On Bonshakuji as the Penultimate Buddhist Temple to Protect the State in Early Japanese History

During the 740s in Japan, emperor established Buddhist temples nearly all provinces, which three scriptures were chanted to avert natural disasters. Tōdaiji, recently constructed capital, was head temple of a network Temples Bright Golden Light and Four Heavenly Kings Protect State. The principal scripture followed these Sūtra, translated from Sanskrit into Chinese Tang China at beginning 8th century. This article investigates history an understudied example one temples, called Bonshakuji. Emperor Kanmu (r. 781–806) repurposed it 786 after introduction novel rituals protect state. It had among most important libraries, came rival perhaps only that Tōdaiji through 12th I also examine how why scholar officials powerful monastics, particularly those associated with so-called esoteric Tendai Shingon Enryakuji Miidera, Tōji Daigoji, respectively, utilized library Bonshakuji older state protection texts kept there preserve early Japanese state-supported worldmaking efforts long become virtually bankrupt.