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Teachings of the Vajrasekhara
The Vajrasekhara (Kongocho-kyo), along with the Mahavairocana
Sutra (Dainichi kyo), are the basic sutras for Shingon Buddhism.
In Shingon Buddhism faith is propagated with these two great sutras
forming the two wheels of a cart.
Kobo Daishi?s teacher, Master Hui-kuo (Keika) of the Blue Dragon
Temple in Chiang-an of T'ang China, consolidated the Esoteric
Buddhism based on the Dainichi-kyo with that based on the Kongocho-kyo,
and Kobo Daishi received the entirety of these two lines.
Like the Mahavairocana Sutra (Dainichi-kyo), the Vajrasekhara
explains the teaching of becoming a buddha in this body, which
is the central doctrine of Esoteric Buddhism. Its formal title
is "Sutra of the King of the Great Teaching Attested to in Mahayåna
Bearing the Truth of All the Buddhas at the Vajra Peak." As expressed
in this title, this sutra teaches the process by which the thirty-seven
deities of the Vajradhatu Mandala actually embodied the truth
of becoming a buddha in this body.
Therefore, as contrasted to the Mahavairocana Sutra, which is
the sutra for the aspect of teaching the fundamentals of doctrine,
the Kongocho-kyo is considered to be the sutra for the practical
aspect that teaches the practices and the process for actually
becoming a buddha.
Central to the Kongocho-kyo is what is called "the Meditation
for Attaining the Buddha?s Body in Five Aspects," which is a process
of practice and a method for becoming a buddha in this body. This
is also referred to as "Attaining the Buddha?s Body Through Five
Transformations," or "Attaining the Buddha?s Body Through the
Five Methods."
They are presented here as follows.
This is the self-realization that we have the mind that aspires
to be enlightened within our hearts.
This involves the cultivation of the mind that aspires to be enlightened
so that it gradually becomes pure and is enlarged.
As a result of cultivation, the mind that aspires to be enlightened
becomes firm and hard like a Diamond gemstone.
This involves the realization of the Buddha nature that is within
the mind and body, the attainment of an indestructible body, and
becoming a Bodhisattva who always saves living beings.
This is called the Vajra State of Mind in which our own minds
and bodies come to share the same essence as that of the Buddha,
and by attaining eternal enlightenment we conclude the process
of becoming a buddha in this body.
Even by looking only briefly at the central doctrines of the Kongocho-kyo,
we can understand the general essence of the teaching of Shingon
Buddhism. The source for faith in and the teachings for fully
developing our minds and bodies as the life of the Buddha is explained
in the Kongocho-kyo. Certainly the fundamentals for the belief
in the life that gives life are to be found here.
©1998,1999 Shingon Buddhist International Institute
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