Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

DDB Top Page 
 
 
  XML source

惠果

Pronunciations

Basic Meaning: Huiguo

Senses:

  • (746–806) Chinese esoteric master acknowledged as one of the eight patriarchs of the doctrine 傅授八祖 in Shingon lineages. Born in Chang'an 長安, he became a Buddhist novice at nine years of age. In 763, Amoghavajra 不空金剛 began teaching him dhāraṇīs and meditation techniques. Five years later, he had been initiated into the Susiddhi 蘇悉地經 and Vajradhātu 金剛界 practices by Amoghavajra, also receiving the Matrix realm practices 胎藏法 from Xuanchao 玄超, a disciple of Śubhakarasiṃha 善無畏. By 779 Huiguo was acknowledged as the most outstanding of Amoghavajraʼs disciples and began reporting directly to the throne. A year later he met the Javanese pilgrim Bianhong 辯弘, who had detoured to Chang'an on his way to India, and initiated him into the practices of the Matrix realm. He similarly initiated the Silla monks Hye-Il 慧日 and Ojin 悟眞 into the Susiddhi and Vajradhātu practices respectively. In 805, when close to death, he met the then-unknown Japanese monk Kūkai 空海 and, recognizing him as his successor, transmitted everything he could during the next few months, including the complete ritual and textual tradition of the Vairocanâbhisaṃbodhi 大日經 and Tattvasaṃgraha 金剛頂經. Huiguo died shortly afterwards, and Kūkai composed his epitaph for a grand state-sponsored funeral. In China, Huiguo was succeeded by several other disciples who in turn trained the next generation of Japanese pilgrims. The sole canonical text attributed to him is The Eighteen Gestures 十八契印 [T 900 p.781–5] [Iain Sinclair]
  • Search SAT
  • Search INBUDS Database

    • Feedback

    [Dictionary References]

    Chūgoku bukkyōshi jiten (Kamata) 078

    Bukkyō jiten (Ui) 235, 77

    Bulgyo sajeon 942a

    Iwanami bukkyō jiten 218

    Japanese-English Buddhist Dictionary (Daitō shuppansha) 169a/186

    Zen Dust (Sasaki) 191

    Fo Guang Dictionary 4941

    Ding Fubao

    Index to the Bussho kaisetsu daijiten (Ono) 187

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)836c,1905b,2808b

    Copyright provisions

    The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

    Entry created: 1997-09-15

    Updated: 2021-12-01