Dà fódǐng jīng kāití 大佛頂經開題
Introductory Exegesis on the Great-Buddha-Crown Sūtra (Śūraṅgama) (Jp. Daibutchō-gyō kaidai) by 空海 Kōnghǎi (Kūkai, 撰)
About the work
Kūkai’s introductory exegesis (kāití / kaidai) on the Śūraṅgama-sūtra (KR6j0118, T19n0945) — alongside his kāití on the Mahāvairocana-sūtra (KR6j0002) and the Vajraśekhara-sūtra (KR6j0025, KR6j0026).
Abstract
Kūkai’s Daibutchō kaidai presents the Esoteric reading of the Śūraṅgama-sūtra’s title and opening sections. The title element Dà fódǐng 大佛頂 (“Great-Buddha-Crown”) is unfolded as the cosmic Buddhoṣṇīṣa — the Esoteric uṣṇīṣa doctrine that identifies the Buddha’s uṣṇīṣa with the cosmic dharmakāya. The Śūraṅgama-mantra itself is read as the cosmic dhāraṇī of the dharmakāya. The composition dates from Kūkai’s mature Tō-ji / Mt. Kōya period (815–835).
Translations and research
- Kōbō-Daishi Kūkai zenshū. Tokyo: Chikuma Shobō, 1983–1986.