British Shingon Buddhism
Shingon Buddhism is a mystical (Mikkyo) teaching which seeks to
awaken direct experience of Enlightenment through study and practice of
the 'Three Mysteries' (called in Japanese the 'Sammitsu') of Body, Speech
and Mind.
It achieves this by unique methods involving studies and unique
practices in the Ritual Gesture (Mudra), Mandala and Chanting (Mantra)
together with many other forms of esoteric meditation training involving
mind, body and speech. The title 'Shingon' is a Japanese pronounciation of the Chinese term 'Chen Yen' meaning 'True word' which term itself is a representation of the Sanscrit word 'Mantra'. These names demonstrate the passage of the teachings from India to China and later to Japan.
The British branch of Shingon was founded in Britain during 1958-9 by the Acaryas R.Otomo and K.Yasuka and represents the Raiden Ha (Branch) of the Chen Yen Chinese lineage taken in in the 1200's to Taiwan and the
Ryukyu Islands below Japan. A line of 29 masters (Acaryas) which began in
759 CE has preserved its teaching intact. It was never directly taken to mainland
Japan though the Japanese Tendai forms of Shingon has some elements in common
with its teaching. Although our branch mainly uses Japanese terminology
it follows the practical traditions of its Chinese Mother Church.
The Association was granted autonomy in 1972 but has extensive
connections with both British and overseas Buddhist Organisations in
addition to representatives upon several inter- denominational religious
groups within Europe, USA and the eastern Bloc nations (both new and old).
The B.S.B.A. was a founding member of the European Shingon Association and is
a full voting member of several other International Buddhist organisations including
the European Buddhist Union. It has been instrumental in bringing other groups into this Union. The Association is mainly a lay organisation supporting
the Initiated members of the Order and seeks to encourage studies and
research into all the many Mikkyo Teachings within both the traditional
and the contemporary environment and to provide a wide range of
possibilities and advancement for its students. Due to increased public interest we recently we opened a new study centre, the Gorinto, in Wales.
In mainland Japan esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo) is mainly run through two different groups, one founded by Kukai (Koyasan Tomitsu) and the other by Saicho (Tendai Taimitsu) as part of the Tendai teaching. In the past there was much rivalry between these two groups.
There also many independent sub groups of Shingon in Japan, some officially tied in with one or other of the 2 main groups and many others not. In addition there are quite different mikkyo groups which have developed from the mountain ascetic teachings of the Yamabushi.