The Grand Master Kūkai: Founder of Esoteric Shingon Buddhism

During his intense spiritual quest, he had a vision: a being appeared to him in the form of a man and told him that what he sought could be found in the Mahavairocana text. In order to gain a fuller understanding of this tantric Buddhist text, Kūkai decided to visit China. In 804, at 31, Kūkai undertook a dangerous voyage, crossing the Sea of Japan to study with the great masters in China and bring the teachings back home. His destination was Chang’an, the capital of the Tang dynasty and the center of Buddhist learning of Asia.