“The Stage of Faith of Ordinary People” in Myōe’s Kegon shinshu gi

Abstract

Myōe’s Kegon shinshu gi (Shinshu gi, 1221) was written at the request of Kamo Hisatsugu. This work, based on his interpretation of “the stage of faith” in the Kegon shuzen kanshō nyugedatsu mongi (Gedatsu mongi, 1220), mentions “the accomplishment of faith” of those who are not monks.

In the Gedatsu mongi, Myōe explains that monks must practice the five stages to become a Buddha. In the chapter of “the stage of faith,” he illustrates “the accomplishment of faith” of the monks mainly with “the ten virtues of the Tathāgata” in Li Tongxuan’s Xin Huayan jinglun and “the ten profound dharmas” in Fazang’s Tanxuanji.

The Shinshu gi, based on the content above, develops in a different way from the Gedatsu mongi. He notes that “faith” comes to fruition by relating “the ten virtues of the Tathāgata” directly to “the ten profound dharmas.”

In this paper, I reveal two points by considering the Shinshu gi, which was written for the laity. One is that “accomplishment” and “profundity” concerning “the stage of faith of ordinary people” have a close relation to each other. The other is that “the stage of faith” is not only accomplished but also deepened due to Buddha’s encouragement.