The Main Religion of the Heian Period Two Buddhist sects, Tendai and Shingon, dominated religion in the Heian period. The word tendai means heavenly platform, and the word shingon means true word. Bothof them belonged to the Mahayana, Great Vehicle, branch of Buddhism originating inIndia, and both of them were imported from China by the Japanese court at the beginningof the ninth century. In their new surroundings, the sects came to terms with the changefrom the centralized monarchy of early Heian times to aristocratic familism. Together thespread throughout the countryside, absorbing Shinto in the process, and became a fruitfulsource of artistic inspiration. In those years, two prominent scholar-monks, Saicho andKukai, each at the height of his powers, returned to Japan from a period of study in China. Tendai Buddhism Saicho, the founder of Tendai Buddhism, was born in 767 in the province of Omiinto Mitsuomi family, who were originally immigrants from China. His father was such adevout Buddhist that their house was turned into a temple. At the age of 12, Saichoentered the Kokubunji monastery of Omi and became a disciple of Gyohyo where hereceived his first ordination at the age of 14 (in 785 C.E.) His life was relativelyuneventful up until this point, until he received his complete ordination at the age of 19. Then, three months after his ordination he went to live in a small hermitage on MountainHiei.In 788, Saicho established the Hienzanji temple where the carved image ofYakushi the healing Buddha is a central image. It was sometime during this period that hebegan studying Ti'en-t'ai scriptures. As a devoutly religious idealist, Saicho was veryimpressed by the undiscriminating and universal aspects of Ti'en T'ai and thought the Teachings would be a welcome change to the somewhat sterile theology of the Six NaraSects of the day.The mood of the Nara sects was scholastic rather than devotional, and the majorNara practices wer...
