|
1. The Establishment of
the Rin Zai1 School of Zen in Japan.
The introduction of Zen
into the island empire is dated as early as the seventh century;2 but
it was in 1191 that it was first established by Ei-sai, a man of bold,
energetic nature. He crossed the sea for China at the age of twenty-eight in
1168, after his profound study of the
whole Tripitaka1
for eight years in the Hi-yei Monastery2 the then centre of Japanese
Buddhism. After visiting holy places and great monasteries, he came home,
bringing with him over thirty different books on the doctrine of the Ten-Dai
Sect.3 This, instead of quenching, added fuel to his burning desire for
adventurous travel abroad. So he crossed the sea over again in 1187, this time
intending to make pilgrimage to India; and no one can tell what might have been
the result if the Chinese authorities did not forbid him to cross the border.
Thereon he turned his attention to the study of Zen, and after five years'
discipline succeeded in getting sanction for his spiritual attainment by the Hü
Ngan (Kio-an), a noted master of the Rin Zai school, the then abbot of the
monastery of Tien Tung Shan (Ten-do-san). His active propaganda of Zen was
commenced soon after his return in 1191 with splendid success at a newly built
temple4 in the province of Chiku-zen. In 1202 Yori-iye, the Shogun, or
the real governor of the State at that time, erected the monastery of
Ken-nin-ji in the city of Kyo-to, and invited him to proceed to the metropolis.
Accordingly he settled himself down in that temple, and taught Zen with his
characteristic activity.
This provoked the envy and
wrath of the Ten Dai and the Shin Gon1 teachers, who presented
memorials to the Imperial court to protest against his propagandism of the new
faith. Taking advantage of the protests, Ei-sai wrote a book entitled
Ko-zen-go-koku-ron ('The Protection of the State by the Propagation of Zen'),
and not only explained his own position, but exposed the ignorance2 of
the protestants. Thus at last his merit was appreciated by the Emperor
Tsuchi-mikado (1199-1210), and he was promoted to So Jo, the highest rank in
the Buddhist priesthood, together with the gift of a purple robe in 1206. Some
time after this he went to the city of Kama-kura, the political centre, being
invited by Sane-tomo, the Shogun, and laid the foundation of the so-called
Kama-kura Zen, still prospering at the present moment.
|