Saicho 767 – 822
Saicho (767 – 822) was a Japanese philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Buddhism.
Saicho, posthumously known as Dengyo Daishi, was a Japanese Buddhist monk and the founder of the Tendai school in Japan. After studies in China at the great Tiantai monastery on Mount Tiantai, he returned to establish a comprehensive monastic and educational complex on Mount Hiei outside Kyoto, which would become for centuries the leading center of Japanese Buddhist learning. His thought emphasized the universal Buddha-nature inherent in all beings and the harmony of meditation, doctrine, esoteric practice, and monastic discipline. From Mount Hiei, the founders of Pure Land, Zen, and Nichiren Buddhism would later go out.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Japanese
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Buddhism
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Saicho:
“All beings have Buddha-nature.”
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Attributed to Saicho:
“The lamp of the Dharma shines in this corner of the world.”
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Attributed to Saicho:
“True wisdom is inseparable from compassion for all beings.”
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Attributed to Saicho:
“What is essential to a sangha is not its outward form but its inward devotion.”
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Attributed to Saicho:
“Each one of us, however ordinary, is the seed of a future Buddha.”
Frequently asked about Saicho
- When did Saicho live?
- Saicho was born in 767 and died in 822.
- Where was Saicho from?
- Saicho was a Japanese philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Saicho associated with?
- Saicho was associated with Buddhism.
- What was Saicho known for?
- Saicho, posthumously known as Dengyo Daishi, was a Japanese Buddhist monk and the founder of the Tendai school in Japan.
- How many quotes are attributed to Saicho?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Saicho in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.