Paper short abstract:

This presentation examines esoteric ritual manuals in the Early Modern period, focusing on the ‘Asaba shō’ compendium. ‘Asaba shō’ came to be adopted throughout the Tendai sect,and also in other sects during that period. I trace its increasing diffusion in both manuscript and print editions.

Paper long abstract:

The Doctrinal and scholastic element in esoteric Buddhism (kyōsō 教相, implying the particular character of a school's teachings) was not limited to textual study. It involved direct transmission from master to disciple via personal instruction (menju 面授) and oral transmissions (kuju 口授). This form of transmission was typical of esoteric Buddhism until the Middle Ages.

The praxis element (jisō 事相 "phenomena") of esoteric Buddhism underwent a codification in the Middle Ages in both the Tendai and Shingon sects. One of the key forms of codification was esoteric ritual procedure manuals known as shidai 次第. Shidai manuals dealing with esoteric rites that had a buddha or bodhisattva as the main object of worship took shape within Tendai, and were brought out in the latter half of the Kamakura period as the text entitled 'Asaba shō' 阿娑縛抄 (The 'Anthology of A, Sa and Va'). This text was copied and passed down in manuscript form within a certain Tendai tradition, the Nishiyama lineage (Nishiyama-ryū 西山流).

Esoteric ritual procedure manuals underwent two important changes during the Early Modern period. Firstly, the 'Asaba shō' came to be copied in considerable numbers throughout the Tendai sect regardless of branch or lineage. This Early Modern proliferation is the reason many copies of the 'Asaba shō' remain extant across Japan. 'Asaba shō' was also taken up in other sects, such as Jōdo and Jōdo Shinshū, during the Early Modern period. Secondly, some parts of esoteric ritual manuals came to be produced in woodblock print. This presentation examines the changing face of esoteric ritual manuals during the Early Modern period, focusing on the main collection of Tendai ritual procedures, the 'Asaba shō'.