Customer Reviews

Kukai: Major Works (UNESCO Collection of Representative Works: Japanese Series)

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This book was designed to introduce the non-Japanese world to Shingon Buddhism and the writings of its founder, Kukai (aka Kobo Daishi), and it does a good job at it. In the first third of the book, Hakeda provides useful biographical, historical, and doctrinal background. Translations of Kukai's writings follow, presented with clarity and nuance. The syle is lucid and elegant, if at times gender-biased and a bit stodgy. (This was first published in 1972 and took years to prepare.)

Kukai himself introduced Vajrayana Buddhism to Japan, much as Padmasambhava brought it to Tibet. His purpose as a writer, then, was to present his teachings in such a way as to preserve their integrity while ensuring their comprehensibility to an audience unfamiliar with this teaching. He did this brilliantly, singlehandedly founding a school of practice that is still alive and open for inquiries. For these reasons, Kukai's writings are a good place to start inquiring into Vajrayana practice generally.

In one passage that stands out particularly, a Buddhist monk exchanges questions and answers with an unnamed "patriot," who argues that the practice of Buddhism is actually a waste of the nation's resources, and therefore is nothing but trouble. (This may sound familiar to contemporary Buddhists, especially in the U.S.) You'll have to read the book to see how Kukai responds.

I'm grateful to Kukai and Prof. Hakeda for making these teachings available here and now.

Happy inquiry...

There has perhaps been no other more influential force in Japanese religious and societal beliefs than Kobo Daishi Kukai. This book tells the life of this colorful saint of the Japanese people, and presents an explanation of his thoughts and teachings. Here, the major religious writings of Kukai are translated, allowing the reader to glimpse at the depths of Japanese esoteric thought.

I'm currently researching famous Japanese figures for a novel I'm writing. I purchased a few books focused on Kukai and Shingon Buddhism and this was definitely the most informative in getting a real understanding of Kukai, Shingon Buddhism, and the impact Kukai made upon Japan. The book is very thorough and feels incredibly authentic. Kukai made such a huge impact on Japan and it's sad that most of the western world does not even know he existed. This book was easy to pick up and read. Even one who barely understands Buddhism in general could benefit from this book, though it does go in-depth for the more experienced reader/researcher.

Kukai, more commonly known in Japan as "Kobo Daishi" or just "Odaishisama" is one of the pre-eminent figures in Japanese Buddhist history. His life and his work are still the stuff of legend in contemporary Japanese culture, as well as the Buddhist world there. What makes Kukai such an extraordinary figure was his talent for grasping difficult Buddhist teachings, but eloquently teaching them to a wide variety of people through his writings and through the esoteric rituals in Shingon Buddhism.

Books on Kukai in English are few and often scholarly, and difficult to read, but Professor Hakeda's book is a look both at the life and accomplishments of Kukai, an overview of his teachings, but also translated samples of his writings. The history and teaching sections alone are interesting, and worth a read, but it's also a great opportunity to read Shingon Buddhist writings that are otherwise very difficult hard to find outside of Japan. Kukai was a master of esoteric Buddhism, so at times his writings can seem very obtuse (hence the need for training under a reputable Shingon priest in good-standing), but other times his writings are brilliantly Buddhist and really speak to important matters.

For those looking for a broad overview of Kukai and his teachings, this is a great place to start.