Jīngāngjiè jìngdì jì 金剛界淨地記
Notes on the Pure-Ground Practice of the Vajra-Realm by 圓仁 (撰)
About the work
A single-fascicle ritual-procedural notebook by Ennin 圓仁 (Jikaku Daishi, 794–864) on the Vajra-realm (jin-gang-jie 金剛界, Vajra-dhātu) initial-purification rites — the jìngdì 淨地 (“pure-ground”) mudra and the accompanying mantra sequence that opens the Vajra-realm liturgical session. The work is the second in Ennin’s five-text esoteric ritual record series (KR6t0083–KR6t0087) and the canonical Hiei-zan source for the Vajra-realm opening procedure.
Abstract
Authorship is unambiguous. Date must be Ennin’s post-Tang teaching period, 847–864 CE.
The work opens with the Pure-Ground Mudra (淨地印): “Lotus añjali. The ten degrees [fingers] are straight up together. This is the lotus-añjali. The Closing-the-Bolt verse says: ‘The first two seal-cords come together as the lotus-blossom.’ The Mystery-Dharma [section] says: ‘The Pure-Ground mudra is the same as the dharma-realm-arising mudra. The two hands each separately form fists, the side erect; the two head-fingers’ tips are placed against each other — this is it.‘” The text then unfolds the sequence of opening rites: (1) the Pure-Body mantra with the lotus-añjali; (2) the Pure-Three-Karmas ritual with the hūṃ-syllable placed mentally on body, tongue, and heart (hūṃ is golden); (3) the Three-Mystery Protection (三密護身) using the lotus-mudra with the hūṃ visualization; (4) the Vajra-Sattva Hand-Mudra for the chief Vajra-realm deity; (5) the Five-Pronged Vajra Mudra as the chief sign of the Vajra-section; (6) the Five-Wisdom Crown Empowerment.
The text records, as a copy-colophon, Enkyō 4 = 1747 CE, 7th month, 18th day: “*The Tendai-mountain Red-Maple-Stream Niangzōng *Hyō-shin 韻眞, Bishop, head of the ritual examination, at the Ōmi-province Enryaku-ji Tō-tō Nan-kan Kichijō Yoga ritual hall, recorded this; I petition that in life-after-life I may receive and uphold it in service to sentient beings.” Signed: “Tendai-mountain śramaṇa Jitsurei 實靈, age 30.” This is the 1747 reading-mark copy of the original Ennin text.
The work pairs with KR6t0083 (the Garbha-realm parallel) and forms part of Ennin’s foundational documentation of Tang Shingon ritual procedure for Japanese transmission.
Translations and research
- Edwin O. Reischauer, Ennin’s Diary (New York: Ronald Press, 1955), for the Tang ritual context.
- Misaki Ryōshū 三崎良周, Taimitsu no kenkyū (Tokyo: Sōbunsha, 1988).