Bodhisena - 8th century CE Buddhist monk-preacher from Tamil Nadu (South India) who made a significant impact on Japan

As over the past few months I have been reading a lot (and putting up some posts too) about history of South India and some other parts of India (like Shirdi) over the past centuries, it has been fascinating for me to see how the great religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and, relatively newer entrants of Christianity and Islam spread through various parts of India, and went through growth and, in some cases, decline phases. As this topic is super-sensitive in India (over 99% of its 1.4 billion people are followers of some religion or the other with no-religion people being only 0.25% of the population, as per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_India ), I don't want to get into details of what I have learned about this. Further I want to repeat below what I usually say in such posts to avoid misunderstanding/misinterpretation. 

I would like to say that I believe in Shirdi Sai Baba's teaching of "Sabka Maalik Ek" (the Lord/owner/master of all is ONE) and which Sathya Sai Baba also preached though using different words. In other words, I believe in ONE GOD with various religions being various paths/ways to worship and merge in that ONE GOD. I am a Hindu and I am not against any other religion like Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, Judaism etc. all of which are alive in India today, and am actually supportive of them, so long as they, in their practice, do not interfere in the right of people from other faiths to practise their faiths. 

Today I saw an interesting video: How an Indian Monk Changed Japan Forever | History of Medieval Japan (Nara), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY600RGqSQ4 , 15 mins. published on 5th Nov. 2019 by Odd Compass. It is about Bodhisena, an 8th century CE Buddhist preacher-monk from Tamil Nadu (South India) who made a significant contribution to spread and practice of Buddhism in Japan.

Some extracts from Bodhisena's wiki page, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisena , are given below:

Bodhisena or Bodaisenna (704–760) was a South Indian Tamil Buddhist scholar and monk known for traveling to Japan and establishing the Kegon school, the Japanese transmission of the Huayan school of Chinese Buddhism.

His stay has been noted in the official history records called the Shoku Nihongi, where he is referred to as Bodai-Senna.

...

Bodhisena was born in Madurai around 704 AD. He got mystical inspiration from Manjusri Bodhisattva. He initially went to China, having heard that he could meet the incarnation of Manjusri at Mount Wutai. However, on reaching Mount Wutai, he was told the incarnation was in Japan. 

...

According to a number of sources, Gyoki and Bodhisena recognised each other from a past life. According to the Shūi Wakashū, quoting from the Tōdaiji Yōroku, Gyoki stated that they were together at Vulture Peak when the Buddha preached the Lotus Sutra. Bodhisena, called the "Baramon Sojo" (Brahmin Priest), additionally refers to them being together at Kapilavastu. He also recognised Gyoki as the rebirth of the boddhisatva Manjusri he was seeking. Their exchange is recorded thus:[4]

Gyoki:

On the Holy Mount,

In the presence of Sakya, [Ravi: Sakya seems to be a reference to Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, founder of Buddhism]

The self consistent

Truth we swore has not decayed:

I have met with you again!

Baramon Sojo in reply:

The vow we swore

Together at Kapilavastu

Has borne fruit:

For the face of Manjusri

I have seen again today![5]

Gyoki conducted Bodhisena to Nara and presented him to the emperor. He was treated with great honour and lodged in the temple called Daian-ji, where he founded Kegon Buddhism and also taught Sanskrit.

In 752, Emperor Shōmu asked him to perform the eye-opening ceremony for the giant bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana built in Tōdai-ji. Dosen also played a significant role. The painting of the eyes was done by Bodhisena.

After a visit to Mount Tomi (Nara), Bodhisena petitioned the emperor to name the prayer hall there Ryōsen-ji (霊山寺), as he found the place to strongly resemble the mountain in India where the Buddha preached, known as Vulture Peak, or Ryoujusen (霊鷲山) in Japanese.

Bodhisena resided in Daian-ji (大安寺) in Heijō-kyō for the rest of his life. He died on February 25, 760 at Daian-ji temple, and was buried on the Ryoujusen (霊鷲山) mountain, following his wish when he died.

--- end wiki extracts ---

Ravi: Utterly fascinating to know about the significant impact of one South Indian monk-preacher on Japan, way back in the past. 

[I thank Wikipedia and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extract(s) from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]