Tendai Jimon Sect (天台寺門宗)
Tendai Jimon Sect is one of the Mahayana Buddhist sects. Its Konpon kyoten (primal scripture) is the Myohorenge-kyo Sutra (Lotus Sutra). Koso (a founder) was the Tendai Daishi Chigi (538 - 597) from the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Sui Dynasty (China), and the founder of a religious sect was the Chisho Daishi Enchin (child of the niece of Kukai Kobo Daishi (a posthumous title of the priest Kukai)) (814 - 891), who had the title of fifth Tendai-zasu (head priest of the Tendai sect) during the Heian period. The Sohonzan (the head temple of a Buddhist sect) is Onjo-ji Temple (Mii-dera Temple) on Mt. Nagara, located in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. It is also called the Jimon School of the Tendai Sect.
The Origin of the Name 'Jimon'
The Buddhism of Tendai Daishi, who heavily valued the doctrines of the Lotus Sutra, was brought to Japan by Denkyo Daishi Saicho (767 - 822). This is the Nihon Tendai Sect. These teachings were divided into two at Enryaku-ji Temple on Mt. Hiei, which was the head temple of the Nihon Tendai Sect, by two giants of Ennin, namely the third Tendai zasu and Enchin, who was the fifth Tendai zasu. Mt. Hiei was occupied mainly by the Ennin School, while those of Enchin School left the mountain and entered Mii-dera Temple. Since then, the Ennin School, which remained on the mountain, was referred to as the Sanmon School, and the Enchin School, which entered Mii-dera Temple, was referred to as the Jimon School.
Creed
The Sanmon School stressed multiple-religious learning of the four religious sects of En (teachings of Tendai Sect), Esoteric, Zen and Kai (Commandment) with Engyo (Perfect Teaching) as the center, but Tendai Jimon Sect added the way of asceticism and followed the five Buddhist teachings of En, Esoteric, Zen, Kai and Asceticism. The doctrine was to pass these Homon (dharma-gate) and head toward 'Ken (exoteric), Esoteric and Ascetic standing trio' and perform 'Jugubodai Gegeshujo' (self-training and seeking Nirvana every day while looking up and converting others to the religion while looking down).