Early Heian Period Shuzen 修善

Abstract

After the arrival of Buddhism, shuzen 修善 （“cultivating good acts”） was encouraged in Japan and its merits were preached. In the Rikkokushi 六国史, compiled from the late eighth to the early tenth century, shuzen meant the reading of sūtras, making donations, enabling persons to take the tonsure, and so on. Also in the same text shuzen for the elimination of misfortune was sometimes combined with repentance for transgressions. However, in Fujiwara no Tadahira’s 藤原忠平 diary, Teishinkōki 貞信公記, it is not clear what Buddhist activities were conducted as shuzen, and some entries indicate that shuhō 修法 （esoteric Buddhist rituals） were considered as such. In contrast to the case in the Rikkokushi, I did not find any Teishinkōki entries indicating that repentance for transgressions was carried out as part of a set before or after shuzen. Moreover, there is an entry in the Teishinkōki about separately engaging in sūtra reading at the same time as shuzen. From this entry, we can infer that most of the shuzen in the Teishinkōki refer to shuhō, as is the case in Fujiwara no Michinaga’s 藤原道長 Midō kanpakuki 御堂関白記, rather than “Buddhist good acts” such as the reading of sūtras found in the Rikkokushi.