I. Phases of Heian Politics

   A. Reinvigoration of the imperial throne (794-900)

        1. Kammu's move to Heian-kyo

        2. Imperial police (kebiishi) established

        3. Bureau of Archives established

        4. Legal reforms to improve bureaucracy

        5. Fujiwara Assistance

            a. Nakatomi no Kamatari & the Taika Reforms

            b. Fujiwara Fuhito (659-720) initiated marriage politics

            c. Fujiwara Momokawa (732-779) exiled Dokyo

            d. Fujiwara Tanetsugu (735-85) --- move to Nagaoka

            e. Fujiwara Yoshifusa (804-72) first regent

    B. Eclipse of the Fujiwara (900-60)

         1. Imperial rule without regent (Uda, Daigo, Murakami)

          2. Engi shiki law code promulgated in Engi 5 (910)

          3. Three-fold tax (land/labor/produce) exacted

          4. Commendation (kishin) and shoen

    C. Fujiwara Ascendancy (960-1068)

         1. sekkan seiji politics: imperial regents

          2. Fujiwara Michinaga (966-1027)

              a. fathered four empresses

              b. grandfathered three emperors

     D. Cloistered Emperor System (insei)

           1. Go-Sanjo (not of Fujiwara stock) inititated this

           2. Shirakawa established In-no-cho "Office of Retired Emperor"

II. Rise of Bushi (Samurai)

    A. bushi increasingly dominated hinterlands

    B. conscript force of ritsuryo system dead

    C. Buddhist temple armies 

    D. Mappo "Final Age of the Lay" Mentality

    E. Hogen Disturbance (1156)

         1. Go-Shirakawa sought to strengthen imperial throne

          2. allied with Taira Kiyomori & Minamoto Yoshitomo

          3. Fujiwara strength reduced

    F. Heiji Disturbance (1160)

         1. Minamoto Yoshitomo eliminated by Taira

         2. Kiyomori's power rivals imperial line

         3. Return to uji-based, regional authority of pre-Taika

III. Politics and Religion

    A. Tendai Buddhism

         1. Chinese origins

              a. Zhiyi (538-597) founded Tiantai

                   i. supposedly synthesized Mahayana & Theravada

                   ii. emphasis on the Lotus Sutra

                   iii. three truths: emptiness, temporariness, both & beyond

               b. Sui (581-609) dynasty promoted Tiantai

           2. Transfer to Japan

                a. Saicho (767-822) Dengyo Daishi

                     i. Vow of Uninterrupted Study of the Lotus Sutra

                     ii. Regulations for Students of the Mountain School

                     iii. Defender of the Nation

                     iv. Mahayana Meditation

                 b. three-fold nature of the bodhisattva

                      i. treasure of the nation

                      ii. teacher of the nation

                      iii. bureaucrat of the nation

                 c. Tendai doctrines

                      i. three truths in one mind

                      ii. five periods of the Buddhist Law (mappo)

                  d. Mt. Hiei

                       i. Enryakuji "Temple of the Enryaku Period"

                       ii. "Apology for Tendai Ordination Rights"

    B. Shingon Buddhism

         1. Kukai (774-835) Kobo Daishi

              a. Indications of the Goals of the Three Teachings

              b. Differences between Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism

              c. Ten Stages of Religious Consciousness

              d. Enlightenment in this Bodily Existence

         2. Shingon doctrines

              a. three mysteries (sanmitsu)

                   i. mudra

                   ii. mantra

                   iii. mandala

              b. two esoteric mandala

                  i. "womb" (taizokai)

                  ii. diamond (kongokai)

          3. Shingon Pantheon

              a. Dainichi = Vairocana, the Universal Buddha

              b. Amida = Buddha of Infinite Light

              c. Kannon = Avalokitesvara, bodhisattva of mercy

              d. Miroku = Maitreya, Buddha of the Future

              e. Fudo = Unmovable King who destroys evil

              f. Shaka = Historical Buddha

              g. Yakushi = Healing Buddha

              h. Jizo = last of the bodhisattva

    C. Buddhist Shinto Synthesis 

          1. Ryobu Shinto "Dual Shinto" Shingon-Shinto mix

          2. honji suijaku "original source, trace manifestation"

           3. Sanno ichijitsu "One Reality of the Mt. King"