Shingon Buddhism is one of the major schools of Buddhism in Japan and one of the few surviving Vajrayana lineages in East Asia, originally spread from India to China through traveling monks such as Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra.
What type of Buddhism is Shingon?
Shingon, (Japanese: “True Word”) branch of Vajrayana (Tantric, or Esoteric) Buddhism that has had a considerable following in Japan since its introduction from China, where it was called Zhenyan (“True Word”), in the 9th century.
What did Shingon Buddhists believe?
The goal of Shingon is the realization that one's nature is identical with Mahavairocana, a goal that is achieved through initiation, meditation and esoteric ritual practices. This realization depends on receiving the secret doctrines of Shingon, transmitted orally to initiates by the school's masters.