Editing Tendai

{{Short description|School of Mahayana Buddhism in Japan}}
{{About||the Chinese branch of Buddhism from which this school originated|Tiantai}}
{{Other uses}}
[[File:桜と比叡山延暦寺 (Enryaku-ji with Cherry Blossoms) 28 Apr, 2013 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|260px|''[[Enryaku-ji]]'', the head temple of Tendai at [[Mount Hiei]]]]
{{MahayanaBuddhism}}

{{nihongo|'''Tendai'''|天台宗|Tendai-shū}}, also known as the '''Tendai Dharma Flower School''' (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a [[Mahayana|Mahāyāna Buddhist]] tradition with significant [[Vajrayana|esoteric]] elements that was officially established in [[Japan]] in 806 by the Japanese monk [[Saichō]].<ref name=":4" /> The Tendai school, which has been based on [[Mount Hiei]] since its inception, rose to prominence during the [[Heian period]] (794–1185). It gradually eclipsed the powerful [[East Asian Yogācāra|Hossō school]] and competed with the rival [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon school]] to become the most influential sect at the [[Imperial Court in Kyoto|Imperial court]].

By the [[Kamakura period]] (1185–1333), Tendai had become one of the dominant forms of [[Buddhism in Japan|Japanese Buddhism]], with numerous temples and vast landholdings. During the Kamakura period, various [[bhikkhu|monks]] left Tendai to found new Buddhist schools such as [[Jōdo-shū]], [[Jōdo Shinshū]], [[Nichiren-shū]] and [[Sōtō]] [[Zen]].<ref name="Stone">{{cite journal|last1=Stone|first1=Jacqueline|date=1 May 1995|title=Medieval Tendai hongaku thought and the new Kamakura Buddhism: A reconsideration|url=https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/2559|journal=Japanese Journal of Religious Studies|volume=22|issue=1–2|doi=10.18874/jjrs.22.1-2.1995.17-48|doi-access=free}}</ref> The destruction of the head temple of [[Enryaku-ji]] by [[Oda Nobunaga]] in 1571, as well as the geographic shift of the capital away from [[Kyoto]] to [[Edo]], ended Tendai's dominance, though it remained influential.<ref>Sansom, George (1961). ''A History of Japan 1334-1615''. Stanford: Stanford University Press. p. 284. {{ISBN|0-8047-0525-9}}.</ref>

In [[Chinese language|Chinese]] and [[Japanese language|Japanese]], its name is identical to [[Tiantai]] (meaning "Celestial Platform"), its parent [[Chinese Buddhism|Chinese Buddhist]] tradition. Both traditions emphasize the importance of the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]'' and revere the teachings of the Tiantai patriarchs, especially [[Zhiyi]]. In English, the [[Japanese romanization]] ''Tendai'' is used to refer specifically to the Japanese school. According to [[Hazama Jikō]], the main characteristic of Tendai is its comprehensive and universalist spirit, which is based on the "One Great Perfect Teaching," the idea that "all the teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be unified in one comprehensive and perfect system."<ref name=":11">Hazama Jikō. ''[https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/2349 The Characteristics of Japanese Tendai.]'' Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1987 14/2-3</ref>

Other unique elements include an exclusive use of the [[Bodhisattva Precepts|bodhisattva precepts]] for ordination (without the [[Pratimokṣa]]), a practice tradition based on the "Four Integrated Schools" ([[Mohe Zhiguan|Shikan]], [[Pure Land Buddhism|Pure Land]], [[Mikkyō|Mitsu]] and Precepts), and an emphasis on the study of [[Chinese Esoteric Buddhism|Chinese Esoteric Buddhist]] sources.<ref name=":11" /> [[David W. Chappell]] sees Tendai as "the most comprehensive and diversified" Buddhist tradition which provides a religious framework that is "suited to adapt to other cultures, to evolve new practices, and to universalize [[Buddhism]]."<ref name=":2">Chappell, David W. (1987). 'Is Tendai Buddhism Relevant to the Modern World?' in ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' 1987 14/2-3. Source: [https://web.archive.org/web/20090304064314/http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/pdf/254.pdf Nanzan Univ.]; accessed: Saturday August 16, 2008. p.247</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Mt Hiei with Cherry Blossom.JPG|thumb|[[Mount Hiei]] in Spring from [[Umahashi]] over the [[Takano River|Takano river]]]]

=== Foundation by Saichō ===
The teachings of the Chinese Tiantai school founded by [[Zhiyi]] (538–597 CE) had been had brought to Japan as early as 754 by [[Jianzhen]] (Jp. ''Ganjin'').<ref name="groner">{{cite book | last1 = Groner | first1 = Paul | title = Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School | publisher = Hawaii University Press | year = 2000 |isbn=0-8248-2371-0 | page=7}}</ref> However, Tiantai teachings did not take root until generations later when the monk [[Saichō]] 最澄 (767–822) joined the [[Japanese missions to Imperial China]] in 804 and founded [[Enryaku-ji]] on [[Mount Hiei]]. The future founder of [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon]] Buddhism, [[Kūkai]], also traveled on the same mission; however, the two were on separate ships and there is no evidence of their meeting during this period.<ref name=":4" />

From the city of [[Ningbo]] (then called Míngzhōu 明州), Saichō was introduced by the governor to [[Daosui|Dàosuì]] (道邃), who was the seventh Tiantai patriarch, and later he journeyed to [[Tiantai Mountain]] for further study.<ref name="groner2">{{cite book | last1 = Groner | first1 = Paul | title = Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School | publisher = Hawaii University Press | year = 2000 |isbn=0-8248-2371-0 | pages=41–47}}</ref> After receiving teachings and initiations on [[Chan Buddhism|Chan]], Precepts and [[Chinese Esoteric Buddhism|Chinese Esoteric]] Buddhism, Saichō devoted much of his time to making accurate copies of Tiantai texts and studying under Dàosuì. By the sixth month of 805, Saichō had returned to Japan along with the official mission to China.<ref name=":0">Hazama Jikō [http://www.tendai.or.jp/english/index.php “Dengyo Daishi’s Life and Teachings”] in “The Characteristics of Japanese Tendai.” ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' 14/2-3 (1987): 101-112.</ref> Saichō was also influenced by his study of [[Huayan]] (Jp. Kegon) philosophy under Gyōhyō 行表 (720–797) and this was his initial training before going to China.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":14">Forte, Victor. ''Saichō: Founding Patriarch of Japanese Buddhism'' In Gereon Kopf (ed.), ''The Dao Companion to Japanese Buddhist Philosophy''. Springer. pp. 307–335 (2019)</ref>

Because of the Imperial Court's interest in Tiantai as well as esoteric Buddhism, Saichō quickly rose in prominence upon his return. He was asked by [[Emperor Kanmu]] (735–806) to perform various esoteric rituals, and Saichō also sought recognition from the Emperor for a new, independent Tendai school in Japan.<ref name=":0" /> Because the emperor sought to reduce the power of the [[Hossō|Hossō school]], he granted this request, but with the stipulation that the new "Tendai" school would have two programs: one for esoteric Buddhism and one for exoteric Buddhist practice.<ref name=":10" />

The new Tendai school was therefore based on a combination of the doctrinal and meditative system of Zhiyi with esoteric Buddhist practice and texts. Tendai learning at Mount Hiei traditionally followed two curriculums:<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":10" />

* ''Shikan-gō'' 止觀業: Exoteric practice, mainly based on Zhiyi's ''[[Mohe Zhiguan|Mohezhiguan]]''
* ''Shana-gō'' 遮那業: Esoteric Buddhism, focused on the ''[[Mahavairocana Tantra|Mahāvairocana-sūtra]]'' and other tantric works

However, Emperor Kanmu died shortly thereafter, and Saichō was not allocated any ordinands until 809 with the reign of [[Emperor Saga]]. Saichō's choice of establishing his community at Mount Hiei also proved fortuitous because it was located at the northeast of the new capital of [[Kyoto]] and thus was auspicious in terms of [[feng shui|Chinese geomancy]] as the city's protector.<ref name="groner3">{{cite book | last1 = Groner | first1 = Paul | title = Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School | publisher = Hawaii University Press | year = 2000 |isbn=0-8248-2371-0 | page=31}}</ref>

==== Disagreements with other schools ====
{{JapaneseBuddhism}}
The remainder of Saichō's life was spent in heated debates with notable Hossō figures, particularly [[Tokuitsu]], and maintaining an increasingly strained relationship with Kūkai (from whom he received esoteric initiations) to broaden his understanding of esoteric Buddhism. The debates with the Hossō school was primarily centered on the doctrine of the One Vehicle (''[[Ekayāna|ekayana]]'') found in the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]'' which the Hossō school saw as not being an ultimate teaching. This was known as the ''San-Itsu Gon-Jitsu Ronsō'' (the debate over whether the One-vehicle or Three-vehicles, were the provisional or the real teaching) and it had a great influence on Japanese Buddhism.<ref name=":0" />

Saichō also studied esoteric Buddhism under Kūkai, the founder of the [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon]] school. Saichō borrowed esoteric texts from Kūkai for copying and they also exchanged letters for some time. However, they eventually had a falling out (in around 816) over their understanding of Buddhist esotericism.<ref name=":4" /> This was because Saichō attempted to integrate esoteric Buddhism (''mikkyo'') into his broader Tendai schema, seeing esoteric Buddhism as equal to the Tendai Lotus Sutra teaching. Saichō would write that Tendai and Mikkyo "interfuse with one another" and that "there should be no such thing as preferring one to the other."<ref name=":4" />  Meanwhile, Kūkai saw mikkyo as different from and fully superior to ''kengyo'' (exoteric Buddhism) and was also concerned that Saichō had not finished his esoteric studies personally under him.<ref name=":4">Ryuichi Abe. [https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/2562 ''Saichō and Kūkai: A Conflict of Interpretations Ryuichi Abe.''] Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1995 22/1-2</ref>

Saichō's efforts were also devoted to developing a Mahāyāna ordination platform that required the [[Bodhisattva Precepts#Brahmajala Sutra|Bodhisattva Precepts of the ''Brahmajala Sutra'']] only, and not the [[pratimokṣa]] code of the [[Dharmaguptaka]] ''[[vinaya]]'', which was traditionally used in East Asian Buddhist monasticism. Saichō saw the precepts of the small vehicle (''[[hinayana]]'') as no longer being necessary.<ref name=":0" /> His ideas were attacked by the more traditional Nara schools as well as the Sōgō (the Office of Monastic Affairs) and they were not initially approved by the imperial court. Saichō wrote the ''Kenkairon'' to respond to their criticisms. By the time that Saichō died in 822, his yearly petition was finally granted and the traditional "Four Part Vinaya" ({{zh|c=四分律}}) was replaced by the Tendai Bodhisattva Precepts.<ref name=":0" />

=== Development after Saichō ===

[[File:Statue of Ennin.jpg|thumb|alt=A statue of [[Ennin]], an important disciple of [[Saicho]] with blue sky in the background, facing right|A statue of [[Ennin]], an important disciple of [[Saicho]]]]
[[File:Chisho Daishi (Konzoji Zentsuji).jpg|thumb|Chishō Daishi Enchin (814–891)]]
[[File:Priest Souou.jpg|thumb|Statue of Konryū Daishi Sōō (831–918), the creator of the practice of circumambulating Mt. Hiei, called ''[[kaihōgyō]]'' (回峰行) ("circling the mountain")]]
Seven days after Saichō died, the Imperial Court granted permission for the new Tendai Bodhisattva Precept ordination process which allowed Tendai to use an ordination platform separate from the powerful schools in [[Nara, Nara|Nara]]. Gishin, Saichō's disciple and the first "''zasu''" {{nihongo||座主||"Head of the Tendai Order"}}, presided over the first allotted ordinands in 827. The appointments of the ''zasu'' typically only lasted a few years, and therefore among the same generation of disciples, a number could be appointed zasu in one's lifetime. After Gishin, the next zasu of the Tendai school were: Enchō (円澄), [[Ennin]] 慈覺大師圓仁 (794–864), An'e (安慧), [[Enchin]] 智證大師圓珍 (814–891), Yuishu (惟首), Yūken (猷憲) and Kōsai (康済).<ref name="天台宗">{{cite book|title=うちのお寺は天台宗 (双葉文庫)|date=July 2016|publisher=双葉社|isbn=978-4-575-71457-9|language=ja|trans-title=My Temple is Tendai}}</ref>

By 864, Tendai monks were now appointed to the powerful [[Sōkan|''sōgō'']] {{nihongo||僧綱||"Office of Monastic Affairs"}} with the naming of An'e (安慧) as the provisional vinaya master. Other examples include Enchin's appointment to the Office of Monastic Affairs in 883. While Saichō had opposed the Office during his lifetime, within a few generations disciples were now gifted with positions in the Office by the [[Imperial House of Japan|Imperial Family]]. By this time, Japanese Buddhism was dominated by the Tendai school to a much greater degree than Chinese Buddhism was by its forebear, the Tiantai.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

=== Development of Tendai practice traditions ===
Philosophically, the Tendai school did not deviate substantially from the beliefs that had been created by the Tiantai school in China. However, Saichō had also transmitted numerous teachings from China was not exclusively Tiantai, but also included [[Zen]] (禪), Pure Land, the esoteric [[Mikkyō]] (密教), and [[Gyeyul|Vinaya School]] (戒律) elements. The tendency to include a range of teachings became more marked in the doctrines of Saichō's successors, such as [[Ennin]], [[Enchin]] and Annen (安然, 841–?).{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

After Saichō, the Tendai order underwent efforts to deepen its understanding of teachings collected by the founder, particularly esoteric Buddhism. Saichō had only received initiation in the [[Diamond Realm]] Mandala, and since the rival Shingon school under Kūkai had received deeper training, early Tendai monks felt it necessary to return to China for further initiation and instruction. Saichō's disciple [[Ennin]] went to China in 838 and returned ten years later with a more thorough understanding of esoteric, [[Pure Land Buddhism|Pure Land]], and Tiantai teachings.<ref name="天台宗" /> Ennin brought important esoteric texts and initiation lineages, such as the ''[[Susiddhikāra-sūtra]],'' the ''[[Mahavairocana Tantra|Mahāvairocana-sūtra]]'' and ''[[Vajrasekhara Sutra|Vajraśekhara-sūtra]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}''

However, in later years, this range of teachings began to form sub-schools within Tendai Buddhism.  By the time of [[Ryōgen]], there were two distinct groups on Mt. Hiei, the [[Jimon and Sanmon]]: the Sammon-ha "Mountain Group" (山門派) followed [[Ennin]] and the Jimon-ha "Temple Group" (寺門派) followed [[Enchin]].<ref name="rhodes">{{cite book |last1=Rhodes |first1=Robert F. |title=Genshin's Ōjōyōshū and the Construction of Pure Land Discourse in Heian Japan (Pure Land Buddhist Studies) |last2=Payne |first2=Richard K. |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0824872489 |pages=84–86, 111, 122–123}}</ref>

Konryū Daishi Sōō (831–918), a student of Ennin, is another influential Tendai figure. He is known for developing the ascetic practice circumambulating Mt. Hiei, living and practicing in the remote wilderness. This practice, which became associated with [[Acala|Fudō Myōō]] (Acala) and Sōō's hermitage at Mudō- ji, became quite influential in Tendai. A more elaborate and systematized practice based on Sōō's simple mountain asceticism developed over time, and came to be called ''[[kaihōgyō]]'' (回峰行). This remains an important part of Tendai Buddhism today.<ref>Rhodes, Robert F. [https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/2354 “ The Kaihogyo Practice of Mt. Hiei.”] ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' 14/2-3 (1987): 185-202.</ref>

Akaku Daishi [[Annen (monk)|Annen]] (841–902?) is one of the most important post-Saichō Tendai thinkers. He wrote around a hundred works on Tendai doctrine and practice.<ref>Dolce, Lucia; Mano, Shinya (2011). ''Godai'in Annen''. Leiden: Brill NV. p. 770.</ref> According to Annen's theory of the "four ones" (''shiichi kyōhan'' 四一教判), all Buddhas are ultimately a single Buddha, all temporal moments are one moment, all Pure Lands are also just one Pure Land, and all teachings are interfused into one teaching.<ref>Dolce, Lucia; Mano, Shinya (2011). ''Godai'in Annen''. Leiden: Brill NV. p. 771.</ref>

According to Lucia Dolce, Annen "systematized earlier and contemporary doctrines elaborated in both streams of Japanese esoteric Buddhism, Tōmitsu (i.e., Shingon) and Taimitsu (Tendai)," "critically reinterpreted Kūkai's thought, offering new understandings of crucial esoteric concepts and rituals," and he also "elaborated theories that were to become emblematic of Japanese Buddhism, such as the realization of buddhahood by grasses and trees (''sōmoku jōbutsu'')" as well as ''hongaku shisō'' thought.<ref name=":15" />

These various post-Saichō Tendai figures also developed the Tendai doctrine of "the identity of the purport of Perfect and Esoteric teachings" (''enmitsu itchi'' 円密一致) which according to Ōkubo Ryōshun "refers to the harmony and agreement between the Perfect teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Esoteric Buddhism."<ref name=":5">Ōkubo Ryōshun 大久保良峻. [https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/4331 “The Identity between the Purport of the Perfect and Esoteric Teachings.”] ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' 41/1 (2014): 83–102.</ref>

=== Later Heian ===
[[File:Mii-dera_Otsu_Shiga_pref01s5s4592.jpg|thumb|Golden Hall of [[Mii-dera|Onjōji]], also known as Mii-dera, a National Treasure of Japan.]]
During the later [[Heian period]], [[Ryōgen]] 良源 (912–985) was an influential figure. He was the 18th abbot of Enryakuji, the Tendai head temple on Mount Hiei, and was an influential politician closely tied to the [[Fujiwara clan]], as well as a learned scholar. Due to his influence, the Tendai school became the dominant Buddhist tradition in Japanese intellectual life and at the [[Imperial Court in Kyoto|imperial court in Kyoto]]. Due to Ryōgen's influence, Fujiwara family members also came to occupy important positions at Tendai temples. Ryōgen is also said to have hired an army to protect Mt. Hiei, and some scholars see him as contributing the development of the warrior monk phenomenon ([[sōhei]]). However, other scholars argue that warrior monks developed due to various other social and political pressures, such as the decline of the imperial bureaucratic state, the rise of temple estates, and the rise of noblemen joining the clergy.<ref>Groner, Paul. ''Ryōgen and Mt. Hiei: Japanese Tendai in the Tenth Century''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 2002.</ref><ref name=":27">Adolphson, Mikael S. 2007. ''The Teeth and Claws of the Buddha: Monastic Warriors and Sōhei in Japanese History'', pp. 7-12. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref> Whatever the case, the late [[Heian period|Heian age]] also saw increased violence among Buddhist schools and temples (and sub-schools within Tendai as well), with armed groups resorting to violence to resolve disputes between Buddhist temples.<ref name=":27" /> During this period, the main Tendai temples of [[Enryaku-ji|Enryakuji]] and [[Mii-dera|Onjōji]] resorted to armed violence against each other on more than one occasion.<ref>Adolphson, Mikael S. 2007. ''The Teeth and Claws of the Buddha: Monastic Warriors and Sōhei in Japanese History'', p. 19. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref>   

[[Ryōgen]]'s most influential disciples where [[Genshin]] (''Eshin sōzu'' 942-1017) and Kakuun (''Dannasōzu'' 957-1007).<ref name=":26" /> The lineages of these two figures developed into two main sects within Tendai, the Eshin school and the Danna school respectively. According to Shōshin Ichishima "Genshin's Eshin school espoused the doctrine of the original enlightenment, while Kakuun's Danna school espoused that of acquired enlightenment. The Eshinryū school used the [[Paramartha#Pure consciousness|ninth consciousness]] as the basis of meditation, whereas the Dannaryū used the [[Eight Consciousnesses|sixth consciousness]] in the [[Yogachara|yogācāra]] consciousness [system]. The Eshinryū school valued oral transmission of doctrine and meditative insight, while Dannaryū emphasized doctrine and texts. The Eshinryū school favored the "origin teaching" (''honmon''), and the latter fourteen chapters of the ''Lotus Sūtra'' over the "trace teaching" (''shakumon''), the first fourteen chapters, while the Dannaryū school regarded both sections as equally important. These differences distinguish the two schools."<ref name=":26" /> 

=== Tendai Pure Land ===
During the Heian period, Tendai [[Pure Land Buddhism|Pure Land practice]] also developed into a significant and influential tradition. Early Pure Land Buddhism emphasized spiritual cultivation aimed at achieving birth in Amida Buddha’s Pure Land at the time of death as well as the constantly walking samadhi, a ''[[Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra|Pratyutpanna Samādhi]]'' derived practice taught in Zhiyi's ''[[Mohe Zhiguan]]'' in which one would circumambulate a Buddha statue while meditating on the features of the Buddha [[Amitābha|Amitabha]]''.''<ref name=":20">Rhodes, Robert F. ''Genshin’s Ōjōyōshū and the Construction of Pure Land Discourse in Heian Japan'' p. 103. (2017, University of Hawaii Press)</ref> Chinese Pure Land chanting methods, such as [[Fazhao|Fazhao's]] five tone nembutsu (go-e nembutsu, 五会念仏) were also adopted into the Tendai tradition by figures like [[Ennin]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Profile of Jikaku Daishi |url=https://www.tendai.or.jp/daihoue/profile/jikaku.html |accessdate=2022-02-12 |website=www.tendai.or.jp |language=Japanese}}</ref> In early Japanese Tendai Pure Land discourse, monks such as Zenyu and [[Senkan]] (918–984) embraced this practice and focused their teaching on Pure Land elements, seeing it as the most viable kind of practice for the age of [[Decline of the Dharma|mappo]] (Dharma Decline). For them, adopting Pure Land practices did not signify abandoning the traditional Tendai path, rather the Pure Land path was seen as a practical and accessible method for entering the path, especially for those who felt incapable of advanced spiritual cultivation in their present lives. This interpretation allowed Pure Land devotion to align with the broader Tendai tradition, reinforcing the belief that all beings possess the potential for buddhahood.<ref>Rhodes, Robert F. ''Genshin’s Ōjōyōshū and the Construction of Pure Land Discourse in Heian Japan'' pp. 89-103. (2017, University of Hawaii Press)</ref> 

[[Genshin]] (942–1017), an influential student of Ryōgen, wrote the famous ''Ōjōyōshū'' 往生要集 ("Essentials of Birth in the Pure Land"), a treatise on Pure Land practice which influenced later Pure Land Japanese figures.<ref>Stone, Jacqueline Ilyse (1999). ''Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism''. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press. p. 118. {{ISBN|0-8248-2026-6}}.</ref> His work built upon the foundational ideas established by earlier monks like Senkan, emphasizing Pure Land practice as a viable and effective path toward enlightenment. Genshin’s approach integrated these earlier teachings, presenting Pure Land birth as a powerful tool for advancing along the bodhisattva path in the quest for buddhahood.<ref name=":20" /> Genshin would later become a key figure for Japanese Pure Land teachers like [[Hōnen]].

=== Kamakura Period (1185–1333) ===
[[File:Cape BenKei.JPG|thumb|A statue of the famed warrior monk (sōhei) [[Benkei]]. Benkei trained at [[Enryaku-ji|Enryakuji]] before entering the service of [[Minamoto no Yoshitsune]]. His exploits captured the public imagination, becoming a famous character in art and samurai lore.<ref>Adolphson, Mikael S. 2007. ''The Teeth and Claws of the Buddha: Monastic Warriors and Sōhei in Japanese History'', p. 117. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref>]]

Although the Tendai sect flourished under the patronage of the [[Imperial House of Japan]] and the noble classes, by the end of the [[Heian period]], it experienced an increasing breakdown in monastic discipline. This was partly caused by political entanglements with rival factions of the [[Genpei War]], namely the [[Taira clan|Taira]] and [[Minamoto clan|Minamoto]] clans. Due to its patronage and growing popularity among the upper classes, the Tendai sect became not only respected, but also politically and even militarily powerful, with major temples having vast landholdings and fielding their own monastic armies of [[sōhei]] (warrior-monks).<ref name="Stone" /> This was not unusual for major temples at the time, as major Buddhist temples (such as [[Kōfuku-ji]]) fielded armies to protect their estates from [[samurai]] armies and bandits. With the outbreak of the [[Genpei War]] (1180–1185), major Tendai temples armed themselves and sometimes joined the war.<ref>Adolphson, Mikael S. 2007. ''The Teeth and Claws of the Buddha: Monastic Warriors and Sōhei in Japanese History'', pp. 46-48. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.</ref> 

In response to the perceived [[Secularity|worldliness]] and [[elitism]] of the powerful Tendai school, a number of low-ranking Tendai monks became dissatisfied and began to teach radical new doctrines which focused on simpler and more popular practices. The major figures of "New [[Kamakura period|Kamakura]] Buddhism" like [[Nichiren]], [[Hōnen]], [[Shinran]], [[Eisai]] and [[Dōgen]], were all initially trained as Tendai monks.<ref name="Stone" /> Tendai practices and monastic organization were adopted to some degree or another by each of these new schools, but one common feature of each school was a more narrowly-focused set of practices (e.g. [[daimoku]] for the Nichiren school, [[zazen]] for Zen, [[nianfo|nembutsu]] for Pure Land schools, etc.) in contrast to the more integrated approach of the Tendai. In spite of the rise of these new competing schools which saw Tendai as being "corrupt", medieval Tendai remained a "a rich, varied, and thriving tradition" during the medieval period according to Jacqueline Stone.<ref name="Stone" />
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}}

Initially, the largest and most popular of these new traditions—[[Jōdo-shū|Pure Land Buddhism]] and [[Nichiren Buddhism]]—did not attempt create new "schools" or "sects" separate from Tendai, as many of their monastics continued to be ordained and trained in Tendai institutions. Over time however, these groups gradually differentiated themselves from the Tendai mainstream, eventually forming separate institutions. As a number of new sects began to develop during the Kamakura period, the Tendai school used its patronage to try to oppose the growth of these rival factions. The Tendai establishment often used brigades of [[sōhei]] (warrior monks) to repress these groups as well as drawing on their political influence. In one such event, Tendai warrior monks destroyed the printing blocks of [[Hōnen|Hōnen's]] ''Senchakushū'' and raided the tomb of Hōnen''.<ref name="jones">{{cite book |last1=Jones |first1=Charles B. |title=Pure Land: History, Tradition, and Practice (Buddhist Foundations) |publisher=Shambhala |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-61180-890-2 |pages=123–135}}</ref><ref name=":02">Jodo Shu Research Institute. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150703024558/http://www.jsri.jp/English/Jodoshu/disciples/eras/4eras.html The 4 Eras of Honen's Disciples]</ref><ref name=":73">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=E5IQbJ8qBEKQ5mqX&v=K7AyxJlX8fY&feature=youtu.be |title=Honen Shonin And His Modern Legacy |date=2021-02-14 |last=Blum |first=Mark |access-date=2025-02-14 |via=BCA: Center for Buddhist Education {{!}} YouTube}}</ref>'' Despite internal divisions, the Tendai establishment remained politically and militarily powerful throughout the Kamakura Period. Enryaku-ji maintained its network of warrior monks (sōhei) and its influence at the imperial court and among the aristocracy, even while internal divisions led to increasing doctrinal and institutional disputes.

Kamakura period Tendai also produced a number of important figures of its own, including [[Jien]] 慈圓 (1155–1225), known as a historian and a poet, who wrote the ''Gukanshō'' (a religious history of Japan) and numerous devotional poems.<ref>Morrell, Robert E. ''Early Kamakura Buddhism: A Minority Report''. Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, 1987.</ref> Hōjibō Shōshin 寶地房證眞 (active 1153–1214) was a major Buddhist intellectual in medieval Japanese Buddhism and the head of the Tendai curriculum at Mount Hiei. Shōshin wrote numerous works and commentaries, and is most known for his commentaries on the writings of Zhiyi, the ''Personal Notes on the Three Major Works of Tendai'' (Tendai sandaibu shiki 天台三大部私記). This is "the most detailed study on Tendai doctrine until the twentieth century," according to Matthew Don McMullen.<ref>McMullen, Matthew Don (2016). [https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4866n1tb ''The Development of Esoteric Buddhist Scholasticism in Early Medieval Japan.'' University of California, Berkeley.]
</ref> Shōshin also wrote on esoteric Buddhism, which he interpreted in line with classical Tiantai doctrine, instead of seeing it as a separate form of Buddhism. Shōshin rejected the view that esoteric or [[Vajrayana|mantrayana]] (''shingon'') Buddhism was superior to the Tendai Mahāyāna teaching of the one vehicle.<ref>McMullen, Matthew Don (2016). [https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4866n1tb ''The Development of Esoteric Buddhist Scholasticism in Early Medieval Japan.'' University of California, Berkeley.] p. 223.</ref>

=== Muromachi and Sengoku Periods (1333–1600) ===
The [[Muromachi period]] saw Tendai Buddhism continue to hold prestige, but political instability and the weakening of the imperial court diminished its influence. Tendai remained closely connected to the [[Ashikaga shogunate]], and its doctrines influenced esoteric and Pure Land practices. However, the school’s warrior monks were drawn into larger conflicts, particularly during the [[Ōnin War]] (1467–1477), which devastated Kyoto and disrupted religious institutions.

During this time, some Tendai figures sought to revive the fractured tradition in various ways. One such figure was [[Shinsei Shōnin|Shinsei]] 眞盛 (1443–1495), who emphasized the practice of nembutsu.<ref name=":22">Payne, Richard K. [http://www.shin-ibs.edu/documents/pwj-new/new7/06Payne.pdf ''Shinzei’s Discourse on Practicing the Samadhi of Meditating on the Buddha''.] Pacific World Journal  New Series Number 7 Fall 1991</ref>

During the Sengoku period, the power of Enryaku-ji was directly challenged by [[Oda Nobunaga]]. In 1571, seeking to break the political and military power of Buddhist institutions, Nobunaga launched a brutal assault on Mount Hiei, burning Enryaku-ji and massacring thousands of monks and laypeople. This event severely weakened Tendai’s influence and authority, though its doctrines and traditions persisted in smaller temples and through its connection with the imperial lineage. 

=== Edo Period (1603–1868) ===
[[file:Five-storied Pagoda - Kan'ei-ji.jpg|thumb|[[Kan'ei-ji]]'s original Five-storied Pagoda]]
The [[Tokugawa shogunate]] sought to control religious institutions, and under its temple registration system (the [[Danka system]]). Tendai, like other Buddhist schools, was integrated into the state’s religious structure. Enryaku-ji was rebuilt with shogunal support, but Tendai never regained the influence and power it had wielded in previous centuries. Tendai monks of this era refocused themselves on doctrinal study, ritual practice, and its esoteric (Taimitsu) traditions. 

During this period, one of the most important Tendai leaders was [[Tenkai]] (1536–1643). Tenkai helped restore the school’s prestige by securing Tokugawa patronage, linking Tendai to the ideology of the shogunate and building new temples like [[Kita-in]], and [[Kan'ei-ji]] near [[Tokyo]], the new seat of the Tokugawa shogunate.<ref name="PHP">{{Cite news |author=宮元健次 |date=2013-03-28 |title=江戸を大都市にした天海は、何を仕掛けたのか |url=http://shuchi.php.co.jp/article/1389 |publisher=PHPビジネスオンライン衆知}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-05 |title=【戦国こぼれ話】現在は学者受難の時代？戦国時代は重要だった知識人たち！(渡邊大門) |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/fb0524b5d11aec66c8e1de540563e66c37da487b |accessdate=2020-12-22 |publisher=Yahoo!ニュース}}</ref> Tenkai also worked to print and publish the entire [[Chinese Buddhist canon|Chinese Buddhist Canon]]. Completed in 1648, this edition became known as the Kan'ei-ji Edition (or Tenkai Edition). This printing project is considered one of the most significant achievements in Japanese printing history.<ref name="TNM2011">{{Cite web |title=東叡山寛永寺 |url=https://www.tnm.jp/common/fckeditor/editor/filemanager/connectors/php/transfer.php?file=/exhibition/201110/uid000067_32303131313031326B616E65696A692E706466 |accessdate=2019-10-28 |publisher=[[東京国立博物館]]}}</ref> Tendai scholars also engaged in doctrinal debates with the emerging [[Ōbaku|Ōbaku Zen]] school, which introduced new influences from China.

=== Meiji Period to Present (1868–Present) ===
The [[Meiji Restoration]] brought severe challenges to Tendai and other Buddhist institutions. The government’s promotion of [[Shinto]] led to the confiscation of temple lands and a decline in patronage. The 19th and early 20th centuries saw efforts to modernize the school while maintaining its traditional teachings. In the 20th century, Tendai became part of the broader Buddhist revival movements in Japan, with renewed interest in its esoteric and Lotus Sutra-based teachings. 

One of the most prominent Tendai figures of the 20th century was [[Shōchō Hagami]] (1903–1989). He served as President of the Japanese Religious Committee for World Federation and was a great practitioner of extenseive [[Kaihōgyō]].<ref name=":19">Shocho Hagami, ''Kaihogyo No Kokoro'' (Kyoto: Shunju, 1996); Ichijo Miyamoto and Taisho Yokoyama, eds., ''Zansho'' (Otsu: Zenpon Sha, 1990), esp. 372-74.</ref> Hagami, along with [[Etai Yamada]] (1900–1999) were two major Tendai figures of the 20th century who widely promoted religious dialogue with other world religions and traveled widely.<ref name=":19" /> 

Today, the Tendai school remains active, with Enryaku-ji serving as its headquarters. While no longer a dominant force in Japanese Buddhism, it continues to influence various traditions through its doctrinal legacy and training system. Tendai temples in Japan and abroad promote both traditional monastic practice and lay-oriented teachings.

== Worldview ==
[[File:Zhiyi.jpg|thumb|[[Śramaṇa]] [[Zhiyi|Zhìyǐ]] (沙門智顗; ''Chih-i''), the foundational philosopher in Tendai thought]]

According to Jiko Hazama, the Tendai Buddhist worldview advocates a comprehensive form of Buddhism which sees all Buddhist teachings as being unified under an inclusive reading of the [[ekayāna]] teaching of the ''Lotus Sutra''.<ref name=":1">Hazama, Jiko (1987). The Characteristics of Japanese Tendai, Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 14 (2-3), p. 102 [http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-MAG/mag24917.pdf PDF]</ref> This holistic and inclusive form of Buddhism is based on the doctrinal synthesis of Tiantai Zhiyi, which was ultimately based on the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]''.<ref name=":1" /> Tendai's inclusive view of religion allowed it to reconcile Buddhist doctrine with aspects of [[Culture of Japan|Japanese culture]] such as [[Shinto]] and [[Japanese aesthetics]]. Tendai doctrines like [[original enlightenment]] and ''[[honji suijaku]]'' contributed to the integration of native Japanese religion with Tendai Buddhism.

In the major Tendai institutions like [[Taisho University]] and [[Mount Hiei]], the main subjects of study are the ''Lotus Sutra'', the works of the Tiantai Patriarch Zhiyi, the works of the founder [[Saichō]] and some later Tendai figures like Ennin.<ref>Covell, Stephen G. ''Learning to Persevere The Popular Teachings of Tendai Ascetics'' Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 31/2: 255–287 © 2004 Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture.</ref> 

=== Foundational Tendai philosophy ===
{{Main|Tiantai#Philosophy}}
The thought of the Japanese Tendai school is founded on the classic Chinese [[Tiantai]] doctrines found in the works of patriarchs [[Zhiyi|Zhìyǐ]] and [[Zhanran]]. These foundational doctrines include:<ref name=":2" />

* The [[Zhiyi#Trace and Original teachings|trace and origin teachings]] of the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]'', the [[Ekayāna|one vehicle]] and the infinite lifespan of the Buddha respectively
* The [[Zhiyi#Threefold Truth and Threefold Contemplation|Threefold Truth and Three Samadhis]],
* All beings have [[buddha-nature]] and can become Buddhas
* The [[Tiantai#Classification of teachings|Five Periods and Eight Teachings]],
* The [[Zhiyi#The Tiantai path|Six Degrees of Identity]]
* The [[Tiantai#The Four Siddhanta|Four Siddhanta]],
* "[[Zhiyi#Three Thousand in One Thought|Three Thousand Realms in a Single Thought Moment]]" (''ichinen sanzen'' 一念三千).
Tendai Buddhism reveres the ''[[Lotus Sutra]]'' as the highest teaching in Buddhism. In Saichō's writings, he frequently used the terminology ''hokke engyō'' {{nihongo||法華円教|"Perfect Teaching of the Lotus Sutra"|}} to imply it was the culmination of the previous sermons given by [[Gautama Buddha]].<ref name="天台宗"/> Because of the central importance of the ''Lotus Sutra,'' Tendai Buddhism sees all Buddhist teachings and practices as being united under the One Vehicle ([[ekayāna]]) taught in the Lotus Sutra. Saichō frequently used the term ''ichijō bukkyō'' {{nihongo||一乗仏教||"One Vehicle Buddhism"}} and referred to the ''Lotus Sutra'' as his main scriptural basis.<ref name=":8">Teiser, Stephen F.; Stone, Jacqueline Ilyse (2009), ''Interpreting the Lotus Sutra''; in: [[Teiser, Stephen F.]]; [[Stone, Jacqueline Ilyse]]; eds. ''Readings of the Lotus Sutra'', New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 1–61, {{ISBN|978-0-231-14288-5}}</ref>

Saichō taught that there were "three kinds of ''Lotus Sutra''". According to [[Jacqueline Stone]], these can be explained as follows:<ref name=":13">Stone, Jacqueline (1999). [http://www.princeton.edu/~jstone/Articles%20on%20the%20Lotus%20Sutra%20Tendai%20and%20Nichiren%20Buddhism/Inclusive%20and%20Exclusive%20Perspectives%20on%20the%20One%20Vehicle%20(199.pdf ''Inclusive and Exclusive Perspectives on the One Vehicle'']</ref>

* The Fundamental ''Lotus'': "the one vehicle which represents the Buddha's single compassionate intent, underlying all his teachings, to lead all beings to buddhahood."
* The Hidden and Secret ''Lotus'': "those teachings in which, due to the immaturity of the Buddha's audience, this intention is not outwardly revealed."
* The ''Lotus'' that was Preached Explicitly: The actual text of the ''Lotus Sutra''.

Stone writes that Saichō saw all Buddhist teachings as being the true "''Lotus Sutra''" and he therefore attempted to integrate all Buddhist teachings he had studied within a single framework based on the ''Lotus Sutra''<nowiki/>'s One Vehicle.<ref name=":13" />

Hazama Jikō writes that the central feature of Tendai thought is its advocacy of the "One Great Perfect Teaching" (一大円教), "the idea that all the teachings of the Buddha are ultimately without contradiction and can be unified in one comprehensive and perfect system."<ref name=":11" /> This idea was used by Saichō as a basis for his integration of the various schools of Buddhism into a single comprehensive synthesis. Hazama writes that "Saichō included both esoteric and exoteric teachings, and avoided an obsession with any one category of the Buddhist tradition such as Zen or the precepts. He sought instead to unite all of these elements on the basis of a single fundamental principle, the comprehensive and unifying [[Ekayāna|ekayana]] spirit of the Lotus Sutra."<ref name=":11" />

Saichō believed that by consolidating all Buddhist ideas and practices and including all the varieties of Buddhism, his new school would allow all to "enter the great sea of [[Tathātā|Thusness]] which has a single flavor" (真如一味の大海) by following the path of goodness and that this would protect the nation. According to Hazama Jikō "these themes run throughout Saichō's work" including his ''Hokke shuku'' 法華秀 句 and ''Shugo kokkai sho'' 守護国界章.<ref name=":11" /> 

=== Doctrinal classification ===
Tendai thought also frames its understanding of Buddhist practice on the Lotus Sutra's teaching of [[Upaya|upāya]] or {{nihongo||方便|hōben|expedient means}}. Furthermore, Tendai uses a similar hierarchy as the one used in Chinese Tiantai to classify the various other [[sutra]]s in the Buddhist canon in relation to the ''Lotus Sutra'', and it also follows [[Zhiyi]]'s original conception of [[Tiantai#Eight Teachings|Five Periods Eight Teachings]] or ''gojihakkyō'' {{nihongo||五時八教}}. This doctrinal classification system ([[Buddhist Doctrinal Classification|panjiao]]) is based on the doctrine of expedient means, but was also a common practice among East Asian schools trying to sort the vast corpus of writing inherited from India.<ref name=":26">Shōshin Ichishima (2013). [https://www.tendai.or.jp/english/image/pdf/english_pamphlet.pdf "Integration of sutra and Tantra on mt. Hiei."] Tendai Bdudhist Sect Overseas Charitable Foundation.</ref> 

Later Tendai thinkers like [[Annen (monk)|Annen]] provided a new doctrinal classification system (based on Zhiyi's system) for Japanese Tendai. All Buddhist teachings are seen as being included into the following categories. The first major group are those teachings that rely on the three vehicles:<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":26" />    

* The Tripiṭaka teachings (''zō'' 藏), i.e. [[Śrāvakayāna|sravakayana]] or [[Hinayana]]
* The Common teaching to both Mahayana and non-Mahayana (''tsū'' 通)
* The Unique Mahayana teachings (''betsu'' 別)

The highest teachings are those who derive from the one vehicle:<ref name=":5" />

* The Complete/Round Tendai teaching (''en'' 圓), derived from the ''Lotus Sutra'', ''Nirvana'', and ''Avataṃsaka-sūtra'' 
* The Esoteric teachings (''mitsu'' 密), derived from the esoteric scriptures
=== Buddha-nature ===
Tendai thought vigorously defends the idea that all beings have the potential for full [[buddhahood]] and thus that the Lotus Sutra was a teaching for all sentient beings.<ref name=":13" /> This teaching in particular was a major point of contention with the Japanese Hossō ([[Yogachara|Yogacara]]) school in Japan who espoused the {{nihongo|[[Yogachara#Five Categories of Beings|Five Natures Doctrine]]|五姓各別|''goshō kakubetsu''|}} which argues that not all being can become Buddhas, since some do not have the seeds for Buddhahood.<ref name=":13" /> The heated debates between Saichō and the Hossō scholar [[Tokuitsu]] frequently addressed this controversy as well as other related issues, such as how to categorize the various Buddhist teachings, and the value of certain Tendai teachings.<ref>Groner, Paul (2000). ''Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School'', pp. 96-97. University of Hawaii Press.</ref> 

Another element of Tendai buddha-nature thought was the notion that the phenomenal world, the world of our experiences, fundamentally is an expression of the [[Dharma]]. Tendai Buddhism claims that each and every sense phenomenon ''just as it is'' is the expression of Dharma. This idea comes from [[Zhanran|Zhanran's]] view of buddha nature as an all-pervasive reality that also includes insentient things (like mountains, rivers etc). Drawing on this, Saichō also argued that insentient things possess Buddha-nature and that the distinction between sentient and insentient is ultimately illusory, since buddha-nature pervades all things through [[Tiantai#The Unity of the Dharmadhatu|the principle of mutual inclusion]], in which each [[Dharmadhatu|dharma realm]] contains all others. Thus for Saichō ultimate reality, the [[Dharmakāya|Dharmakaya]], actively manifests in the phenomenal world as the world itself.<ref name=":62">{{Cite book |last=Stone |first=Jacqueline I. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jbO_KctXdecC&q=Stone,+Jacqueline.+Original+Enlightenment |title=Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism |date=2003-05-31 |publisher=University of Hawaii Press |isbn=978-0-8248-2771-7 |pages=14 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Hongaku ===
{{Main|Hongaku}}
The medieval Tendai school was the locus of the development of the Japanese doctrine of ''hongaku'' 本覚 (innate or original enlightenment), which holds that all beings are enlightened inherently. This theory developed in Tendai from the [[cloistered rule]] era (1086–1185) through the [[Edo period]] (1688–1735).<ref name="Stone" /> According to [[Jacqueline Stone]], the term "original enlightenment" itself (Chn. ''pen-chileh'') is first found in the ''[[Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana]],'' "where it refers to true suchness considered under the aspect of conventional deluded consciousness and thus denotes the potential for enlightenment in unenlightened beings."<ref name="Stone" /> The idea developed in the Chinese [[Huayan|Huayen]] tradition and influenced [[Chan Buddhism]], as well as the thought of Saichō and [[Kūkai]].<ref name="Stone" />

Stone writes that the medieval Tendai doctrine regards "enlightenment or the ideal state as inherent from the outset and as accessible in the present, rather than as the fruit of a long process of cultivation."<ref name=":6">Stone, Jacqueline Ilyse (2003). ''Original enlightenment and the transformation of medieval Japanese Buddhism''. Issue 12 of ''Studies in East Asian Buddhism''. A Kuroda Institute book: University of Hawaii Press. {{ISBN|978-0-8248-2771-7}}. Source: [https://books.google.com/books?id=jbO_KctXdecC&q=shin+sozoku&pg=PA139] (accessed: Thursday April 22, 2010), p.3</ref> Scholars also refer to the doctrinal system associated with this idea as "original enlightenment thought". Stone defines this as the "array of doctrines and concepts associated with the proposition that all beings are enlightened inherently."<ref name=":6" /> According to Stone, as these teachings developed, they grew to include the idea that:<blockquote>Not only human beings, but ants and crickets, mountains and rivers, grasses and trees are all innately Buddhas. The Buddhas who appear in sutras, radiating light and endowed with excellent marks, are merely provisional signs. The "real" Buddha is the ordinary worldling. Indeed, the whole phenomenal world is the primordially enlightened [[Tathāgata]].<ref name=":6" /></blockquote>Tamura Yoshirō argued that hongaku was a [[Nondualism|non-dual]] teaching which saw all existents as interpenetrating and mutually identified. This negates any ontological difference between Buddhas and common people as well as between pure lands and mundane worlds. Tamura argued that this move re-affirms the relative phenomenal world as an expression of the ultimate nondual reality and is found in phrases like "the worldly passions are precisely enlightenment" and "birth and death are precisely nirvana".<ref name=":6" /> These lineages also transmitted their teachings through transmission rituals which made use of mirrors to illustrate nonduality and the interpenetration of all phenomena.<ref name=":6" />

Hongaku teachings were passed down through various exoteric teaching lineages (which often involved secrecy), the largest of which were the Eshin-ryu and the Danna-ryu. At the core of these doctrinal systems was the Tendai practice of the "threefold contemplation in a single thought" (isshin sangan 一心 三観) which is taught in Zhiyi's ''Mohezhiguan''. According to Stone, this practice is based on seeing "that all phenomena are empty of substance, provisionally existing, and the middle, or both empty and provisionally existing simultaneously."<ref name="Stone" />

While certain scholars have seen hongaku thought as denying the need for Buddhist practice, Stone notes that Tendai hongaku based texts like the ''Shinnyokan'' 真 如 観 (Contemplation of true suchness) and the ''Shuzenji-ketsu'' 修 禅 守 伏 (Decisions of Hsiuch’an-ssu) deny this idea. Instead, these texts teach various kinds of Buddhist practices, including nenbutsu, contemplation of emptiness (kukan 空観), meditations using Buddhist icons and mirrors, practicing the threefold contemplation in the midst of daily activities and recitation of the daimoku during when one is approaching death.<ref name="Stone" />

Hongaku thought was also influential on the development of [[Kamakura period#Flourishing of Buddhism|New Kamakura Buddhism]] and the founders of these schools, though they had their own unique understandings.<ref name="Stone" /> However, not all Tendai thinkers embraced hongaku thought. For example, the more conservative commentator Hōjibō Shōshin criticized hongaku ideas as a denial of causality.<ref name=":6" /> 

=== Buddhahood with this very body ===
[[File:『妙法蓮華経』「提婆達多品第十二」の内-“Devadatta,”_Chapter_12_of_the_Lotus_Sutra_MET_DT5210.jpg|thumb|A 12th century Japanese illustration of the nāga princess offering the jewel to the Buddha. This ''Lotus Sutra'' story was used by Tendai scholars to argue for ''sokushin jōbutsu.'']]
Another important doctrine in Japanese Tendai is that it is possible to attain "Buddhahood with this very body" (即身成佛 ''sokushin jōbutsu''). This is closely related to the idea of original enlightenment.<ref name=":3">Groner, Paul. ''Shortening the Path: Early Tendai Interpretations of the Realization of Buddhahood with This Very Body (Sokushin jobutsu)'' in Buswell, Robert E.; Gimello, Robert M. (1992) ''"Paths to Liberation: The Mārga and Its Transformations in Buddhist Thought".'' University of Hawaii Press.</ref> This idea was introduced by Saichō, who held that this described certain advanced practitioners who had realized [[Tiantai#The Six Degrees of Identity|the fifth degree of identity]], though this attainment was a rare thing.<ref name=":3" /> Saichō understood the ''Lotus Sutra'' to be the "great direct path" to Buddhahood which could be attained in this very body.<ref>Lopez, Donald S.; Stone, Jacqueline I. (2019). ''Two Buddhas Seated Side by Side: A Guide to the Lotus Sūtra'', Princeton University Press, p. 20.</ref> Saichō saw the story of the Dragon king's daughter in the ''Lotus Sutra''<nowiki/>'s Devadatta chapter as evidence for this direct path (''jikidō'') to Buddhahood which did not require three incalculable eons (as was taught in some forms of Mahayana Buddhism), but could be achieved in three lives or even one lifetime.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":3" /> Later Tendai scholars sent questions to Chinese Tiantai masters asking about this issue, and the answers also tended to be conservative. Tiantai monks like Tsung-ying accepted the idea that one could attain the fifth degree of identity in this life, but that this was applicable primarily to advanced practitioners who had already reached a high degree of spiritual maturity.<ref name=":3" /> 

However, the influence of esoteric Buddhism and the need to compete with the [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon]] school led Tendai scholars to continue to explore ways to "shorten the path" and attain Buddhahood swiftly in one lifetime. Later Tendai scholars like Rinshō, and [[Annen (monk)|Annen]] were much more optimistic about ''sokushin jōbutsu'', claiming certain esoteric practices could lead to Buddhahood rapidly in only one lifetime, while de-emphasizing the concern with achieving Buddhahood in future lives. They also further extended the application of this idea to individuals at the lower levels of the degrees of identity, arguing that one could jump over [[Bhūmi (Buddhism)|bodhisattva stages]] and attain Buddhahood without fully eradicating defilements. This idea, known as "realization by worldlings" (bon'i jōbutsu), posited that practitioners could gain Buddha-wisdom through the power of the Buddha's presence and the Taimitsu esoteric practices. According to Groner, this allowed "for the possibility that worldlings who still have some of the coarser defilements might experience ''sokushin jōbutsu''."<ref name=":3" />

Other Tendai figures like [[Hōjibō Shōshin]] (1136–1220 or 1131–1215), an important Tendai commentator on Zhiyi's works, were more traditional and critical of ideas concerning the rapid realization of Buddhahood for everyone (without outright denying the possibility of Buddhahood in this body). For Shōshin, ''sokushin jōbutsu'' applied to those who had "superior religious faculties" because they "have previously practiced the various provisional teachings" in many previous lives.<ref name=":3" />
=== Honji suijaku ===
Another important theory which developed in the Japanese Tendai school during the early Heian period was the theory of ''[[honji suijaku]]'' (本地垂迹, traces from the original ground). This idea facilitated the integration of native Japanese deities ([[kami]]) into the Buddhist pantheon, with buddhas seen as representing the ‘original ground’ (honji 本地) and the kami as their ‘traces’ (suijaku 垂迹).<ref name=":25">{{Cite journal |last=Faure |first=Bernard (著) |date=2021 |title=From Tiantaishan to Hieizan: The View from the Keiran Shūyō Shū 渓嵐拾葉集 |url=https://buddhism.lib.ntu.edu.tw/DLMBS/jp/search/search_detail.jsp?seq=639990 |journal=Hualin International Journal of Buddhist Studies |language=en |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=215–255|doi=10.15239/hijbs.04.01.07 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Although this theory became prominent on [[Mount Hiei]], its conceptual roots can be traced to the Chinese Tiantai tradition, particularly its teaching of the two gates: the 'gate of the essential teaching' (benmen 本門) and the 'gate of the trace' (jimen 迹門), as outlined in the Lotus Sūtra. Esoteric Buddhism also played a key role in shaping this theory by distinguishing between Dainichi’s body of fundamental nature (honji-shin 本地身). This framework positioned all buddhas, bodhisattvas, [[Wisdom King|wisdom kings]], and celestial beings as manifestations of Dainichi ([[Vairocana|Mahavairocana]]).<ref name=":25" /> Initially, the honji suijaku theory aimed to incorporate indigenous deities into a two-tiered structure; however, its reliance on 'oral transmissions' (kuden) eventually fostered a proliferation of localized interpretations.<ref name=":25" />  

The theory influenced the understanding of sacred figures at [[Enryaku-ji|Enryakuji]] and [[Hiyoshi Taisha|Hie Taisha]] (now Hiyoshi Taisha). Additionally, the honji suijaku concept contributed to reimagining [[Mount Hiei]]’s geographical landscape as a symbolic cosmology. This is reflected in the Hie Sannō maṇḍala, which visually illustrates the two-tiered structure by positioning buddhas above Mount Hiei and corresponding deities below. The integration of Esoteric Buddhism with local religious practices ultimately resulted in the formation of [[Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō|Sannō Shintō]], a distinct Shintō tradition associated with Mount Hiei. This tradition developed within the dual institution formed by Enryakuji and Hie Shrine.<ref name=":25" /> 

== Study ==
[[File:自我偈_Big_Accordion_Book_of_Hokekyou_or_Lotus_Sutra_printed_in_Edo_Era_28cm_法華経_折り本_江戸期_刊本_07.jpg|thumb|A page from a ''[[Lotus Sutra]]'' folding manuscript, printed in the [[Edo period]]. The [[Hiragana]] written to the right of the [[Kanji]] characters contains the [[On'yomi|Onyomi]] ("Chinese sound") and the [[Katakana]] letters to the left contains the [[Kanbun]] translations.]]
The Tendai school emphasizes the unity of study and practice. The curriculum includes a comprehensive approach to Buddhist study that reflects its foundation in the Chinese tradition. The Tendai curriculum is distinctive for its breadth, combining scriptural study, debate, and exegesis.

The primary textual foundation of the Tendai school is the [[Lotus Sutra#The Chinese "Threefold Lotus Sūtra"|''Threefold Lotus Sūtra'']] (Japanese: ''Hokke-kyō''), which is regarded as the supreme teaching of the Buddha and the main scriptural authority of the Tendai tradition. In addition to the ''Lotus Sutra'', the Tendai curriculum includes several other key Indic sources which are used to support the ''Lotus Sutra'' which are'':'' the ''[[Mahāprajñāpāramitāupadeśa|Daichido-ron]] (Great Wisdom Treatise)'', the ''[[Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra|Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra]]'' (Jp: ''Daihatsunehan-kyō''), the ''[[Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras|Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra]]'' ''[[Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras|in 25000 slokas]]'' (''Daihannya-kyō'') and the ''Book of the Original Acts that Adorn the Bodhisattva'' (''Bosatsu Yōraku Hongyō Kyō'', T. 24, No. 1485).<ref name=":162">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=X-MxeUG-KAeRmrz_&v=I69AghxQmW0&feature=youtu.be |title=Outline of the Tendai School 天台宗概論講: PART THREE: The Textual Curriculum |date=2024-11-15 |last=Rev. Jikai Dehn |access-date=2025-03-14 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Other sutras are also studied, such as the ''[[Brahmajāla Sūtra]]'' (''Bonmō-kyō''), which provides the school with its [[Bodhisattva Precepts|bodhisattva precepts]].<ref name=":162" /> 

There are also numerous [[Tiantai#Tiantai Treatises|Chinese Tiantai Treatises]] studied in Tendai Buddhism. The writings of the Chinese Tiantai patriarch [[Zhiyi]] (538–597) are also central. Three key works: [[Mohe Zhiguan|''Makashikan'']] (摩訶止観), ''Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra'' (''Hokke Gengi'', 法華玄義), and ''Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra'' (''Hokke Mongu'', 法華文句) — form the core of Tendai scholastic study. These are always read with the commentaries by [[Zhanran]]. Another important work by Zhiyi for Tendai is the ''Commentary on the Meaning of the Bodhisattva Precepts'', which is a key work for novices seeking to understand the Tendai approach to the precepts. There are also various other works which are important, including other works by [[Zhiyi]], [[Zhanran]] and [[Siming Zhili]].<ref name=":162" />  

Regading Japanese sources, the works of [[Saichō]], especially his works on the [[Bodhisattva Precepts|bodhisattva precepts]] like the ''[[Kenkairon]]'' (Clarifying the Precepts), are central to the Tendai understanding of ordination and precepts.<ref name=":162" />  

Apart from these sources, the Tendai school also maintains a tradition of [[Vajrayana|Esoteric Buddhism]] (Taimitsu, [[Mikkyō]]). The key esoteric scriptures in the Tendai esoteric curriculum are: ''[[Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra]]'' (''Dainichi Kyō''), ''[[Vajrasekhara Sutra|Vajrasekhara Sūtra]]'' (''Kongōchōkyō''), and the ''[[Susiddhikara Sūtra]]'' (''Soshitsujikara-kyō'').<ref name=":162" /> These are read alongside various traditional commentaries by [[Yi Xing|Yixing]], [[Ennin]], [[Enchin]] and [[Annen]].<ref name=":162" />  

== Practice ==
=== Tendai Practice Theory ===
A feature unique to Japanese Tendai Buddhism from its inception was the concept of ''shishūyūgō'' {{nihongo||四宗融合||"Integrating the Four Schools"}}. Senior Tendai teachers, or [[ajari]], train in various practice traditions, especially the "Shishū Sōjō" (Four-fold transmission).<ref name="天台宗" /><ref name=":23" /> 

Under the umbrella of the ''Lotus Sutra'', Tendai integrates four main aspects of Mahayana Buddhist practice. This is often described with the compound En-Mitsu-Zen-Kai (圓密禪戒 “Perfect-Secret-Meditation-Precepts”). To these four key elements, the Pure Land Dharma Gate is often added. The main elements of Tendai practice are thus:<ref name=":23">{{Cite journal |last=Clark |first=Seishin |date=2019-01-01 |title=An Introduction to Tendai Buddhism by Seishin Clark |url=https://www.academia.edu/42548009 |journal=TENDAI BUDDHISM UK, Shikan do Temple}}</ref>   
* Perfect or Round (''En'') teachings'','' which includes a broad range of practices including the study of [[Mahayana sutras]] and Tendai doctrine (''Tendai no kyōgi''), as well as various ritual practices, such as the Lotus Repentance Ritual (''Hokke Senbo''). It also includes ''Lotus Sutra'' devotional practices, such as those described in the ''[[Hokke Genki]],'' which often center around the recitation of the ''Lotus Sutra''. A common practice still observed today is the ''Method for Prostrating to the Dharma Flower Sūtra'' (禮法華經儀式), which involves prostrations to each character of the sūtra in long (the entire sutra), medium (selecting one chapter of the text), or short forms. The short form focuses on prostrating to the characters of the sūtra's title, often accompanied by a dedication chant.
* [[Vajrayana|Esoteric practices]] (''Mitsu'' or ''[[Mikkyō]]'' 密教) which make use of [[mantra]]s, [[mudra]]s and [[mandala]]s from [[Buddhist tantric literature|tantras]] like the ''[[Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra]]'' and [[Yi Xing|Yixing's]] commentary
* Meditation (''Zen''), this is ''not'' the practice of "[[Zen Buddhism]]", but merely signifies Tendai teachings on "meditation" ([[Dhyana in Buddhism|dhyāna]]), including ''[[Śamatha]]-[[vipaśyanā]]'' meditation (''Shikan'' 止観, "calming-insight") based on Zhiyi's ''[[Mohe Zhiguan|Móhē zhǐguān]]'' and to a lesser extent, his other meditation works
* [[Buddhist ethics|Precepts]] (''Kai''), in particular the [[Bodhisattva Precepts]] based on the ''Lotus Sutra'' and the ''[[Brahmajāla Sūtra]].''
* [[Pure Land Buddhism|Pure Land]] (''Jōdo'' 浄土) practices focused on [[Amitābha|Amitabha]], especially the recitation of the Buddha's name (''[[Nianfo|nembutsu]]''), based on the [[Pure Land Buddhism#Sutras|Pure Land sutras]] and ''[[Discourse on the Pure Land|Treatise on the Pure Land]]'' by [[Vasubandhu]]
To this, one can also add other elements that became integrated to Tendai practice, including [[Shinto]] and [[Shugendō]] practices. It is due to this syncretic aspect of Tendai that it is sometimes termed ''Integrated Buddhism'' (総合佛教 ''Sōgōbukkyō'').<ref name=":23" />  

According to Saichō and other later Tendai scholars, the Perfect teaching of the ''Lotus Sutra'' and the tantric doctrines and practices of Esoteric Buddhism had the same ultimate intent. This view of the equality and compatibility between the Tiantai Lotus teachings and Esoteric Buddhism was important for Saichō.<ref name=":10">Gardiner, David L. (2019). ''Tantric Buddhism in Japan: Kūkai and Saichō.'' {{doi|10.1093/acrefore/9780199340378.013.621}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> Unlike the [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon]] founder [[Kūkai]], Saichō did not see esoteric teachings as more powerful or superior to exoteric Tendai teaching and practice. Instead, Saichō held that all Buddhist teachings are included in the single intent of the ''Lotus Sutra''.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":14" /> This idea is reflected in the saying "Shingon (esoteric Buddhism) and (Tien-tai) shikan are essentially one; therefore both traditions are propagated on one mountain" (from Shōshin's ''Tendai Shingon nishii doi sho'').<ref name=":11" />

Certain later Tendai figures like [[Ennin]] also argued that esoteric practices led to Buddhahood faster than exoteric (non-esoteric) practices and some (such as Annen) argued that they were the ''only'' way to full Buddhahood.<ref name=":3" /> These figures also often saw the ''Lotus Sutra'' (which refers itself as "the secret essential of the buddhas" and "the secret treasure of the Tathagatha") as an esoteric text and this view has some precedent in the Chinese Tiantai tradition.<ref name=":3" />

=== Shikan meditation ===
[[File:最澄像 一乗寺蔵 平安時代.jpg|thumb|A painting of Saichō meditating]]
Tendai's Shikan-gō (止觀業) tradition focuses on shikan (''[[Samatha-vipassanā|śamatha-vipaśyanā]]'') meditation, especially on the [[Zhiyi#The Four Samadhis|Four Samadhis]] (四種三昧, ''shishu zanmai'') as taught in Zhiyi’s ''[[Mohe Zhiguan|Móhē zhǐguān]]'' (''Great Cessation [and] Contemplation'').<ref>景山春樹『比叡山 日本仏教の原型とその展開』角川書店〈角川選書〉pp. 80-81. 1975年。</ref> Saichō emphasized the importance of the ''Four Samādhis'' in his ''Kanjō Tendai-shū Nenbun Gakushō-shiki'' (Regulations for Tendai School Annual Ordinands), and he sought to establish special halls as a place for these practices.<ref name=":21">[https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jsahj/42/0/42_88/_article/-char/ja/ 清水擴「初期延暦寺における四種三昧堂」『建築史学』第42巻、建築史学会]、2004年、doi:10.24574/jsahj.42.0_88。</ref> The ''Four Samādhis'' are foundational to Tendai Buddhism and are designed to cultivate deep states of meditative absorption (''[[Samadhi|samādhi]]''). 

The Four-fold Samādhi (四種三昧 shishu-zammai) is outlined as follows:<ref name=":21" /><ref>[https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/F/153 Four forms of meditation ［四種三昧］] Nichiren Buddhism Library</ref>

* '''Constantly Sitting Samādhi''' (常坐三昧, ''Jōza Zanmai''): This practice involves seated meditation (''zazen'') for a period of 90 days. The practitioner remains in a seated posture, focusing on meditation without interruption. This practice is rooted in the ''Mañjusri Prajñaparamita Sutra'' and emphasizes the cultivation of inner calm and mental clarity.
* '''Constantly Walking Samādhi''' (常行三昧, ''Jōgyō Zanmai''): This involves walking meditation for 90 days, typically around a statue of the Buddha [[Amitābha]] or within a designated meditation space. The practitioner maintains mindfulness while moving. This practice is based on the ''[[Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sūtra|Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sutra]]'', which emphasizes the contemplation of Amitābha and recitation of his name. It also influenced the development of Pure Land Buddhism in East Asia.
* '''Half-Walking and Half-Sitting Samādhi''' (半行半坐三昧, ''Hangyō Hanza Zanmai''): This practice alternates between periods of seated meditation and walking meditation, seamlessly transitioning between the two without breaks. The duration can vary, with some practices lasting 21 days (based on the ''Lotus Sutra'') or 7 days (based on the ''Great Correct and Equal Dhāranī Sutra''). This practice is often incorporated into rituals like the ''Hokke Senbo'' (法華懺法, Lotus Repentance Ritual), where practitioners alternate between sitting and walking while chanting the ''Lotus Sutra'' and other texts.
* '''Neither Walking nor Sitting Samādhi''' (非行非坐三昧, ''Hikō Hiza Zanmai''): This practice is not confined to a specific posture or duration. It encompasses all forms of meditation that do not fit into the other three categories, allowing for flexibility in practice. This practice represents the ultimate goal of integrating meditation into every moment of daily life, emphasizing the universality of meditative practice beyond structured forms.
Other forms of Tendai meditation include the famous [[hiking]] meditation practice of [[Kaihōgyō]] (回峰行 Circling the mountain).<ref name=":23" />   

===Pure Land practice===
[[File:Genshin-gazo.jpg|thumb|right|Genshin's ''[[Ōjōyōshū]]'' (往生要集, "Essentials of Birth in the Pure Land") had a considerable influence on later Pure Land teachers such as [[Honen]] and [[Shinran]].]]
Practices related to and veneration of [[Amitābha]] and his pure land of [[Sukhavati]] in the Tendai tradition began with Saichō's disciple, Ennin.  After journeying to China for further study and training, he brought back a practice called the "five-tone ''nembutsu''" or {{nihongo|''goe nenbutsu''|五会念仏||}}, which was a form of intonation practiced in China for reciting the Buddha's name.  This contrasted with earlier practices in Japan starting in the [[Nara period]], where meditation on images of the Pure Land, typically in the form of [[mandala]], were practiced.<ref name="天台宗" /><ref name="jsri">{{cite web| title=Early Japanese Pure Land Masters, Jodo Shu homepage Homepage| language=en| url=http://www.jsri.jp/English/Pureland/LINEAGE/earlyj.html| access-date=2018-08-25| archive-date=2012-02-20| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220023901/http://www.jsri.jp/English/Pureland/LINEAGE/earlyj.html| url-status=dead}}</ref>

However, both meditation on the Pure Land (''kansō nenbutsu'' 観想念仏) and recitation of the Buddha's name (''shōmyō nenbutsu'' 称名念仏) became an integral part of Pure Land practices in the Tendai tradition.  In addition to the five-tone ''nembutsu'' brought back from China, Ennin also integrated a special monastic training program called the {{nihongo|''jōgyō zanmai''|常行三昧|"Constantly Walking ''samadhi''"|}} originally promulgated by Zhiyi. In this practice, monks spend 90 days in retreat, circumambulating a statue of Amitābha constantly reciting his name.<ref name="天台宗" />

In addition to increasing monastic practices related to the Pure Land, monks also taught Pure Land practices to the lay community in the form of reciting the Buddha's name. The most famous of these {{nihongo|''nenbutsu hijiri''|念仏聖|"Itinerant Pure Land teachers"|}} was a monk named [[Kūya]] (空也, 903–972).

Pure Land Buddhist thought was further developed by a Tendai monk named [[Genshin]] (源信, 942–1017) who was a disciple of Ryōgen, the 18th chief abbot or ''zasu'' (座主) of Mount Hiei. Genshin wrote an influential treatise called {{Nihongo|''[[Ōjōyōshū]]''|往生要集||"The Essentials of Rebirth in the Pure Land"}}, which vividly contrasted the Sukhavati Pure Land of Amitābha with the descriptions of the [[Naraka (Buddhism)|hell realms]] in Buddhism. Further, Genshin promoted the popular notion of the [[Three Ages of Buddhism|Latter Age of the Dharma]], which posited that society had degenerated to a point when they could no longer rely on traditional Buddhist practices, and would instead need to rely solely on Amitābha's grace to escape [[saṃsāra]]. Genshin drew upon past Chinese Pure Land teachers such as [[Daochuo]] and [[Shandao]].<ref name="jsri" />

Finally, Pure Land practices in Tendai were further popularized by former Tendai monk [[Hōnen]], who established the first independent Pure Land school, the [[Jōdo-shū]], and whose disciples carried the teachings to remote provinces in one form or another. This includes another ex-Tendai monk named [[Shinran]], who eventually established the related [[Jōdo Shinshū]].

=== Tendai Esotericism (''Taimitsu'') ===
[[File:Taizokai Mandala (Senkoji Tonami).jpg|thumb|[[Womb Realm|Taizokai Mandala]] (Senkoji Tonami), one of the two main mandalas in Taimitsu]]
[[File:総本山金峯山寺修験本宗「普来山正覚院｣Img396.jpg|thumb|The [[Homa (ritual)|goma]] ritual is an important esoteric practice in Tendai.]]
A key element of Tendai is [[Vajrayana|esoteric Buddhist practice]] and theory. This was originally known as "the ''shingon'' (or ''[[mikkyō]]'') of the Tendai lineages" and was later named ''Taimitsu'' ("Tendai Esotericism", 台密), distinguishing it from the [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon]] ([[Mantra]]) school, which is known as "Tōmitsu" (東密, literally, "the esotericism of the Tōji lineages").<ref name=":15">Dolce, Lucia. ''Taimitsu: The Esoteric Buddhism Of The Tendai School'' In: "Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia", pp. 744–767. BRILL. {{doi|10.1163/ej.9789004184916.i-1200.302}}</ref> Taimitsu, as a form of East Asian Esoteric Buddhism, holds that by making use of [[mantra]]s, [[mudra]]s, and [[Mandala|mandalas]] (known as "the three mysteries"), one is able to attain Buddhahood within this very body. Eventually, these esoteric rituals came to be considered of equal importance with the teachings of the ''Lotus Sutra,'' which was also seen as an esoteric sutra (but only "in principle", not "in practice", since it did not include the practice of the three mysteries).<ref name=":3" />

The origins of Taimitsu are found in [[Chinese Esoteric Buddhism]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Abe | first = Ryuichi | title = The Weaving of Mantra: Kukai and the Construction of Esoteric Buddhist Discourse | publisher = Columbia University Press | year = 1999 |isbn=0-231-11286-6 | pages = 45}}</ref> As a result, Tendai esoteric ritual bears much in common with [[Shingon Buddhism|Shingon]], though some of the underlying doctrines and practices differ. Regarding textual basis, while Shingon mainly uses the ''[[Mahavairocana Tantra]]'' and the ''[[Vajrasekhara Sutra]]'' (seeing these as the highest and most superior texts), Tendai uses a larger corpus of texts, including the ''Lotus Sutra'' and esoteric Lotus Sutra texts.<ref name="天台宗" /> Other differences mainly relate to lineages and outlook. There are several lineages of Taimitsu, the main ones being the Sanmon 山門 (Mountain branch of Ennin's lineage, which has a further 13 sub-branches) and Jimon 寺門 (Temple branch of Enchin's lineage, which is more unified).<ref name=":15" />

According to Linda Dolce, "Saichō regarded esoteric Buddhism as equal to the Lotus-based Buddhist system that had been developed in China by Tiantai, as both embodied the soteriological idea of 'one vehicle'".<ref name=":15" /> Later Taimitsu scholars, like [[Ennin]], classified esoteric scriptures into two types: those containing the principles of esoteric Buddhism (i.e. the non-duality of ultimate truth and worldly truth) were called ''rimitsu,'' and those that teach the principles ''and'' practices (i.e. the three mysteries) were called ''riji gumitsu''.<ref name=":15" /> The first category was initially said to include the ''[[Mahāyāna Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra|Nirvana]], Lotus Sutra, [[Vimalakirti Sutra|Vimalakīrti]]'', and ''[[Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra|Huayan]]'' sūtras, all of which were seen as esoteric ''in principle''. The second category includes the tantric scriptures like the ''Mahavairocana'', ''Vajrasekhara,'' the ''[[Susiddhikara Sūtra|Susiddhikāra Sūtra]]'' (''Soshitsujikara''), the ''Pudichang jing'' 菩提場経 (''Bodaijō kyō'', T. 950), and the ''Yuqi jing'' 瑜祇経 (''Yugi kyō'', T. 867).<ref name=":15" /> Some Tendai scholars like [[Annen (monk)|Annen]] even elevated the esoteric teachings  further, seeing them as the highest teachings of the Buddha, and the only way to enlightenment.<ref name=":15" /> According to Paul Groner, this view subordinated the ''Lotus Sutra'' to the esoteric scriptures.<ref name=":3" /> According to Dolce, Annen "displaced other practices existent in Tendai as soteriologically incomplete practices", and turned esoteric rituals into the very embodiments of the ultimate truth (rather than just another type of [[Upaya|skillful means]]).<ref name=":15" /> 

This view was not accepted by all Tendai lineages however, and later figures like [[Hōjibō Shōshin]] (fl. 1153–1214) rejected the idea that esoteric practice was higher or superior to Tendai Mahayana practice (as taught in the ''[[Mohe Zhiguan]]''), since both of these traditions are ultimately founded on the middle way and both teach the contemplation of the emptiness of dharmas. Shōshin held that mantras and other esoteric practices were merely another [[Upaya|skillful means]] for contemplating the middle way, and thus, the exoteric and esoteric were just different expressions of the same principle. Shōshin also argued that these teachings both derive from the same Buddha, since [[Vairocana|Mahāvairocana]] and the Buddha of the ''Lotus Sūtra'' are ultimately the same.<ref>McMullen, Matthew Don (2016). [https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4866n1tb ''The Development of Esoteric Buddhist Scholasticism in Early Medieval Japan.'' University of California, Berkeley.] pp. 225-226.</ref><ref name=":3" /> In some cases, Shōshin goes further, arguing that certain esoteric practices, such as those that make use of images like [[Mandala|mandalas]] or lunar discs, were designed for those with dull faculties, while the Tendai practice of "discerning one's own mind" (Jp. ''kanjin'', 觀心) is for those who are more advanced and do not require images.<ref>McMullen, Matthew Don (2016). [https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4866n1tb ''The Development of Esoteric Buddhist Scholasticism in Early Medieval Japan.'' University of California, Berkeley.] pp. 227-228.</ref>

Later Tendai developments would also make the ''Lotus Sutra'' a full "Practice Esotericism" (''Jimitsu'') sutra through the development of esoteric practices and texts that placed the ''Lotus'' on the same level as the tantrism of the ''Mahavairocana sutra''.<ref name=":24">Lucia Dolce, "The Lotus Sutra and Esoteric Buddhism," The Lotus Sutra and Japanese Culture. ルチア・ドルチェ「法華経と密教」『法華経と日本文化』、大正大学出版会.</ref> To defend this view, Tendai scholars pointed to passages in the ''Lotus Sutra'' itself, such as when the sutra refers to itself as "the secret essential of the buddhas" and "the secret treasure of the Thus-Come One." They also relied on the interpretations of [[Yi Xing|Yixing]].<ref name=":3" />    

==== Lotus Esotericism (Hokke Mikkyō) ====
[[File:Hokke_mandala.jpg|thumb|''Lotus Sutra'' Mandala used in esoteric Lotus Sutra Rites (''Hokkekyō-Hō''), c. late [[Heian period]].]]
The ''Lotus Sutra'' underwent a process of "esotericization" in the medieval Tendai school, fueled by the tradition's engagement with Esoteric Buddhism. This esotericism did not originate in Japan, since there were esoteric sources written in China that Tendai relied on for their interpretations of the ''Lotus Sutra''. However, Lotus Esotericism became much more central in Japanese Tendai than in the mainland.<ref name=":242">Dolce, Lucia. [https://www.academia.edu/17614992/_Hokeky%C3%B4_to_mikky%C3%B4_The_Lotus_Sutra_and_Tantric_Buddhism_in_Hokeky%C3%B4_to_Nichiren_vol_1_of_Shirizu_Nichiren_5_vols_Komatsu_H%C3%B4sh%C3%B4_and_Hanano_J%C3%BBd%C3%B4_eds_Tokyo_Shunj%C3%BBsha_2014_pp_268_293 <nowiki>“Hokekyô to mikkyô,” [The Lotus Sutra and Tantric Buddhism]</nowiki>] in ''Hokekyô to Nichiren'', vol. 1 of ''Shirizu Nichiren'', 5 vols, Komatsu Hôshô and Hanano Jûdô, eds, Tokyo: Shunjûsha, 2014, pp. 268-293.</ref> The most important Chinese sources for this tradition are [[Yi Xing|Yixing's]] (683–727) ''Darijing Shu'' (''Commentary on the Mahāvairocana Sutra''), which integrates Tiantai ideas with Chinese [[Vajrayana|mantrayana]], and the ''Ritual Manual for the Contemplation of the Lotus Sutra'' (''Fahua guanzhi yigui,'' 法華経観智儀軌), an esoteric manual. This manual describes a [[deity yoga]] practice based on the ''Lotus Sutra'' which relies on reciting passages and mantras from the sutra, and arranging a ritual altar and a Lotus [[Mandala|Maṇḍala]]. The ''Lotus Contemplation Manual'' derives from [[Amoghavajra|Amoghavajra's]] circle and was likely composed by him or his disciples.<ref name=":242" /><ref name=":15" /> In Japan, this rite was later adapted into important esoteric "Lotus Ritual" (Hokke Hō).<ref name=":242" />   

Tendai monks developed these esoteric Lotus practices further, one of the most important ones being the Lotus Ritual (Hokke Hō), which combined recitations of the ''Lotus Sutra'' with esoteric mantras and visualizations. These rituals center on reciting and contemplating the "Life Span of the Tathāgata" chapter and on visualizing [[Prabhutaratna]] and Śākyamuni in a [[mandala]] (along with mudras and mantras). Both Buddhas became equated with [[Vairocana|Mahāvairocana]] (of the ''[[Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi Sūtra]]''), corresponding to the two aspects of Mahāvairocana embodied in the [[Diamond Realm|Vajradhātu]] and [[Womb Realm|Garbhadhātu]] Maṇḍalas respectively.<ref name=":242" /> The rite also relies on the use of mantras and dhāraṇīs, including the [[Dharani|dhāraṇīs]] taught in the ''Lotus Sutra'', the [[Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō|daimoku]] (the ''Lotus Sutra''<nowiki/>'s title), along with the "Root Mantra of the ''Lotus Sutra''" (法華根本真言), which were believed to encapsulate the sutra's profound esoteric meaning.<ref name=":242" />   

The Lotus rite's visual focus is the Lotus Sutra [[Mandala|Maṇḍala]] (''Hokkekyo mandara'' 法華経曼荼羅), which is rooted in an esoteric interpretation of the ''Lotus Sūtra'', specifically the chapter concerning the Treasure Stūpa where Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna sit side by side. Its design features an eight-petaled lotus, a motif adapted from the [[Womb Realm|Womb realm maṇḍala]]. The maṇḍala's structure, which arranges deities hierarchically around a central focus, draws on the [[Mandala of the Two Realms|dual-realm maṇḍalas]] of Esoteric Buddhism, and symbolizes the non-duality of the ''Lotus Sutra'' with the mantrayana teaching.<ref name=":242" /> A unique element of Tendai esotericism is the concept of unifying the [[Mandala of the Two Realms|dual-realm maṇḍalas]] (and the teachings of their respective tantric scriptures) through a third element which was associated with the ''[[Susiddhikara Sūtra|Susiddhikara sūtra]]''. This interpretation was also understood through the Tendai doctrine of the three truths. The third element of ''susiddhi'' (perfect realization) was considered to be like the third truth of the middle, the [[Nondualism|non-dual]] unity of the reality of the dual-world mandalas. Since the ''Susiddhikara sūtra'' did not teach a specific mandala, the Lotus mandala was often used to represent this third esoteric truth.<ref name=":25" /> In the Lotus mandala, the stūpa represents the [[Trikaya|Dharma-body]] (dharmakāya), Prabhūtaratna corresponds to the Retribution body ([[Trikaya|sambhogakāya]]), and Śākyamuni aligns with the Manifestation body ([[Nirmāṇakāya|nirmanakāya]]). The central court is identified with Dainichi of the Vajradhātu Maṇḍala, while the eight bodhisattvas correspond to the Eight Worthies of the Garbhadhātu Maṇḍala's eight-petaled lotus. In this interpretation, Śākyamuni is associated with Dainichi of the Garbhadhātu, Prabhūtaratna with Dainichi of the Vajradhātu, and the stūpa itself symbolizes the principle of ''susiddhi'', representing a synthesis including all elements of both mandalas.<ref name=":25" />   

=== Bodhisattva precepts ===
[[File:Ryokan Ara, Tendai.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A priest from the Japanese Tendai school of Buddhism looking right|A Tendai priest. Japanese Tendai priests take the bodhisattva precepts and do not use the traditional [[Vinaya]] pratimoksha vows.]]
The Tendai school's ethical teachings focus exclusively on the [[Bodhisattva Precepts]] (C. ''pusajie'', J. ''bostasukai'' 菩薩戒) drawn from the ''[[Brahmajāla Sūtra|Brahmajala Sutra.]]'' Tendai ordinations do not make use of the traditional [[Dharmaguptaka]] [[Vinaya]] [[Pratimokṣa|Pratimoksha]] set of monastic rules. Saichō argued in favor of this idea in his ''Kenkairon'' (顕戒論, "On promoting the Mahāyāna precepts"). This was a revolutionary change in East Asian Buddhism that was without precedent.<ref name=":12">Lin, Pei‐Yin (2011) ''Precepts and lineage in Chan tradition: cross‐cultural perspectives in ninth century East Asia,'' pp. 147–148, 154-157. PhD Thesis. SOAS, University of London http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/14241</ref><ref name=":11" /> These bodhisattva precepts do not make a distinction between monastics and laypersons, and they do not discuss the minutiae of monastic life like the Pratimoksha does.<ref name=":11" />

The bodhisattva precepts in Tendai are all said to rely on three types of "pure precepts" (''sanjujokai'' 三聚浄戒):<ref name=":11" />

* Precepts against doing evil deeds, such as murder, theft, pride, anger, and so forth (''sho ritsugi kai'' 摂律 儀 戒)
* Precepts encouraging good activity, for benefiting oneself (''sho zenbo kai'' 摂菩法戒)
* Precepts encouraging activity which will benefit others (''sho shujo kai'' 摂衆生戒)

According to Hazama Jikō:<ref name=":11" /><blockquote>The first category includes the prohibitions against the ten major and forty-eight minor transgressions as explained in the [[Brahmajāla Sūtra|''Bonmokyo'' 梵辋経]] (T24, 997–1010). It also includes general restrictions against any kind of evil activity, whether physical, verbal, or mental. Any and all kinds of moral cultivation are included. The second category entails every kind of good activity, including but not limited to acts associated with the Buddhist categories of keeping precepts, the practice of concentration (samadhi), and the cultivation of wisdom. Also included are such worldly pursuits as dedication to scholarly excellence, or any effort aimed at self improvement. The third category refers not only to the effort to help and save all sentient beings through the perfection of the six Mahayana virtues (paramita, charity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom), but also includes such mundane activity as raising one's children with loving care, living for the sake of others, and dedicating oneself to the good of society.</blockquote>The Tendai school made extensive use of the Lotus Sutra in its interpretation of the bodhisattva precepts, even though the sutra does not itself contains a specific list of precepts. Also, various passages from the sutra were used to defend the Tendai position not to follow the pratimoksha, since they state, for example, "we will not follow [[śrāvaka]] ways."<ref>Groner, Paul. ''The Lotus Sutra and the Perfect-Sudden Precepts.'' Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 41/1: 103–131 © 2014 Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture.

</ref>

Saichō’s rejection of the Hīnayāna vinaya precepts stemmed from his understanding of the ''Lotus Sutra'' as the ultimate expression of the Buddha's teachings. In his biography, ''Eizan Daishi den'', Saichō expressed his commitment to abandoning the 250 Hīnayāna precepts and focused on the bodhisattva path. His interpretation of the ''Lotus Sutra'', particularly in the "Comfortable Practices" chapter, provided a basis for rejecting śrāvaka practices and precepts. Saichō’s reforms eventually led to the development of the "Perfect-Sudden Precepts," which emphasized the inherent Buddha-nature in all beings and allowed for a more flexible approach to monastic discipline.<ref>Groner, Paul. Saicho: ''The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School''. Berkeley: Berkeley Buddhist Studies Series, 1984.</ref> 

The bodhisattva precepts were thus seen in Tendai as being based on the ''Lotus Sutr''a's teaching that all beings have the potential for Buddhahood and that they have a fundamental goodness, or Buddha-nature.<ref name=":11" /> This was the fundamental ethical teaching for Tendai thought. Saichō also believed that the world had entered the age of Dharma decline (''[[Three Ages of Buddhism|mappō]]'') and that because of this, the Hinayana precepts were no longer able to be practiced and no longer needed. He also believed that the Japanese people were naturally inclined to the Mahayana Buddhism. Because of this, Saichō argued that only Mahayana precepts were needed.<ref name=":11" />

Some of Saichō's views on Mahayana precepts were drawn from the Tiantai masters [[Nanyue Huisi|Huisi]] and Daosui and the teachings Chan masters like [[Bodhidharma]], [[Dao-xuan]] (Dōsen, especially his commentary on the ''Brahmā's Net Sūtra'') and [[Dayi Daoxin|Daoxin]] (Dōshin'','' particularly his "Manual of Rules of Bodhisattva Precepts").<ref name=":12" /> These Chinese Chan masters emphasized formless practice (無相行) or attribute-less practice also known as ''anrakugyō'' (Ch. anlexing 安樂行, serene and pleasing activities), both in Chan meditation and in precept training. This refers to a way of contemplation that applies in all activities.<ref>Lin, Pei‐Yin (2011) ''Precepts and lineage in Chan tradition: cross‐cultural perspectives in ninth century East Asia,'' p. 158. PhD Thesis. SOAS, University of London http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/14241</ref> These various Chinese ideas about the integration of practice and precepts were integrated into Saichō's view of the "Perfect and Sudden Precepts" (''Endonkai'').<ref>Lin, Pei‐Yin (2011) ''Precepts and lineage in Chan tradition: cross‐cultural perspectives in ninth century East Asia,'' p. 166. PhD Thesis. SOAS, University of London http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/14241</ref>  

During the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, Tendai monks such as Ninkū (1307–1388) and [[Annen]] (841–?) further developed the concept of the Perfect-Sudden Precepts. Annen, for example, argued that the precepts were rooted in the non-dual nature of reality, suggesting that even actions traditionally considered evil could be seen as expressions of the precepts if performed with the right intention. This interpretation, while controversial, highlighted the Tendai emphasis on the transformative power of the Lotus Sutra and its ability to reveal the ultimate truth of the Buddha’s teachings.

=== Tendai and Shinto ===
[[File:Hiyoshi-taisha juge-jinja-honden01s4592.jpg|thumb|Hie Taisha, a Sannō Shintō shrine on Mount Hiei]] Tendai doctrine allowed Japanese Buddhists to [[syncretism|reconcile]] Buddhist teachings with the native religious beliefs and practices of Japan (now labeled "[[Shinto]]"). In the case of Shinto, the difficulty is the reconciliation of the [[Pantheon (gods)|pantheon]] of Japanese gods (''[[kami]]''), as well as with the myriad spirits associated with places, shrines or objects, with Buddhist teachings. These gods and spirits were initially seen as local protectors of Buddhism.<ref name=":7">Sugahara Shinkai 菅原信海 ''[https://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/nfile/2587 The Distinctive Features of Sanno Ichijitsu Shinto.]'' Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 1996 23/1-2.</ref>

[[Sannō Shintō]] 山王神道 was a specifically Tendai branch of syncretic Buddhist-Shinto religious practice, which revered kamis called the Mountain Kings (Sannō) or Sanno Sansei 山王三聖 (The Three Sacred [Deities] of Sanno) and was based on [[Hiyoshi Taisha|Hie Taisha]] 日吉大社 a shrine on Mount Hiei.<ref name=":7" /> The [[Togakushi Shrine]] (戸隠神社, ''Togakushi Jinja'') was also associated with the Tendai school before it was separated from Buddhist institutions by the Japanese state during [[Shinbutsu bunri|the separation of Shinto from Buddhism]] in the 19th century.

These religious ideas eventually led to the development of a Japanese current of thought called ''[[honji suijaku]]'' (本地垂迹), which argued that [[kami]] are simply local manifestations (the ''suijaku'' or "traces") of the Buddhas (''honji,'' "true nature"). This manifestation of the Buddhas was explained through the classic Mahayana doctrines of [[Upaya|skillful means]] and the [[Trikaya]].<ref name=":7" />

=== Shugendō ===
Some Tendai Buddhist temples and mountains are also sites for the practice of the syncretic [[Shugendō]] tradition. Shugendō is a mountain ascetic practice which also adopted Tendai and Shingon elements. This tradition focuses on ascetic practices on mountainous terrain.<ref name="jimon" /><ref name=":9" /> The practice of Shugendō is most prominent among certain Tendai branches, like the Jimon-ha 寺門派 (the Onjōji branch). It is based on Shōgoin Temple, which houses the Honzan  group (Honzanha),  the Shugendō  tradition most closely associated with Tendai.<ref name="jimon">{{Cite web|title=修験道とは・・・「自然と人間」|url=http://www.tendai-jimon.jp/trainee/index.html|publisher=Tendaijimon Sect|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201221152905/http://www.tendai-jimon.jp/trainee/index.html|accessdate=31 January 2021|archive-date=2020-12-21}}</ref><ref name=":9">Castiglioni, Andrea; Rambelli, Fabio; Roth, Carina (2020). ''Defining Shugendo: Critical Studies on Japanese Mountain Religion'', p. 8. Bloomsbury Publishing.</ref><ref>Gaynor Sekimori, Gaynor. ''Shugendō And Its Relationship With The Japanese Esoteric Sects: A Study Of The Ritual Calendar Of An Edo Period Shugendō Shrine-Temple Comple''x, In: Orzech, Charles; Sørensen, Henrik; Payne, Richard (2011). "Esoteric Buddhism and the Tantras in East Asia."</ref>

=== Art and aesthetics ===
[[File:Shunzei-hotogisu.png|thumb|Shunzei reciting a poem]]
The classic Buddhist understanding of the [[Four Noble Truths]] posits that craving for pleasure, worldly desire and attachment must be cut off to put an end to suffering (''[[dukkha]]''). In [[Pre-sectarian Buddhism|early Buddhism]], the emphasis, especially for monastics, was on avoiding activities that might arouse worldly desires, including many artistic endeavors like music and performance arts. This tendency toward rejecting certain popular art forms created a potential conflict with mainstream [[East Asian cultural sphere|East Asian cultures]].

However, later [[Mahayana]] views developed a different emphasis which embraced all the arts. In Japan, certain Buddhist rituals (which were also performed in Tendai) grew to include music and dance, and these became very popular with the people.<ref>Groner, Paul (2002). ''Ryōgen and Mount Hiei: Japanese Tendai in the Tenth Century'', p. 208. University of Hawaii Press.</ref> Doctrinally, these performative arts were seen as [[Upaya|skillful means (''hōben'', Skt. ''upaya'')]] of teaching Buddhism. Monks specializing in such arts were called ''yūsō'' ("artistic monks").<ref>Deal, William E.; Ruppert, Brian (2015). ''A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism'', pp. 100-104. John Wiley & Sons. {{ISBN|978-1-4051-6701-7}}.</ref> The writing of religious poetry was also a major pursuit among certain Tendai as well as Shingon figures, like the Shingon priest Shukaku and the Tendai monk [[Jien]] (1155–1225). These poets met together to discuss poetry in poetry circles (''kadan'').<ref name=":16">Deal, William E.; Ruppert, Brian (2015). ''A Cultural History of Japanese Buddhism'', pp. 104-106. John Wiley & Sons. {{ISBN|978-1-4051-6701-7}}.</ref> According to Deal and Ruppert, "Shingon, Tendai and Nara cloisters had a great impact on the development of literary treatises and poetry houses."<ref name=":16" />

Another influential poet monk from the Tendai tradition was [[Fujiwara no Shunzei]] (1114–1204).<ref name=":17" /> His son, [[Fujiwara no Teika]] was also influenced by the classic Tendai thought of Zhiyi. These two figures were central to the development of the aesthetic concept of ''[[yūgen]]'' (幽玄, profound grace and subtlety).<ref name=":17">LaFleur, R. William. ''Symbol and Yūgen: Shunzei's Use of Tendai Buddhism'' In "Flowing Traces: Buddhism in the Literary and Visual Arts of Japan," pp. 16-45, edited by James H. Sanford, William R. LaFleur, Masatoshi Nagatomi.</ref> According to William R. LaFleur, the development of ''yūgen'' aesthetic theory was also influenced by the Tendai practice of ''shikan'' meditation. According to LaFleur, for Shunzei's poetics, the beauty of ''yūgen'' manifests a deep tranquility which reflects and is akin to ''shikan'' practice. This link is asserted by Shunzei in his ''Kurai futeisho.''<ref name=":18">Odin, Steve (2001). ''Artistic Detachment in Japan and the West: Psychic Distance in Comparative Aesthetics'', pp. 107-108. University of Hawaii Press.</ref> These poets also understood the depth of ''yūgen'' through the holistic Tendai metaphysics of interfusion''.''<ref name=":18" />

== Key Tendai figures ==
=== Chinese Ancestors ===
[[File:Zhanran.JPG|thumb|Jingxi Zhanran]]
[[file:Portrait of Dengyō Daishi (Saichō) MET DP-21860-002.jpg|thumb|Portrait of Dengyō Daishi (Saichō) at the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art|MET]]]]
The following ancestors or patriarchs (祖) form the main line of the Chinese [[Tiantai]] [[Lineage (Buddhism)|lineage]]:<ref>Shi Sherry (translator). [https://www.academia.edu/107396526/A_Study_on_the_General_History_of_Tiantai_School_in_China_Translated_by_Shi_Sherry ''A Study on the General History of Tiantai School in China,''] p. 285, Sept., 2023</ref>

* [[Nagarjuna|Nāgārjuna]] (3rd century CE)
* [[Huiwen]] (d.u.), who is said to have read Nāgārjuna's works, practiced accordingly, and then had a direct insight into the master's Dharma, thus initiating the Chinese Tiantai lineage
* [[Nanyue Huisi]] (515-577), a Meditation Master and Lotus Sūtra specialist who was Zhiyi's teacher
* [[Zhiyi|Tiantai Zhiyi]] (538–597), the most important figure of the Tiantai school who wrote the foundational treatises of the tradition
* [[Guanding]] 561–632), Zhiyi's student, he edited and compiled the main treatises of Zhiyi
* [[Zhiwei]] (?–680)
* [[Huiwei]] (634–713)
* [[Xuanlang]] (673-754)
* [[Zhanran]] (711-782), the second most important Chinese Tiantai master, he wrote some key commentaries to Zhiyi's three major works
* [[Daosui]] (806-820) and [[Xingman]] (?–823), both students of Zhanran and teachers of [[Saichō]]
=== Japanese Ancestors ===
The Japanese Tendai founder [[Saichō]] (最澄, 767–822) was a student of the last two patriarchs on the list, Daosui (806-820) and Xingman (?–823), both of whom studied under Zhanran. Saichō received Tiantai teachings and texts from them at [[Guoqing Temple|Guoqing temple]] on Mt. Tiantai. Saichō also studied [[Chinese Esoteric Buddhism]] under two Chinese esoteric masters ([[Acharya|ācāryas]]): Shunxiao and Weixiang, from whom he received initiation into the [[Mandala of the Two Realms|dual-realm mandalas]].<ref>"Saichō" In Buswell & Lopez (eds.). ''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'', p. 737. Princeton University Press, 2014.</ref> Furthermore, Saichō received [[Chan Buddhism|Chan]] ([[Zen]]) teachings in China from the [[Oxhead school|Oxhead (Jp. Gozu) school]] and [[East Mountain Teaching|Northern schools]].<ref>Groner, Paul (2000). ''Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School'', pp. 255-256. University of Hawaii Press.</ref> He was a student of the Oxhead master Shunian (Shukunen), who resided at Chanlinsi (Zenrinji) Temple.<ref name=":0" /> Saichō also brought over the first copy of the ''[[Platform Sutra]]'' to Japan.<ref>Vladimir K. (2005) ''[http://www.thezensite.com/ZenEssays/HistoricalZen/Legends_in_Chan.pdf Legends in Ch’an: the Northern/Southern Schools Split, Hui-neng and the Platform Sutra]''</ref> 

A number of notable monks contributed to Tendai thought and its history after [[Saichō]], including:
* [[Gishin (monk)|Gishin]] (義真, 781-833) – The second {{nihongo|''zasu''|座主||"Head priest"}} of the Tendai School, who travelled with Saichō to China and ordained alongside him. He is the author of the ''Collected Teachings of the Tendai Lotus School'' (Tendai Hokkeshū Gishū)
* Kōjō (光定, 779- 854) – A direct disciple of Saichō as well as [[Kūkai]]. He helped establish the new ordination platform on Mount Hiei.
* [[Ennin]] (円仁, 794-864) – A direct disciple of Saichō who traveled to China to study further, who was the first to write scholastic works on the union of esoteric practices with exoteric Tendai School theories (this merger is now known as "Taimitsu"). He also promoted Chinese [[nianfo]] practices.
* [[Enchin]] (円珍, 814–891) – Gishin's successor, junior to Ennin. He traveled to China and studied further esoteric teachings with different masters there. He then worked to assimilate [[Chinese Esoteric Buddhism|esoteric buddhism]] to Tendai, and was also a notable administrator.
* [[Annen (monk)|Annen]] (安然, 841–889?) - Ennin's disciple and successor to [[Henjō]]. An influential thinker who's known having finalized the assimilation of esoteric and exoteric buddhism within Tendai.
* Sō-ō (相應, 831-918), who developed the ''[[kaihōgyō]]'' ("circling the mountain")
* [[Ryōgen]] (良源, 912–985) – Annen's successor, and skilled politician who helped ally the Tendai School with the [[Fujiwara clan]].
* [[Genshin]] (源信, 942–1017) – Famous for his writings on [[Pure Land Buddhism]], particularly his ''[[Ōjōyōshū]]''. Influenced [[Hōnen]]'s [[Jōdo-shū]] tradition and later Tendai Pure Land.
* [[Sengaku]] (1203 – c. 1273) – a Tendai scholar and literary critic, who authored an influential commentary on the ''[[Man'yōshū]]'', the oldest extant Japanese poetry.
* [[Shinsei Shōnin]] (1443–1495) – Founder of the Tendai Shinsei school, who promoted precepts and Nembutsu practice.
* [[Tenkai]] (天海, 1536–1643) – a Tendai {{nihongo|''dai-sōjō''|大僧正||"archbishop"}}, who served as an entrusted advisor of [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]], the founder of the [[Tokugawa shogunate]].

=== Founders of new Kamakura schools ===
During the [[Kamakura period]], numerous Tendai monastics founded new schools of Japanese Buddhism, today known as the schools of [[Kamakura Buddhism|New "Kamakura Buddhism"]]. All of them were initially ordained and trained at the Tendai center on [[Mount Hiei]]. Key figures include:<ref>{{Cite web |last=天台宗 |title=各宗の開祖達 |url=https://www.tendai.or.jp/rekishi/kaiso.php |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=天台宗 |language=ja}}</ref>

* [[Hōnen|Hōnen Shōnin]] (1133–1212): Founder of the [[Jōdo-shū]] school, who spread the Nembutsu practice based on Amida Buddha's Primal Vow.
* [[Eisai|Eisai Zenji]] (1141–1215): Founder of the [[Rinzai school|Rinzai Zen]] school, who introduced Linji Zen to Japan after studying in China.
* [[Shinran|Shinran Shōnin]] (1173–1262): Founder of the [[Jōdo Shinshū]] school, who emphasized salvation through Amida Buddha’s Other-Power.
* [[Dōgen|Dōgen Zenji]] (1200–1253): Founder of the Japanese [[Sōtō|Sōtō Zen]] school, who taught ''shikan taza'' (just sitting) meditation.
* [[Nichiren|Nichiren Shōnin]] (1222–1282): Founder of the [[Nichiren Buddhism|Nichiren school]], who propagated exclusive devotion to the ''Lotus Sutra''.

==See also==
* [[Enryaku-ji]], the headquarters of Tendai Buddhism on Mount Hiei
* [[Hongaku]]
* [[Kaihōgyō]]
* [[Nichiren Buddhism]], which developed the Tendai emphasis on the [[Lotus Sutra]] into a distinctive Japanese Buddhist school
* [[Tiantai]] Buddhism, the Chinese sect that Tendai developed from

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Chappell, David W. (1987). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110719234708/http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/publications/jjrs/pdf/254.pdf "Is Tendai Buddhism Relevant to the Modern World?"], ''Japanese Journal of Religious Studies'' 1987 14/2–3, pp 247–266.
* Covell, Stephen (2001). [https://web.archive.org/web/20130928173947/http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=religion_pubs "Living Temple Buddhism in Contemporary Japan: The Tendai Sect Today"], Comparative Religion Publications. Paper 1. (Dissertation, Western Michigan University)
* Groner, Paul. ''Saichō: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School''. University of Hawaii Press 2000.
* Matsunaga, Daigan; Matsunaga, Alicia (1996), Foundation of Japanese Buddhism, Vol. 1: The Aristocratic Age, Los Angeles; Tokyo: Buddhist Books International. {{ISBN|0-914910-26-4}}
* Matsunaga, Daigan, Matsunaga, Alicia (1996), Foundation of Japanese Buddhism, Vol. 2: The Mass Movement (Kamakura and Muromachi Periods), Los Angeles; Tokyo: Buddhist Books International, 1996. {{ISBN|0-914910-28-0}}
* McMullin, Neil (1984). [http://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/jiabs/article/view/8620/2527 The Sanmon-Jimon Schism in the Tendai School of Buddhism: A Preliminary Analysis], Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies 7 (1), 83–105
* Stone Jacqueline 1999. ''Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism'', University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, HI, {{ISBN|0-8248-2026-6}}.
* Swanson, Paul L.  (1986). [http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/asie_0766-1177_1986_num_2_1_877 "T'ien-t'ai Studies in Japan"], ''Cahiers d'Extrême-Asie'' 2 (2), 219–232
* [[Brook Ziporyn|Ziporyn, Brook]] (2004). "Tiantai School" in ''Encyclopedia of Buddhism'', Robert E. Buswell, Ed., McMillan USA, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-02-865910-4}}.

== Primary sources in translation ==

* Chen, Shuman. "The Liberation of Matter: Examining Jingxi Zhanran’s Philosophy of the Buddha-Nature of Insentient Beings in Tiantai Buddhism." PhD diss., Northwestern University, 2014. (Contains a translation of the Adamantine Scalpel by Zhanran)
* Yoshiko Kurata Dykstra (trans.) (1987). ''Miraculous Tales of the Lotus Sutra from Ancient Japan: The [[Hokke Genki|Dainihonkoku Hokekyōkenki]] of Priest Chingen''. University of Hawaii Press. 
* Dharmamitra, Bhiksu (Trans.) (2020). ''The'' ''Essentials of Buddhist Meditation''. Kalavinka Press.
* Dharmamitra, Bhiksu (Trans.) (2017). ''The'' ''Six Dharma Gates to the Sublime''. Kalavinka Press.
* Kubo, T., Longan, J. M., Abbott, T., Ichishima, M., & Chappell, D. W. (Trans.). (2006). ''Tendai Lotus'' ''Texts''. BDK English Tripitaka Series.
* Ichishima, Masao (1983). ''Tʻien-tʻai Buddhism: An Outline of The Fourfold Teachings by Ch'egwan'', Buddhist Translation Seminar of Hawaii.
* Pruden, L., & Swanson, P. L. (Trans.). (1995). ''The'' ''Collected Teachings of the Tendai Lotus School''. BDK English Tripitaka Series.
* Pruden, L. M., & Rhodes, R. (Trans.). (1994). ''The'' ''Essentials of the Eight traditions, and The Candle of the Latter Dharma''. BDK English Tripitaka Series.
* Reishauer, Edwin O. ''Ennin’s Diary, The Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law''. New York: Ronald Press Co., 1955.
* Reischauer, A. K. ''[https://www.academia.edu/6310675/Ojoyoshu_Collected_Essays_on_Birth_in_the_Pure_Land_by_Genshin Genshin’s Ojo Yoshu:  Collected Essays on Birth Into the Pure Land]''  (Translation of Chapters 1 and 2)
* {{cite book |last1=Stevenson |first1=Daniel B. |last2=Kanno |first2=Hiroshi |year=2006 |url=http://iriab.soka.ac.jp/orc/Publications/BPPB/pdf/BPPB-09.pdf |title=The meaning of the Lotus sūtra's course of ease and bliss: an annotated translation and study of Nanyue Huisi's (515–577) Fahua jing anlexing yi |location=Tokyo |publisher=International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology, Soka University |isbn=499806228X |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512165046/http://iriab.soka.ac.jp/orc/Publications/BPPB/pdf/BPPB-09.pdf |archive-date=2015-05-12 }}
* Swanson, Paul L. (trans. and ed.) (2018). ''Clear Serenity, Quiet Insight: T’ien-t’ai Chih-i’s Mo-ho Chih-kuan''. 3 vols. Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press.
* Swanson, Paul. L. (1989). ''Foundations of T’ien T’ai philosophy: The flowering of the two truth theory in Chinese Buddhism''. Jain Publishing Company. (Contains a partial translation of the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra by Zhiyi)
* Tam, Lum Wai (1986). [https://macsphere.mcmaster.ca/handle/11375/13706 "A Study and Translation on the Kuan-hsin-lun of Chih-i (538-597) and its Commentary by Kuan-ting (561-632)"]
* Thich Thien Tam (trans.). ''[http://read.goodweb.net.cn/PDF/p31/10Doubts.pdf Ten Doubts about Pure Land by Tien Tai Patriarch Chih I]''
* Shih, Miao Guang. [https://www.academia.edu/30123746/Annotated_Translation_of_Chapter_on_Bringing_Together Annotated Translation of "Chapter on Bringing Together the Teachings of Tiantai and ''The Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana"''] (by [[Siming Zhili]])

== External links ==
* [https://caltendai.org/ California Tendai Buddhists] California, North America
* [http://www.chohoji.or.jp/tendai_text.htm 台宗法蔵 - Chohoji] Wakayama, Japan
* [http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/ Digital Dictionary of Buddhism] (log in with userID "guest")
* [https://www.tendai.or.jp/english/index.php Enryakuji Hieizan] Main Temple of Tendai-shu, Kyoto, Japan
* [http://www.greatrivertendai.org Great River Tendai Sangha] - Washington, DC, North America
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130721181204/http://www.jsri.jp/English/Honen/LIFE/Tendai/lineage/lineage.html History of Tendai lineages] up through the end of the Heian Period, Jodo Shu Research Institute
* [https://www.tendai-usa.org/ Kongosan Eigenji] California, North America
* [https://www.tendai.org/ Tendai Buddhist Institute] - New York, North America
* [https://tendaiuk.com/ Tendai UK] Hampshire, United Kingdom
* [https://www.t-y-b-a.com/ Tendai Young Buddhist Association] Japan
* [https://www.tenryuzanji.org/ Tenryuzanji] Trento, Italy
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070405123603/http://www.tendai-us.org/ Williams archive - Tendai Buddhism] (holding page)


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[[Category:Tendai| ]]
[[Category:Schools of Buddhism founded in Japan]]
[[Category:Buddhism in the Heian period]]

{{Sannō Ichijitsu Shintō}}{{Yoga}}