Saicho: The Establishment of the Japanese Tendai School

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Focusing on Saicho, a pivotal figure in Japanese Buddhism, this study explores his establishment of the influential monastic center on Mount Hiei and his innovative adoption of the Mahayana bodhisattva precepts for ordination. This groundbreaking decision significantly impacted Japanese Buddhist ethics, monastic practices, the relationship between clergy and laypeople, and the philosophical evolution of Buddhism in relation to the state. The edition features a new preface by the author, enhancing the understanding of Saicho's lasting legacy.