Martial Arts Of The World - Webs

ticipation in public ceremonies not only reinforced hierarchical distinctions
within the lineage, but also constituted public notice of a martial lineage’s
assertion of authority within that locality. Anyone who attempted to introduce
a rival martial art lineage in that same area would risk retaliation by
the established lineage as well as religious sanctions. Acceptance of a martial
art plaque by a temple or shrine, therefore, sanctified that lineage’s local
hegemony.
Tutelary deities and their institutions functioned as local agents for the
Japanese form of East Asian Buddhism usually known—using the designation
popularized by Kuroda Toshio [98] (1926–1993)—as exoteric-esoteric
(kenmitsu [99]) systems. In premodern Japan almost all Buddhist lineages
(e.g., Hossô [100], Nichiren [101], Sanron [102], Shingon [103], Shugendô
[104], Tendai [105], Zen [106]), as well as priestly lineages now considered
non-Buddhist (e.g., Shintô), taught to greater or lesser degrees variations of
these exoteric-esoteric systems. This form of Buddhism integrated exoteric
doctrines, especially impermanence (mujô [107]) and no-self (muga [108])
as taught in the Agama scriptures and emptiness (kû [109]) and consciousness-only
(yuishiki [110]) as taught in the Mahayana scriptures, with esoteric
tantric rituals as taught in Vajrayana scriptures to produce all-encompassing
systems of metaphysical resemblances. These resemblances were
illustrated by means of cosmogonic diagrams (mandalas) that depict how
the single undifferentiated realm of the Buddha’s bliss, knowledge, and
power unfolds to appear as infinitely diverse yet illusory realms within
which ignorant beings suffer. All the objects, sounds, and movements depicted
in these mandala diagrams can be manipulated ritually to transform
one level of reality into the other. In particular, mandalas were projected
outward to become the physical landscape of Japan, especially the mountains
and precincts of temple-shrine (jisha [111]) organizations, and were
absorbed inward to become the individual bodies of practitioners. In this
way local gods became temporal manifestations (gongen [112]) of universal
Buddhas, and all the places and practices of daily life became ciphers of
cosmic meaning.
Knowledge of the secret significance of these ciphers allowed priests
to define, literally, the terms of public discourse and thereby to control all
aspects of cultural production, from religious rituals to government ceremonies,
from poetry to military strategies. Enterprises gained respectability
through their associations with prominent religious institutions that inscribed
them with the secret signs of Buddhas and gods (butsujin [113]).
The basis of all social positions, employment, and products would be
traced back to divine origins. All activities, even killing, were justified
through association with divine models. The tools of all trades were visualized
as mandalas that mapped the locations and links between Buddhas
Religion and Spiritual Development: Japan 489