Peter: The Japanese Monk Ennin and His Travels to Tang China

• Ennin was a Buddhist Monk (Japanese name: Jikaku Daishi)
• Born in Tsuga district, Shimotsuke Province
• He founded the Sammon branch of the Tendai sect
• Traveled to China from 838 to 847
• His work is titled “The record of a pilgrimage to Tang [China] in search of the law
• The law was a term frequently used by Buddhists for the religion
• Ennin’s books is a diary of his travels to China
• Diary is highly regarded, sometimes even more so than Marco Polo’s diary
• Diary consists of 4 scrolls
• Written in Chinese
• A priest of Tendai school
• Initially studied under 2 masters and then spent some time at Wutiashan, a mountain range famous for its numerous Buddhist temples
• In his diary, he states that Mt. Wutai is the source of the teachings and the places where the great saints have manifested themselves. Great monks from India have also visited these mountains.
• Ennin also studied at Chang’an, the Chinese Tang capital.
• Ennin brought back to Japan Fa-Chao’s practice of five-tone nembutsu recitation which marked the introduction of the recited nembutsu to Japan. Also brought back the teaching of the Chinese Pure Land sect.
• Introduced constantly walking Samadhi called Jogyodo in which Tendai monks customarily recited the Lotus Sutra in the morning and performed nembutsu in the evenings.
• Ennin achieved his fame as a transmitter of Chinese culture to Heian society.
• Ennin’s diary even covers Chinese geography, folk customs, economy, administration, and politics which he used to influence Japan at the time.
• Tendai became the most popular sect in Japan and so he had a huge influence in Japan at the time.
• Ex: The introduction of the Buddhist ethic against killing resulted in reduced numbers of executions and reduced consumption of meat.