of the , predecessor of the Daian-ji, in 639 during the reign of Emperor Jomei. A nine story pagoda was added shortly afterwards...
, where he founded Kogen Buddhism and also taught Sanskrit
In 752, Emperor Shōmu
Emperor Shomu
was the 45th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.-Traditional narrative:...
asked him to perform the eye-opening ceremony for the giant bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana
Vairocana
Vairocana is a celestial Buddha who is often interpreted as the Bliss Body of the historical Gautama Buddha; he can also be referred to as the dharmakaya Buddha and the great solar Buddha. In Sino-Japanese Buddhism, Vairocana is also seen as the embodiment of the Buddhist concept of shunyata or...
built in Tōdai-ji
Todai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
. Dosen also played a significant role. The painting of the eyes was done by Bodhisena.
After a visit to Mount Tomi (Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
), Bodhisena petitioned the emperor to name the prayers' hall there , as he found the place to strongly resemble the mountain in India where Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
preached, known as Vulture Peak, or Ryoujusen in Japanese.
Bodhisena resided in Daian-ji
Daian-ji
was founded during the Asuka period and is one of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, Japan.-History:The Nihon Shoki records the founding of the , predecessor of the Daian-ji, in 639 during the reign of Emperor Jomei. A nine story pagoda was added shortly afterwards...
in Heijō-kyō
Heijo-kyo
Heijō-kyō , was the capital city of Japan during most of the Nara period, from 710–40 and again from 745–84. The Palace site is a listed UNESCO World Heritage together with other places in the city of Nara Heijō-kyō (平城京, also Heizei-kyō, sometimes Nara no miyako), was the capital city of Japan...
for the rest of his life. He died on February 25, 760 at Daian-ji
Daian-ji
was founded during the Asuka period and is one of the Seven Great Temples of Nara, Japan.-History:The Nihon Shoki records the founding of the , predecessor of the Daian-ji, in 639 during the reign of Emperor Jomei. A nine story pagoda was added shortly afterwards...
temple, and was buried on the Ryoujusen mountain, following his wish when he died.
Legacy
Japan’s traditional court dance and music still preserve some of the forms introduced by Bodhisena into Japan.The fortyseven letters of the Japanese alphabet are said to have been devised after the pattern of the
Sanskrit alphabet by the Japanese Buddhist saint Kobo Daishi (774-835 AD). The
arrangement of the Japanese syllabary based on the Sanskrit system is also attributed to the
influence of Bodhisena in Japan, which, according to Riri Nakayama, “will continue as long
as the Japanese language continues to exist”.
External links
- Daian-ji, Japan
- Ryōsen-ji, Japan (English summary)
- Tōdai-ji, Japan