Training Through Debates in Medieval Tendai and Seizan-ha Temples

This article focuses on the debate system formulated by monks surrounding Jitsudō Ninkū (1309–1388), a figure who played an important role in both Tendai and Jōdoshū Seizan-ha. A large amount of doctrinal literature from this group has been published in recent years, including debates and extensive lectures on the Tendai, Esoteric Buddhism, Pure Land, and Mahayana Vinaya (Fanwangjing) traditions. By focusing on sets of monastery rules and the colophons written by these monks, details emerge of a training system that focused on doctrinal study, lecture, and debate. The care with which these texts were composed and revised suggests the vitality of their tradition.