Two seemingly contradictory aspects of the teaching of innate enlightenment (hongaku) in medieval Japan

Abstract

The Sanjfi-shi ka no kotogaki [The thirty-four item report] is one of the most representative works in the tradition of hongaku thought in the Japanese medieval Tendai school. Two seemingly contradictory aspects can be found when analyzing the theory found in this text. The first aspect is the absolute affirmation of this world on the basis of the principle of selfconsistency, which seems to require no practice for realizing enlightenment. The second is the realization of enlightenment at the degree of verbal identity, that is, the second stage of the Tendai six degrees of identity; although this is considered the easiest way of realizing enlightenment, it nevertheless involves practice and thus is not the same as the absolute affirmation of the world. This contradiction saved hongaku teachings from falling into complete corruption.