Episode 2 | Kukai, the Religious Figure in Action — When Prayer Becomes Movement

Kukai was not a person who sought to lead others.

To me,
he appears as a religious figure who spent his entire life
creating 'spaces' where people could remember their inherent power.

This magazine is also
an attempt to quietly approach that way of life.

This time, I would like to start with a small question.

Why did Kukai 'keep moving' so much?

When people think of a religious figure,
many might imagine someone secluded in the mountains practicing asceticism.
However, as I continued to read about Kukai,
I began to envision a religious figure who, while being a man of prayer,
naturally walked into the center of society, into the field, and into the very midst of human suffering.

During my days at graduate school engaging with Kukai's philosophy,
this question remained with me the entire time.

The more I read,
'He must have been unable to keep from moving,'
that feeling gradually grew stronger.

◆ A religious figure who did not separate thought from practice

One of the major characteristics of Kukai—or rather, of Esoteric Buddhism—is that
it did not separate thought (ri) from practice (ji)that is.

A central concept in Esoteric Buddhism is the 'Three Mysteries' (Sanmitsu).
Body, speech, and mind—
actions, words, and the heart.

This is not merely a theory of practice,
but contains a deep understanding of humanity itself, suggesting that a state where what one thinks, what one says, and what one actually does are one and the same is the path to approaching the truth.

Kukai himself did not just speak of these Three Mysteries as a philosophy,
he embodied them as a way of life.

Prayer does not end as just prayer.
Philosophy does not remain only within philosophy.

There is action on the extension of prayer,
and at the root of action, there is always prayer.

That is why there is little hesitation in Kukai's movements,
and a quiet conviction resides within them.

◆ 'Prayer' always resided in Kukai's actions

Kukai's actions, in modern terms,
might look like 'project management ability'.

The founding of Mount Koya
The establishment of an educational institution (Shugei Shuchi-in)
Participation in civil engineering projects
Innovation in culture and art
Exchanges connecting local areas with the center

All of these are far too large and diverse
for a single religious figure to undertake.

However, I do not think Kukai
acted out of a desire to 'accomplish something great.'

・To reduce the suffering of people, even if only a little
・To open a space where people can realize their true selves
・To make the truth of the world something everyone can experience

Perhaps it was that quiet prayer
that naturally moved his feet forward.

Action is prayer given form.
Prayer is what breathes life into action.

For Kukai, these two were never separate things.

◆ Translating for Modern Leaders

Action means 'moving your own axis'

The theory of leadership that can be read from Kukai's actions
is actually very simple.

Action is the endeavor of extending your own axis into the outside world.

It is not just moving to achieve a goal,
nor is it continuing to move while being chased by busyness.

It is the act of gently offering the conviction
held within to the outside world.

That is precisely why action moves people,
creates culture, and generates empathy.

Could the same not be said for modern leaders?

・Philosophy alone does not move people
・Know-how alone does not sustain
・Instructions alone do not make people follow

People are moved
when they feel trust in a figure whose thoughts and actions are consistent.

I believe Kukai was a religious practitioner who lived that consistency
with his body, speech, and mind.

◆ How can we who live today utilize the 'active religious practitioner'?

The way Kukai approached action
can be directly applied to modern business and organizational management.

① Place the source of action within yourself

If you continue to move according to the expectations of others or trends, your heart will become exhausted.
Kukai always acted from 'inner questions.'
That is likely why he was able to remain steady, avoid burnout, and continue for a long time.

② Treating action itself as "prayer"

Prayer is an attitude that is not solely fixated on results.
A quiet conviction that each daily step connects to someone's future.
That sense gives depth to one's actions.

③ "Illuminating" an organization rather than "leading" it

What Kukai did was not to give instructions, but to prepare the setting.
He shone a light, creating an environment where people wanted to act on their own.
A leader may not be someone who shows the way, but rather
someone who illuminates the path so it can be seen.

◆ The essence of action lies in "stillness"

Kukai's actions, while bold, were
clothed in stillness.

That is likely because
they were actions born not from impatience or ambition,
but from a clear inner state.

In the modern age, where we are rushed for results, chased by information,
and living in competition,
action accompanied by stillnessfeels more important than ever.

Like Kukai,
a leader who acts from inner stillness
brings deep peace and a clear sense of direction to an organization.

◆ Next Episode Preview — Looking at the "Source of the Power to Connect"

In Episode 3, we will explore the
astonishing "power to connect" that Kukai possessed.

Between people,
between wisdom and knowledge,
between the center and the regions,
between cultures,
and between reality and prayer.

Behind Kukai's ability to dissolve boundaries to such an extent and
build rich relationships
lies the unique worldview of Esoteric Buddhism.

And that perspective
provides hints that are still relevant today for organizational development and human resource cultivation.

I hope you will read the next installment as well.