A Study of Simplified Ajikan Meditation

Abstract

This study investigates the simplification of Ajikan（阿字観）meditation, focusing on the practices at the Koyasan Tokyo Betsuin（ 高野山東京別 院）temple centrally located in Tokyo. Ajikan is a meditation unique to the Shingon sect of Buddhism in which the practitioner gazes at the letter“ A （阿）”in Sanskrit. The monks instructing practitioners in Ajikan meditation have transformed their explanation of Ajikan since 1990, reflecting the opinion of the participants seeking to create a simpler way of practice. Consequently, practitioners no longer chant mantras or use images. Even with a simplified meditation, however, participants experience a release of the pain owing to social life. In addition, members who have been participating since a longtime volunteer to help others prepare for Ajikan. In comparison to the case of groups of Zen Buddhists meditating together, Ajikan members consider themselves simply to be helping the temple and the leader. In contrast, Zen members consider helping the temple and other activities to be Zen and a religious practice. Such a difference comes from the absence of Ajikan members identity, such as Koji,（ 居士）as Zen members are addressed. On the contrary, the important term in the simplified Ajikan is Odaishisama (Kukai), the founder of the Shingon sect. Both the priest and the participants believe that because Ajikan was created by Kukai, the mystical power is still present in the simplified Ajikan.