11. Jitsudō Ninkū on Ordinations

Abstract

Jitsudo Ninku (1309-1388) played important roles in both the Tendai School and the Seizan branch of the Jodo School, and was one of the most prolific and insightful monastic authors of his time; he also served as abbot of two important temples. His doctrinal and administrative concerns come together in his proposals to reform the ordination system on Mount Hiei. Part one of this essay is an investigation of the procedures followed in ordi nations, focusing on an argument about whether Tendai monks should receive investiture in comprehensive (tsuju) or in separate {betsuju). Part two is an examination of how the ordination cer emony generates the karmic essence (kaitai) of the precepts. Part three explores Ninku's argument that ordinations were suitable for worldlings (bonbu). Even as he was attempting to strengthen monastic discipline, he maintained that the precepts were suitable for ignorant worldlings in a coun try distant from India during mappo (the period of the final decline of Buddha's Dharma). Part four outlines Ninku s criticisms of two competing views of the precepts that arose among Tendai monks: the mix of ordinations and Esoteric consecrations represented by the consecrated ordination (kaikanjo) tradition that developed within the Kurodani lineage of the Tendai School and the use of the 250 precepts of the Sifenlu brought back to Japan by the monk Shunjo (1166-1227) of Sennytiji.