Preface to "Dengyo Daishi's Life and Teachings"

The year 2006 was memorable to Tendai because it was the 1200th year since Tendai Buddhism was authorized as an officially recognized Buddhist School by the Japanese Imperial court on January 26th, 806 C.E.. Dengyō Daishi (Saichō), the founder of Japanese Tendai Buddhism, believed in the teaching of Ekayana (One Vehicle); everyone is equal and anyone can attain spiritual awakening. He was authorized to educate and train monks to spread this teachings based on One Vehicle.

Dengyō Daishi’s wish was for official recognition of Tendai, and along with that, each school of Buddhism in Japan at that time co-exists in order to relieve the suffering of all sentient beings. Because of this, when the imperial court authorized Tendai, the court also established the number of monks for each school of Buddhism.

Since then, Tendai has transmitted the Light of the Dharma, the teaching of Dengyō Daishi, for 1200 years, producing many schools of Buddhism. Mt. Hiei is known as the Mother Mountain of Japanese Buddhism, and has been an important source of Japanese culture.

The first Religious Summit Meeting on Mt. Hiei - The Interreligious Gathering of Prayer for World Peace - was held by inviting representatives of religious organizations from around the world in 1987. Since that time, we have held the event yearly, and will host the 20th Anniversary of the Prayer for Peace in August of 2007.

We firmly believe that these activities beyond the denominations and sects of Japanese Buddhism, as well as the world’s great religious traditions are in accord with our founder, Dengyō Daishi’s spirit. Saichō’s life and teachings are the root of the 1200-year history of Tendai Buddhism in Japan. It is our great desire that Tendai Buddhism will be understood by people around the world through this booklet.

V. Ven. Kōrei Hamanaka

Administrative Director of Tendai Headquarters

Japan, 2007

[SOURCE]

 Altogether 26 denominations and sects of Japanese Buddhism went up Mt. Hiei, the Tendai spiritual headquarters, for the Commemorative Service for the 1200-Year Anniversary of the Establishment of Tendai Buddhism in Japan, held in October of 2005. They conducted the services at the Konpon Chūdō, the main ritual hall of Enryakuji, on Mt. Hiei on that occasion.