A Shingon Monk on Prayer (Mongaku, Azuma Kagami)

Letter of the Shingon Buddhist Monk Mongaku to Shogun Yoriie A. D. 1200 

Written in a very turbulent period, at the beginning of Japan's Shogun era, this letter from a Monk, who had just suffered a reverse of fortune and was sent into exile, nonetheless responds to a difficult political situation with a letter of sound knowledge, practical ethics, spiritual insight, and compassionate wisdom, and well versed in Confucian and Taoist traditions. (See Religion in the Formation of the Kamakura Bakufu : As Seen through the Azuma kagami ... en COLLCUTT, Martin.)

This letter was written to the Shogun Yoriie by the Shingon monk, Mongaku, who had been a close adviser of Yoriie’s father, Minamoto Yoritomo. In refusing to offer prayers for the shogun, Mongaku does not hesitate to scold him for his failings as a ruler. The forthrightness and independence of mind displayed by even this priest of the formalist Shingon sect show that these were not qualms characteristic of Zen alone but of Kamakura Buddhism in general. Nothing could better illustrate than this letter both the abuse of esoteric practices by those with little understanding of them, and the reaffirmation of true men of religion like Mongaku that the performance of these rituals must go hand in hand with genuine piety and exemplary moral conduct [From Kokusi Taikei, XXXII Azuma Kagami, 579-84, Sources Of Japanese Tradition, 165-171]

I respectfully acknowledge your second letter I sent you an answer before, but since you have written me again, I am replying again in the same tenor While reading your letter, I repeatedly felt that I was listening to a message from the late Generalissimo and I was deeply moved

[You ask me] to offer prayers-and I remember with gratitude beyond expression that the Generalissimo rebuilt the East Temple " and made possible through his generosity the re-establishment of the Takao mon (T6)1 in the original text, but it must refer to the Todaiji in Nara. which Yoriie’s father, Yoritomo, helped to rebuild in 1190 astery*) Through these merits, he will be saved in the life hereafter. It is also due only to his generosity that I, Mongaku, have been able to do something for Buddhism and accomplish something for the good of man. I therefore have remained ever grateful for his generosity and happy beyond words. Even before you asked me to offer prayers, it was always my fervent desire that you should enjoy peace and security.

[May I say], however, that prayer takes effect only for those who practice virtue and who love the good In the dwellings of those who offend, prayer is of no avail. By offenders, I mean those who destroy life without proper cause, and those who live a life of pleasure and indulge themselves with liquor, women, and wealth, ignoring the grief of others and disregarding the well-being of the nation. When men are virtuous and good, on the other hand, it means that they reverence both the law of Buddha and the law of the state and are ever concerned with the welfare of the people. In short, it means that they must have character such as is expected of a parent by all people, even the lowliest man or woman — peasants and those in all walks of life. When a man who has no concern for these things, or who is ruthless and offensive, or who has only selfish motives, orders a monk or other spiritual intermediary to offer prayers, there may be those who will reply with favorable words because the order comes from a lofty source. But if the petitioner is not a good man, he must not only expect that there will be no answer to his prayers, but he must expect that he may be worse off than before.

Therefore, if you must have prayers offered, Your Highness should command only those monks or astrologers who are not dishonest or subservient, but are straightforward. Your Highness should tell them your misdemeanors and try at all times to make amends. This Your Highness should by all means do If your actions are not good and you tell others to pray for you, you are really putting yourself in a precarious situation. 

 

Your Highness is the Generalissimo of Japan. He who is asked to pray for you should be a man of great mind and great integrity. A person of steadfast virtue and lofty disdain of flattery, but yet of compassionate heart, must be selected to be the master of your prayers. When It IS a question of offering prayer as a sovereign as well as an individual, the first object of prayer should be the whole country and the whole people. How one may pray depends upon one’s position in life. He whose influence does not affect the nation may offer prayers for his own benefit. But in these days the rulers as well as the ruled offer up prayers on their own account. Such prayers have no effect, for they are not in accord with the invisible mind of Buddha and are in discord with the transparent light of Heaven. I beg Your Highness, and must repeat It again and again, that you deem it your duty to merit the confidence of all, so that with you as Generalissimo in Kamakura, complaints of injustice will nowhere be heard and unreason will nowhere prevail.

If Your Highness acts in that way, you have no need for prayers for yourself [The Goddess of] the Great Shrine of Ise, the Bodhisattva Hachiman, [the deities of] Kamo and Kasuga will all be pleased, and all Buddhas, sages, gods, and goddesses, without exception, will extend their hands to safeguard you.

Even before Buddhism came into existence, there were in India and in China, as well as in Japan, wise kings and sage rulers under whom all the land was prosperous and all the people lived a happy life. The sovereigns, long of life, were like father and mother to the people. The Five Emperors and the Three Sovereigns, among whom were Yao and Shun, were rulers who came before the time of Buddha Your Highness is more fortunate [than they] in that you are acquainted with the Three Treasures of Buddhism, which those others could not know. Your Highness, therefore, should put your mind on the life hereafter. You should endeavor to get away from this “house of fire” of the three existences and, rising above the troubles of repeated transmigration, attain to Buddhahood. Such should be the first prayer of the ruler as well as of the ruled.

Needless to say, Buddhism, like other religions, helps to extirpate evil and to bring good fortune. Throughout its history in three countries, there are records of answers to prayer and of benefits received. If Your Highness will first pay strict attention to your own conduct and then proceed to put your administration in order, then when you offer prayer, an answer will come just as surely as sound follows when a word is spoken. There will be no failure.

In these days, however, all religious works and rituals sponsored by the great are merely for the eye and are only an expense to the country and a burden to the people. Buddha and the deities do not accept them at all. The Three Treasures, The Buddha, the Dharma (Law, or Scriptures containing the Law), and Sangha (Monastic Orders). Those who pray should know that Buddha and the deities accept only virtue and faith, material treasures have no appeal for them. It is with this in mind that Your Highness, at the head of your warriors, should guard the Emperor and become the mainstay of the whole nation If you go astray in any way or have evil in your heart, you will prove to be only an enemy of the country. Its downfall will be the logical result.

It would be possible for me, without going into detailed reasons and unmindful of Buddha and the deities, to reply favorably to Your Highness and offer up prayers. But that would mean wasting the land’s substance without benefiting anyone and only harming Your Highness. I myself would have to pay the penalty also How can I permit Your Highness to carry out a project so injurious to yourself I say again that the Goddess of Ise and Hachiman and the other deities will never consent to be indulgent because of material offerings, they extend their hands only to those whose heart is pure and whose conduct is proper. The Bodhisattva Hachiman said, according to the oracle “Even if I should have to drink molten copper, I would not accept offerings from those whose hearts are tainted”. He said again, according to another oracle “Day and night I stand guard over the land. If the ruler is evil, he will be unpleasing to the Three Treasures and to all the Devas. Such a thing would be most lamentable, most deplorable. Also, according to the oracle of the temple of Jingo in Takao, self-reliance only can be depended upon, in that lies the strength of Buddha. One should rely first upon the efficacy of one’s own power, not upon the gods, who themselves depend upon the Three Treasures to protect the Throne and nurture the people. Your Highness should bear in mind that through your prestige you can make all temples and monasteries prosper.