There are many different schools of Buddhism in Japan.
Two major schools that became established in Japan during the Heian period are Tendai Buddhism (天台宗, Tendai-shū), established in Japan by Saichō (最澄), and Shingon Buddhism (真言宗, Shingon-shū), established by Kūkai (空海).
The Japanese term shūha (宗派) refers to a Buddhist school or tradition. Each school has its own teachings, scriptures, practices, and objects of devotion. These objects of devotion are not always Buddhas; important Buddhist figures may also play a central role.
Later, during the Kamakura period, various new Buddhist schools and traditions developed in Japan. These include Jōdo-shū (浄土宗, Pure Land school), founded by Hōnen (法然); Jōdo Shinshū (浄土真宗, True Pure Land school), founded by Shinran (親鸞); and the Nichiren tradition (日蓮宗), associated with Nichiren (日蓮).
Many of these traditions remain an important part of Japanese Buddhism today.
Each Buddhist school also has its own sutras and liturgical texts that are regularly recited as part of daily practice.
Taishū Kaju (台宗課誦): The Daily Chanting Book of Tendai Buddhism
Among the various schools of Japanese Buddhism, the daily chanting book used by Tendai monks, temple members, and followers is called the Taishū Kaju (台宗課誦).
The title Taishū Kaju can be broken down as follows:
- 台 (tai) — from Tendai (天台)
- 宗 (shū) — school or tradition
- 課 (ka) — daily practice or daily routine
- 誦 (ju) — recitation or chanting
The character 誦 (ju) is also used in the Buddhist term 読誦 (dokuju), which means to recite a sutra aloud.
Below is the actual sutra and chanting book (経本, kyōbon) used for this practice.
The Colophon
An okugaki (奥書) is a note found at the end of a book. It provides information about the book, such as why it was written or published, when it was produced, who was responsible for it, and other details—somewhat like a colophon or an afterword.
If we look at the okugaki on the final page of the Taishū Kaju, we find the following:
この台宗課誦は宗祖伝教大師 比叡山開創一千二百年を記念して改訂されたものである 延暦寺学問所 昭和六十年七月
“This Taishū Kaju, the collection of texts recited as part of the daily practice of Tendai Buddhism, was revised to commemorate the 1,200th anniversary of Dengyō Daishi’s establishment of religious practice on Mount Hiei.”
Enryakuji Gakumonjo (延暦寺学問所), July 1985
Let’s take a closer look at what this passage means.
First, shūso (宗祖) means the founder of a Buddhist school. Here, 宗 (shū) refers to the Tendai school, while 祖 (so) carries the sense of an originator or ancestor. So here, shūso means the founder of the Tendai school in Japan.
Next comes Dengyō Daishi (伝教大師). This is the posthumous title given to Saichō (最澄).
Dengyō (伝教) literally conveys the idea of “transmitting the teachings”—in this case, the teachings of Buddhism and Tendai Buddhism. Daishi (大師) is an honorific title bestowed by the imperial court upon eminent Buddhist monks. It literally means something like “Great Teacher.” Another famous example is Kōbō Daishi (弘法大師), the posthumous title of Kūkai.
Mount Hiei (比叡山, Hiei-zan) is a mountain on the border of Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures and is home to Enryakuji (延暦寺), the head temple of the Tendai school. Enryakuji is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto.
What Does the “1,200th Anniversary” Refer To?
The Taishū Kaju was published in July 1985 (Shōwa 60).
If we go back 1,200 years from 1985, we arrive at 785 (Enryaku 4).
The book was therefore revised and published in 1985 to commemorate 1,200 years since Saichō began his religious practice on Mount Hiei in 785.
The era name in 785 was Enryaku (延暦). This is also the name found in Enryakuji (延暦寺).
According to traditional accounts, the temple that had previously been known as Hieizanji (比叡山寺) came to be called Enryakuji in 823, one year after Saichō’s death.
So originally, it was called Hieizanji, “the temple of Mount Hiei.”
Is Enryakuji a Single Temple Building?
Here is something that can be a little confusing when you visit Mount Hiei.
If you go there and ask,
“Where is Enryakuji?”
you should not expect someone to point to a single building called “Enryakuji.”
Enryakuji refers to the temple complex as a whole, spread across Mount Hiei.
Think of a Japanese Buddhist temple as the entire sacred precinct (境内, keidai), within which there are various halls and buildings, such as a main hall, Goma hall, Amida hall, and others.
For example, if you were standing within the temple grounds of Tōdaiji and asked, “Where is Tōdaiji?”, someone might simply answer, “You’re already here!”
The same basic idea applies to Enryakuji.
What Does “The Founding of Mount Hiei” Mean?
The colophon uses the expression Hieizan kaisō (比叡山開創), literally referring to the “founding” or “opening” of Mount Hiei.
However, 785 does not mean that Saichō physically cleared the mountain and built a temple there for the first time.
Rather, it refers to the year in which Saichō began his Buddhist practice on Mount Hiei.
Moreover, according to earlier records, Mount Hiei was already being used as a place of religious practice before Saichō.
As you can see, even a short colophon can teach us quite a lot!
Contents
The Taishū Kaju is printed on both sides of a long sheet of paper folded in an accordion-like format. This type of book is called an orihon (折り本), or accordion-fold book.
It looks like this.
Contents on the Front Side
- Hokke Senbō (法華懺法)
- Reiji Sahō (例時作法)
- Jūnirai-fu (十二礼譜)
- Sanku Nenbutsu (三句念仏)
- Ekōdan (回向段)
- Dengyō Daishi’s Dharma Talk (伝教大師ご法話)
- Eshin Sōzu’s Dharma Talk (恵心僧都ご法話)
Contents on the Reverse Side
- Gongyō Sahō (勤行作法), First Service
- Gongyō Sahō, Second Service
- Gongyō Sahō, Third Service
- Shoson Shingon (諸尊真言)
- Tendai Daishi Wasan (天台大師和讃)
- Dengyō Daishi Wasan (伝教大師和讃)
- Hieizan Sanka (比叡山讃歌)
- Dengyō Daishi Sangō Wasan (伝教大師讚仰和讃)
- Honzon Wasan (本尊和讃)
- Jōhō Wasan (浄邦和讃)
- Tomurai Wasan (弔い和讃)
In the Tendai tradition, monks generally recite Hokke Senbō and Reiji Sahō as the morning and evening services, respectively.
The morning service is also called asaza (朝座), while the evening service is called yūza (夕座).
What Is Hokke Senbō (法華懺法)?
The Hokke (法華) in Hokke Senbō refers to the Lotus Sutra (法華経, Hokekyō).
Sen (懺) means repentance or confession of one’s wrongdoings, as in zange (懺悔).
The word hō (法) has many meanings in Buddhism, but in this context it refers to a ritual practice.
So, in simple terms, Hokke Senbō means:
“A ritual of repentance performed in accordance with the teachings of the Lotus Sutra.”
According to a text by a master of the Chinese Tiantai tradition, this practice was performed over a period of twenty-one days.
Japanese Tendai Buddhism developed on the basis of the Chinese Tiantai tradition (天台).
What Is Reiji Sahō (例時作法)?
The rei (例) in Reiji Sahō has the sense of something regular or customary.
Thus, reiji (例時) means “at a regularly appointed time.”
Sahō (作法) refers to a prescribed procedure or ritual practice.
So Reiji Sahō is a ritual service performed at a regularly appointed time.
The Kurodani Shōnin Gotōroku (黒谷上人語燈録), a collection of teachings attributed to Hōnen (法然), founder of the Jōdo school, states:
例時作法，如常，但日沒，一時修之。
In English:
“The Reiji Sahō is performed as usual; it is practiced once at sunset.”
This suggests that the service was performed in the evening, around the time of sunset.
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