Tendai Hongaku Philosophy and Time

Abstract

This paper discusses the time concept of Tendai hongaku 本覚 philosophy. The Sanjushika no kotogaki 三十四箇事書, one of the main Tendai hongaku texts, states that eternal and present are coming together and dissolving into oneness. It leads to the “eternal now.” In addition, we can see present, past and future at the same time in other spaces as well as this space, although the spaces have their own time. This time concept seems to belong to eternalism, which states that there are things that exist at other times. As a result it leads to the creation of art and literature. However, it is also related to the negative sides of Tendai hongaku philosophy such as discrimination, because the future is already decided.