page_title: Heian period
section_title: Developments in Buddhism
hierarchical_section_title: Heian period / Heian culture / Developments in Buddhism
caption_attribution_description: English: Danjōgaran in Mount Kōya, Wakayama prefecture, Japan. 日本語: 高野山の壇上伽藍, 和歌山県高野町 Camera: DSLR-A700Lens: SAL1680Z (Carl Zeiss)
context_page_description: The Heian period is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyoto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Daoism and other Chinese influences were at their height. The Heian period is also considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature. Although the Imperial House of Japan had power on the surface, the real power was in the hands of the Fujiwara clan, a powerful aristocratic family who had intermarried with the imperial family. Many emperors actually had mothers from the Fujiwara family. Heian means "peace" in Japanese.
context_section_description: The Heian period saw the rise of two esoteric Buddhist sects, Tendai and Shingon.
  Tendai is the Japanese version of the Tiantai school from China, which is based on the Lotus Sutra, one of the most important sutras in Mahayana Buddhism. It was brought to Japan by the monk Saichō. An important element of Tendai doctrine was the suggestion that enlightenment was accessible to "every creature". Saichō also sought independent ordination for Tendai monks. A close relationship developed between the Tendai monastery complex on Mount Hiei and the imperial court in its new capital at the foot of the mountain. As a result, Tendai emphasized great reverence for the emperor and the nation. Emperor Kanmu himself was a notable patron of the otherworldly Tendai sect, which rose to great power over the ensuing centuries.
  Shingon is the Japanese version of the Zhenyen school from China, which is based on Vajrayana Buddhism from Tibet. It was brought to Japan by the monk Kūkai. Shingon Buddhism emphasizes the use of symbols, rituals, incantations and mandalas, which gave it a wide appeal. Kūkai greatly impressed the emperors who succeeded Emperor Kanmu, and also generations of Japanese, not only with his holiness but also with his poetry, calligraphy, painting, and sculpture. Both Kūkai and Saichō aimed to connect state and religion and establish support from the aristocracy, leading to the notion of "aristocratic Buddhism".
caption: Danjō-garan on Mount Kōya, a sacred center of Shingon Buddhism
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