Enchin

Who was Enchin?

Enchin was a Japanese Buddhist monk who founded of the Jimon School of Tendai Buddhism, and Chief Abbot of Miidera at the foot of Mount Hiei. After succeeding to the post of Tendai Zasu, or Chief Tendai Abbot, in 873, a strong rivalry developed between his followers and those of Ennin's at the Enryakuji;.

The rivalry was largely geographical, and was not based much on sectarian differences over interpretations of practice or doctrine; nevertheless, the friction between the followers of the two zasu finally broke out into a violent conflict. Rivalres between the followers of different zasu were not anything new at that time. During his twelve years on Hiei, Enchin himself saw a conflict between direct disciples of Saichō and the disciples of his own master, the second Tendai zasu Gishin. After the death of Gishin his main follower Enshu was elected to be the third zasu but Enchō and Kosho objected and finally forced Enshu and his followers to leave Mount Hiei.

Most significantly, Enchin united the Tendai school's teachings with those of Esoteric Buddhism, and interpreted the Lotus Sutra from the point of view of the Esoteric teachings as well as used Tendai terminology in order to explain the esoteric Mahavairocana Sutra.