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Shingon Buddhism

The true word.
The esoteric path behind Reiki.

Shingon means "true word." It is the esoteric school of Buddhism in Japan — and the tradition the deepest roots of Reiki come from. A path that is not explained. It is entered. It is lived.

The source
Konpon Daitō · the great red pagoda on Mount Kōyasan · spiritual centre of Shingon Buddhism
Konpon Daitō · the great red pagoda on Mount Kōyasan

Don't believe. Experience.

Shingon Buddhism (真言宗) is a school of esoteric Mahayana Buddhism founded in 9th-century Japan by Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) after his transmission in Tang-dynasty China. At its centre stands one radical idea: enlightenment is not the result of many lifetimes. It is possible in this very life. Through direct experience. Through the Three Mysteries — Mantra (sound), Mudra (gesture), Mandala (visualisation).

At the heart of the Shingon tradition stands Dainichi Nyorai — the cosmic Buddha, all-encompassing awareness. Everything that exists is his body. Every sound is his voice. Every thought is his mind. The two great Mandalas — the Taizōkai (Womb Realm) and the Kongōkai (Diamond Realm) — are the maps of this reality.

Kūkai brought this tradition back to Japan in the year 806. On Mount Kōya (Kōyasan) he founded the centre that is still alive today — more than 1200 years of unbroken transmission. From master to practitioner. From initiation to initiation. This is not a concept. This is how esoteric knowledge stays alive.

The connection to Reiki is no coincidence. Mikao Usui knew these traditions — Shingon Buddhism, but also Tendai, Shugendō and shamanic Daoism. The Reiki symbols trace back to the Siddham script, which is still the sacred script of ritual practice in Shingon today. In Shingon Reiki this connection is not only acknowledged. It is lived.

Going deeper

Shingon Buddhism
in single articles.

Each article is a doorway into a tradition that has been alive for more than 1200 years.

Mark and Eileen at the Goma fire ritual at night · living Shingon practice at the open fire
Goma fire ritual with Mark and Eileen · living Shingon practice
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Pillar
What is Shingon Buddhism?

The full overview: what Shingon is, how it came to Japan, and why it is the esoteric tradition behind Reiki.

Dr. Mark HosakShingon Buddhism
空
Shingon Buddhism
Kūkai — Founder of Shingon

Kūkai sailed to China, received the full transmission, and brought esoteric Buddhism back to Japan. His story reads like an adventure.

Dr. Mark HosakShingon Buddhism
大
Shingon Buddhism
Dainichi Nyorai — The Cosmic Buddha

At the centre of Shingon stands Dainichi Nyorai — all-encompassing awareness. Everything that exists is his body. What that means in practice.

Dr. Mark HosakShingon Buddhism
金
Shingon Buddhism
Kongōsatta — The Diamond Bodhisattva

Kongōsatta (Vajrasattva) is the Bodhisattva of purification and transmission. His practice can dissolve deep patterns and open the way for what comes next.

Dr. Mark HosakShingon Buddhism
行
Shingon Buddhism
Buddhist Practice in Everyday Life

Esoteric Buddhism is no museum piece. It is a living practice that fits into ordinary days — with concrete techniques.

Dr. Mark HosakShingon Buddhism
月
Shingon Buddhism
The Moon-Disk Meditation

One of the central meditations of Shingon Buddhism. The moon disk as a mirror of one's own mind — clear, still, complete.

Dr. Mark HosakShingon Buddhism
曼
Reiki Symbols
Mandalas and Reiki

The two great Mandalas of Shingon are maps of consciousness. They show where the Reiki symbols and spirits have their place.

Dr. Mark HosakReiki Symbols
Voices from the practice

Fellow travellers —
on the wisdom of Shingon.

Individual experience. Every voice is a personal account. Results can vary and depend on prior practice, openness, life circumstances and many other factors. Reiki and spiritual practice do not replace medical or psychological treatment.

"The path with Dr. Mark Hosak is a very effective way to discover the wisdom of Buddhism and bring it into daily life. Family or friends — everyone is grateful for the experiences I get to share from the Shingon Institute."

René S.
Practitioner · Buddhism & everyday life

"A grounded, deeply unique path into Reiki, shamanism and authentic Shingon Buddhism — all the way to the inner treasures of wisdom."

Markus B.
Practitioner · paths of deepening
More voices from the practice →
Your next step
Fudo Myōō · unshakable wisdom · Shingon practice
Fudo Myōō · the immovable king of light

Don't just know esoteric Buddhism.
Experience it.

The Shingon path is not a theoretical one. It comes alive in practice — through initiations, through meditation, through the direct encounter with Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In Shingon Reiki this path is open to everyone who answers the call.

Your Path in Shingon Reiki Discover the Books
Frequent questions

FAQ

What is Shingon Buddhism?▸
Shingon (真言, "true word") is a school of esoteric Mahayana Buddhism brought to Japan in the 9th century by Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi) after his transmission in Tang-dynasty China. The Shingon tradition works with the Three Mysteries — Mantra (sound), Mudra (gesture) and Mandala (visualisation) — as direct paths to the realisation of enlightenment in this very lifetime.
What is the connection between Shingon Buddhism and Reiki?▸
Reiki has its roots in the esoteric traditions of Japan, of which Shingon Buddhism is the largest. Mikao Usui knew these traditions from his own practice. The Reiki symbols trace back to the Siddham script, which is still the ritual script of Shingon today. In Shingon Reiki this original connection is restored and woven back into the practice.
Who was Kūkai?▸
Kūkai (774–835), posthumously named Kōbō Daishi ("Great Master who spread the Dharma"), was the founder of the Shingon school in Japan. In the 9th century he travelled to China, received the full transmission of esoteric Buddhism, and brought it back to Japan. On Mount Kōya (Kōyasan) he established the centre of the Shingon tradition — still alive after more than 1200 years.
What is Mikkyō?▸
Mikkyō (密教, "secret teaching") is the Japanese term for esoteric Buddhism. Unlike exoteric schools that approach awakening through study and gradual cultivation, Mikkyō works with ritual, mantra, mudra and mandala as direct, embodied means. Shingon and Tendai are the two great Mikkyō schools of Japan.
What are the Three Mysteries (Sanmitsu)?▸
The Three Mysteries — Sanmitsu (三密) — are body, speech and mind, expressed through Mudra, Mantra and Mandala. In Shingon practice they are not techniques on top of life. They are the way the practitioner aligns body, speech and mind with the body, speech and mind of the Buddha. Direct. Embodied. In this life.
What is the Goma fire ritual?▸
The Goma (護摩) is the Shingon fire ritual, performed in front of the Honzon — the central deity of the rite, often Fudō Myōō. Wooden sticks carrying intentions are offered to the flames. Body, speech and mind move as one. The Goma is one of the most powerful and most public rituals of Shingon and is still practised every day on Mount Kōyasan.
Is Mark Hosak a Shingon monk?▸
Dr. Mark Hosak is a researcher and practitioner of the Shingon tradition. He earned his PhD in Japanese Studies at Heidelberg University on the Siddham script in Japanese art and ritual. He spent three years inside the temples of Kyoto, walked the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage on foot, and has been transmitting the Shingon Reiki path for over 25 years.
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Dr. Mark Hosak
PhD in Japanese Studies · researcher and practitioner of the Shingon tradition · founder of Shingon Reiki

Mark Hosak earned his PhD at Heidelberg University on the origins of Reiki and Kuji Kiri, practised for three years inside the temples of Kyoto, and completed the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage on foot. He is the author of the bestseller The Big Book of Reiki Symbols and has been transmitting Shingon Reiki for over 25 years.

More about Mark → Books →