Ministry of the Buddhist affairs "sogo" and its function in the relationship between Buddhist sangha and the imperial court in Japan (VII-VIII centuries)

The main subject of this article is the research of a role of a «Sogo» - the department of Buddhism in the relationship between Buddhist sangha and the imperial court in the VII-VIII centuries. With the introduction of the system of public administration ritsuryo, sangha, according to the Government’s intent, was to turn into an Office, whose priests were required to use their abilities (derived from religious practice and observance of vows) for the wealth of the country and the imperial family. As the government officials, Buddhist monks and nuns were exempted from payment of taxes, the collection of taxes and military service. However, they were forbidden to travel freely around the country and spread the teachings of the Buddha without the sanction of the secular authorities. The affairs of the Buddhist Church had engaged in «Sogo» (Ministry of Buddhist Affairs). It was under the control of «Gembaryo», the Ministry of monks and foreign teachers of Buddhist law which, in turn, was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the nobility and State ceremonies «Jibusho». The main function of «Sogo» was to control the Buddhist temples and clergy and to carry out the basic policy of the State by the sangha. «Sogo» consisted of the supreme high priest sojo, archbishop daisozu, bishop shosozu and the vinaya mentor risshi (the mentor of Buddhist percepts). Only those monks who had special services to the state were appointed on the post of high priest, therefore, as a rule, it was always vacant. The dominant four priests of «Sogo», also controlled expert on rituals igishi and his assistant jūigishi who were responsible for ritual ceremonies in the capital''s temples. The main duties of «Sogo» included the certification of future monks and nuns, who took monastic vows, control of their location and the distribution of monks and nuns in the capital temples. Also «Sogo» had appointed the three officials sango to control the temples, namely, the abbot jishu, the master gakuto and the secretary tsuina. Leading positions in "Sogo" for a long time were occupied by the most powerful priests from large capital churches, until in the middle of the Heian period came the monks from Tendai and Shingon Buddhist schools. «Sogo» was unique bureaucracy system, because along with government officials there were Buddhist monks, recommended by sangha. In addition, in the Buddhist temples also existed such official posts as joza (Skt. sthavira), terashu (Skt. vihara-svamin) and ina (Skt. karmadana). Joza led the novices in the temple and was selected from the most competent and virtuous monks. Terashu was a government official, whose duty was to keep the order in the temple. Ina controlled the administrative questions. And, of course, «Sogo» should exercise control over the property of the temples. Periodically the capital temples were to provide the special letters confirming their right to land property. The powers of the «Sogo» were not limited only to the capital district. It has appointed special officials monks kokushi to control the provincial temples. They formed administrative authorities to control the kokubunji temples, monitored the movements of monastics and temples condition. Kokushi belonged to the office of sakan (clerk monks), who controlled communication between «Sogo» and Buddhist temples. The appointment on «Sogo» posts were considered honorable among Buddhist clergy for a long time, even when the functions of this office were reduced to participation in the ritual performances at the Imperial Court to the end of the Heian period. It played a significant role in domestic policy of the government during the VIII-XI centuries. The Imperial Court preferred that the priests, elected by «Sogo», had the ability to conduct rituals, expelling filth and contributing to the welfare of the Emperor and the country. On the one hand, connected with the state and its policy, «Sogo» intended to make the Buddhism official bureaucratic ideology, like Confucianism. On the other hand, «Sogo» supported Buddhist sangha in its aspiration to independence from the state control.