The Tiantai Rituals as Seen by Ennin 円仁: The Relationship with the Hokke-senbō 法華懺法

Abstract

This study examines the issue of the establishment of the Hokke-senbō based on records concerning Ennin’s visit to Tang China. According to the biography of Ennin, Jikaku daishiden 慈覚大師伝, he introduced the Hokke-senbō to Japan, and previous studies have interpreted it in this way. However, it is not possible to confirm these facts from the inventory of books brought by Ennin from Tang China, or from his diary, Nittō guhō junrei kōki 入唐求法巡礼行記. Therefore, this study concludes that it is difficult to know, based on his biography, whether Ennin introduced the Hokke-senbō to Japan, and that further study is needed.