Prince Shotoku: From Regent To Saint

Any person who makes a quick search on the internet about influential figures of the country is bound to come across several long lists of rulers from different periods.

Of course, each one has his own set of accomplishments that helped mold the country into what it is today but there are a handful of individuals that stand out from the rest by the momentous impacts they made during their reign. For the Asuka Period, the most celebrated politician turned saint would have to be Prince Shotoku.

A Short Biography of Prince Shotoku’s Accession and Reign

Shotoku Taishi was born on February 7, 574 to Emperor Yomei and Princess Anahobe no Hashihito – relatives of the ruling Soga clan that greatly influenced the political matters of the period. This clan was so powerful that its leader, Soga no Umako, was able to give the throne of the Emperor to his niece Suiko in 593 by having Emperor Sushun assassinated.

Prince Shotoku was then selected by Soga no Umako in 594 to serve as regent on behalf of Emperor Sushun. Although the reason behind Soga no Umako’s decision to choose Shotoku remains unknown to this day, it is believed that the Soga clan leader saw potential in the young prince’s talents and strong character.

It was expected that Soga no Umako would use Prince Shotoku and Emperor Sushun for his own political plans but, as it turned out, Prince Shotoku paved the way for Japan to embrace Buddhism and Chinese Culture until the end of his reign during the 7th century.

Prince Shotoku and Buddhism in Japan

The story as to how Prince Shotoku came to have such a great devotion to Buddhism, a religion that was relatively new to the country at the time, is as mysterious as Soga no Umako’s decision to make the young prince the Regent of Japan.

Legend has it that Anahobe no Hashihito had a dream about a priest clothed in a golden robe asking for her permission if he could enter her womb and be born as Bodhisattva – a Sanskrit term for an individual capable of reaching Nirvana but chooses not to in order to help others avoid suffering the hardships of life brought about by earthly desires. Anahobe no Hashihito then gave birth later on through a painless and unexpected miracle in the imperial stables. This child was given the name Shotoku, which comes from the words sho (sacred) and toku (virtue).

The tale also says that Prince Shotoku, at the age of 2, faced east, pressed his palms together as a form of reverence, and praised Buddha by stating the phrase “Namu Butsu”.

Regardless of how Prince Shotoku grew to know the religion, it is a matter of fact that he was a lay practitioner for the majority of his life.

Buddhism was introduced to Japan decades before Prince Shotoku was born but was not something that the community welcomed with open arms as they already followed an existing religion – Shinto.

According to records, the foreign religion reached the shores of Japan through sutra scrolls and a gold-plated Buddha Shakyamuni image given by a provincial ruler from Korea to Emperor Kimmei, the grandfather of Prince Shotoku.

Although Emperor Kimmei was impressed by the religious artifacts and doctrines, Japan’s cultural isolation and conservativeness at the time made the idea of integrating Buddhist practices unnecessary. The Emperor's enthusiasm to make the country adopt the foreign religion ultimately led the people into confusion.

It was only when Prince Shotoku became the regent of Japan that the community was convinced of the lack of ethical elements in Shinto and the importance of Buddhism in their daily lives. Simultaneously, Japan also adopted the Chinese pictographs in Buddhist sutras to make up for their non-existent writing system.

Within fifty years, Buddhism was regarded as the country’s national religion for its philosophical depth, rationality, and values, while Shinto remained alive as a native religion that honored the gods and goddesses believed to have blessed Japan with its rulers.

Temples and Teachings of Prince Shotoku

In line with Prince Shotoku’s devotion to Buddhism, he was responsible for the temples being established in Japan. The first two Buddhist temples he commanded to be built were the Shitennoji and the Horyuji.

The Shitennoji is also known as the Four Heavenly Kings’ Temple. It was constructed while Prince Shotoku was fighting in a battle to defend his family and intently prayed to the four kings for victory.

In 607, the Horyuji, originally referred to as Ikaruga-dera, was established in Nara, Japan. This temple was dedicated to the Buddha of healing known as Yakushi Nyorai as Prince Shotoku’s way to honor his father who also became a faithful Buddhist practitioner after having recovered from a serious illness through Prince Shotoku’s relentless meditation by his side.

Both of these temples not only served as places of worship but also as religious sanctuaries, medical dispensaries, sanatoriums, hospitals, and asylums for abandoned individuals. As such, the monks of these temples played several roles including physicians and educators of the community. The establishment of five other temples was also initiated by Prince Shotoku after the Shitennoji and the Horyuji.

Furthermore, the Buddhist Prince introduced the community to the different aspects of the religion through public lectures. Shotoku also wrote eight volumes that provided commentaries on Buddhist sutras; the most popular one being the Sangyo-gisho which focused on the Srimaladevi Sutra, Vimalakirti Sutra, and Lotus Sutra.

The Srimaladevi Sutra served as a tribute to Emperor Suiko by praising the qualities of a Buddhist Queen.

Rulers of the state and lay practitioners of Buddhism were regarded by Prince Shotoku as Bodhisattvas in the Vimalakirti Sutra.

Using the Lotus Sutra, the prince discussed the concept of Buddha Nature and reaching universal enlightenment.

The 17-Article Constitution of Prince Shotoku (Rephrased Quotes)

Prince Shotoku also used Buddhist doctrines as a political tool in uniting the country’s warring clans. According to a historical record known as the Nihon Shoki, Prince Shotoku constructed a 17-article constitution that was not particularly designed to serve as a law but more of a spiritual guide.

This constitution also made use of Confucian beliefs and states the aspirations each individual should focus on to achieve harmony, peace, and enlightenment.

The articles that make up Prince Shotoku’s constitution are summarized below:

1. Harmony should be given importance and disagreements should be evaded. Each person has his own set of preferences that may not be well-received by everyone. As such, unnecessary feuds between neighbors result from the disobedience of people towards their superiors. Harmony can be achieved through the peace among superiors and the friendliness of inferiors. This way, discussions may be done quietly and what is right will eventually prevail.

2. All living things can find refuge by giving reverence to the three treasures – Buddha, Buddhist Law, and Buddhist Priesthood.

3. The commands of the Sovereign must not be disobeyed. The Sovereign represents Heaven while the vassal represents the Earth; the latter bears up the former. When these two are in their proper places, the natural course of things continues to flow without disruption. If a vassal fails to carry out the commands of his Sovereign, only chaos and ruin can be expected.

4. Individuals that have high positions as officials or ministers of the state should make good behavior their first priority. By choosing to act improper, those looking up to them will, likewise, move in a disorderly fashion.

5. All legal complaints received by an individual should be dealt with in an impartial manner.

6. Evil deeds should be punished and good deeds should be rewarded.

7. Each individual has his own set of tasks to complete. The duties of each must not be confused with one another, as some are better suited for the job than others.

8. The ruling individuals of the state should make it a point to start the day early and end it late in the evening. Simply working while the sun is out is not enough to accomplish significant changes in the state and the society.

9. Keeping a strong faith is a good foundation for building all things right.

10. Disagreement is inevitable. Each individual should practice controlling his emotions and not allow himself to be resentful when another man disagrees with his beliefs.

11. Individuals should have a clear understanding of what should be considered a merit or demerit. In addition, the respective reward or punishment must also be defined and implemented.

12. The local nobility should not be allowed to levy taxes on the community. A country cannot be ruled by two lords. The Sovereign serves as the only master of the whole state including its officials and ministers.

13. Each individual with an entrusted task should make sure to attend to it and focus on completing it.

14. Envy will only attract envy. The evils of being envious know no bounds and ultimately corrupt the growth of the state and society.

15. The vassal should prioritize the good of the public over his own private interests. Any individual driven by personal motives will soon be resentful and will fail to maintain harmony with others.

16. Forced laborers should be strategically employed at seasonable times to keep things on track according to the demands of society.

17. Important decisions should be discussed among different people in order to arrive at the right solution for the situation.

Other Facts and Accomplishments of Prince Shotoku – Titles & Definitions, Drawing a Caps and Court Rank System from Chinese Culture, Etc.

Titles & Definitions

Although Prince Shotoku serves as the most popular title Shotoku Taishi had, he was also known under the following names:

• Umayado no Oji

Umayado no Oji translates to mean the Stable Door Prince in English. This title was given to Shotoku Taishi for the unusual birth his mother, Anahobe no Hashihito, had in the imperial stables.

• Yatsumimi no Miko

Yatsumimi no Miko translates to mean the Eight Ears Prince in English. For the majority of his reign, Shotoku Taishi was regarded as an individual with a higher level of intelligence that allowed him to listen and understand up to 8 different people at a time, hence the title.

• Kamitsumiya no Miko/Jogu Taishi

Kamitsumiya no Miko or Jogu Taishi both translate to mean the Upper Palace Prince in English. Unlike Shotoku Taishi’s other titles, this particular one also pays tribute to his father by giving focus to the special upper palace Emperor Yomei had built for his son to live in as a form of his love and respect.

Drawing a Caps and Court Rank System from Chinese Culture

As with the many temples commissioned by Prince Shotoku, other accomplishments he had made during his reign remain alive in modern Japan. Among his most impressive civic contributions still in place today is the caps and court rank system that he adopted from the Chinese culture.

This system was established during the year 603 and is better known as the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System. Through this, the position of a Japanese government official can easily be identified through the color and feather of his cap.

Over the years, several changes to this system were made throughout the Asuka Period but remained true to the greater and lesser levels of the six Confucian virtues:

• Toku (徳) – which refers to virtue

• Jin (仁) – which refers to benevolence

• Rei (礼) – which refers to propriety

• Shin (信) – which refers to sincerity

• Gi (義) – which refers to justice

• Chi (智) – which refers to knowledge

According to records, the names and respective cap colors for the twelve ranks were as follows:

1. Daitoku (Greater Virtue) – Purple

2. Shotoku (Lesser Virtue) – Purple

3. Daijin (Greater Benevolence) – Blue

4. Shojin (Lesser Benevolence) – Blue

5. Dairei (Greater Propriety) – Orange

6. Shorei (Lesser Propriety) – Orange

7. Daishin (Greater Sincerity) – Yellow

8. Shoshin (Lesser Sincerity) – Yellow

9. Daigi (Greater Justice) – White

10. Shogi (Lesser Justice) – White

11. Daichi (Greater Knowledge) – Black

12. Shochi (Lesser Knowledge) - Black

Other Achievements

Along with the cap and rank system, Prince Shotoku also imported many other aspects of the Chinese culture into Japan such as the lunar calendar and different forms of art. He also re-established Japan’s practice of sending envoys out to other countries to acquire as much religious and cultural practices as they could.

In terms of nation building, Prince Shotoku’s greatest contributions include irrigation projects, agricultural development, and several highway systems.

Timeline of Prince Shotoku’s Life and Legacy

As previously mentioned, Prince Shotoku served as a lay practitioner of Buddhism until his death in 622. His list of contributions to the cultural development of Japan has made him known to be Japan’s own Shakyamuni (Buddha).

The life, death, and legacy of Prince Shotoku are summarized in the timeline below:

• 594: Prince Shotoku is appointed as regent for Empress Suiko

• 604: Prince Shotoku writes the 17-Article Constitution

• 607: Prince Shotoku resumes the practice of sending out envoys to China

• 621: Prince Shotoku becomes gravely ill

• 622: Prince Shotoku passes away

• 1972: The Gifu Shotoku Gakuen University is founded in Gifu, Japan

• 1990: The Seitoku University, a women’s university, is founded in Chiba, Japan

• 2005: The Tokyo Seiei College is founded in Tokyo, Japan