HAA 0640 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Avatamsaka Sutra, Unified Buddhist Church, Mahayana
25 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Built to express union of kingship and faith. Used as one of the instruments by which a ruler created a unified state. Buddhist deities would protect the country and its ruling families if the rulers supported. Modeled after other monuments of state buddhism in east asia. Both building and image at todaiji were constructed following chinese models for state buddhism. Emperor shomu used the spiritual message of birushana/vairocana (the universal or cosmic buddha") as a centralizing spiritual force to justify the spread of imperial authority throughout japan. The massive buddha at todaiji proclaimed the authority of the state and the emperor. Main deity is vairocana, the cosmic deity, who illuminates both the spiritual and physical realms. This buddha is vast enough to cover the entire universe; thus, large statues. Todaiji became the japanese hq for the kegon sect. Devout buddhist; was the main force behind the building project.
