September 10th, 1975, Serial No. 00086

00:00
00:00
Audio loading...

Welcome! You can log in or create an account to save favorites, edit keywords, transcripts, and more.

Serial: 
KR-00086
AI Summary: 

-

Photos: 
Transcript: 

Daijoji Temple in Kanazawa. This is very important material for us to study the architecture of Chinese Zen temples. In 1267, Gikai became the third abbot of Ehechi Monastery. But, six years later, he was compelled to resign from his position for reasons of the friction between him and Gien, fourth abbot of Ehechi Monastery, his disciples, or Zuishin students.

[01:02]

Huh? I didn't understand. Oh. Six years later, after becoming the abbot of Ehechi Monastery, he had to resign from the position of the abbot for reasons of the friction between Gikai and Gien. Gikai and Gien. Gien is fourth... His German brother. German brother, yes. Fourth abbot. In order to reduce, to discipline the second abbot, he had to resign before he became the abbot again.

[02:13]

At that time, Ejo was at the age of seventy-five years. Seventy-five. Ejo became abbot again? Abbot again. Because Gikai retired. That's interesting. What about Gien? Huh? What about Gien? Yeah, after I will explain. In 1268... No, 1280. Sorry. 1280. 1280. In 1280, Ejo, second abbot of Ehechi Monastery, died. Then Gikai became the abbot again.

[03:19]

By his teacher's requirement. At that time, Gikai was 61 years old. But the conflict came up again, so he resigned in 1286, 1282. I'm sorry. He was invited by one of his disciples, Chokai. Chokai. With whom Gikai had been hand-practiced with him. Hand-practiced. After the hajakuji,

[04:26]

attached to Bodhidharma's school. And Gikai became the first abbot of this temple. Of the temple where Chokai was. Became the first abbot? Yeah. So, Chokai gave his temple to Gikai. Yes, the first abbot. And then Chokai became their founder. Kaiki, kaiki means... I said kaiki. Gikai... Gikai is the first abbot of the temple.

[05:38]

Kaiki means... Founder? Founder. Founder. Founder. But usually we say the Doken Zenji was the founder of the Ehhe Monastery. But strictly speaking, the Doken Zenji was the first abbot of the Ehhe Monastery. And the founder was not Doken. Hatano Yoshishige was the layman, lay disciple. Chester Carlson was the founder? Founder. I think so. Founder of this. Supporter. Anyway, supporter. Tassaru... Tassaru... We were here before. Before this.

[06:46]

I don't know. Well, it's okay. At that time, Tsukiroshi was the first abbot, the tassaru, and the founder. What was the name of this temple, Chokai? Later, that temple used to be the Shingon Temple. So later, that temple was called Daijo-ji in Kanazawa. Not Hajaku-ji? No, not Hajaku-ji. Hajaku-ji. Hajaku-ji. Hajaku. Hajaku-ji is a changed name. No, no, no. Hajaku-ji is a different temple from the temple where Chokai was.

[07:52]

Hajaku-ji was a temple when Chokai practiced under the Dainichi-no-ni, okay? Dharma school. Dharma school. But not that temple. Hajaku-ji is the... Ekan. Ekan was the abbot of the Hajaku-ji. So, Gikai, and Gien, and Gion, many people practiced there. In 1309, Gikai died at the Daijo-ji temple. Daijo-ji. Not Ehe-ji. And his famous disciple was Keizan Jokin.

[09:00]

Keizan Jokin. He was the first abbot of So-ji-ji monastery. Keizan Jokin. Next is Gien. Gien, fourth abbot of Ehe-ji. Actually, his record is not existent. But a few things were known. He practiced with Gikai and Gien under the guidance of Ekan. So, Gien used to be one of the monks belonging to Bodhidharma school. In 1241, Gien and his teacher entered Dogen's temple and practiced under the Dogen Zen-ji.

[10:08]

In 1243, he went to Fukui prefecture with Dogen Zen-ji. During the years of Dogen Zen-ji's life, he edited Ehe Koroku or Shopo Genzo. After Dogen Zen-ji's death, he received the Dhamma transmission from Ejo. He died in 1314 at Ho-on-ji temple he lived in after his resignment from Ehe-ji monastery. Next, I would like to explain simply the cause of the dissolution and conflict within Ehe-ji monastery.

[11:23]

There are a few reasons. One is Gikai had received the Dhamma transmission from Ekan. Ekan, who used to be his teacher, belonging to the Bodhidharma school. Before, he had received the Dhamma transmission from Ejo. So, in a sense, Gikai had two Dhamma transmissions. That was trouble at that time. So, Gien received the Dhamma transmission only from Ejo. Which one received both? Gikai, the third patient. Gien received it from Ejo.

[12:26]

The second cause was friction between the progressive and conservative groups. Conservative. Within Ehe-ji monastery. Well, anytime, anywhere. That trouble always happens. In any group. The former consisted of Gikai. The progressive group consisted of Gikai, his disciples, and his zui-shin. Gikai, this is the progressive? Yes, progressive. Because he was a very sharp man, who was qualified to build the temple and to manage the very important positions,

[13:32]

the tenzo and kansu and tusu, everything. And he tried to take care of Ehe-ji monastery in order to develop more. Connecting with Hatano Yoshishige. The founder of Ehe-ji monastery. Contributor. The latter, the conservative group, Gien sent a letter to Ehe-ji monastery.

[14:38]

Sen-nei jaku-en Sen-nei jaku-en Gien, the conservative group, consisted of Gien, Sen-nei, Gien, Sen-nei, jaku-en, their disciples and their zui-shin. And the big problem was the third, because there was an affective conflict, affective conflict involved the above two frictions. If there is affective conflict involved with whatever kind of religious problem,

[15:43]

dharma transmission, and relationship between the teacher and the disciples, the problem will become complicated. Very complicated. However, so, excuse me. However, there are no historical records which corroborate the evidence. In terms of development of Soto Zen Buddhism in Japan, well, I think that the second and third causes are regarded as more appropriate. Well, according to this problem,

[16:44]

a few crucial points may be considered as follows. First one, the group of the disciples from Bodhidharma school at once took the leadership of the Ehe Monastery and began being disunited from the inside of the group. It's a very interesting point. Secondly, the Ehe Monastery was being unified by the Dogen Zenji's thought and faith until the time of the second abbot, Ejo. Well, because Ejo tried to preserve the pure well of Dogen Zenji's teaching undefiled anyway.

[17:53]

But in the third generation of Ehe Monastery, the science of turning the way of Dogen Zenji's teaching undefiled into one of the five Zen schools, which is called the Soto school, began coming up to the surface. So gradually, it was the turning point of the times when Dogen Zenji's teaching began to turn into the denomination. Well, Gikai. Because Gikai was a really progressive attitude toward the Ehe Monastery.

[18:58]

Third abbot of Ehe. Oh, he did. He did. He did. He really trusted Gikai. And when they had conflict, he trusted Gikai more than he did Ehe. Even though he saw Gikai making a teaching a little more towards Soto, Well, the Soto and the Dogen's teaching are completely the same, but the attitude toward the activity, the attitude toward Dogen's teaching in action, in activity, is a little bit different from Gien and Gikai. And Ejo and Senne, Senne and Jaquien, I will explain later. Well, I mentioned before, Gikai tried to contact with the laymen,

[20:09]

ask to help the Ehe Monastery in many ways, financially and in many cases, building the temples and so forth. But Gien and his disciples and Zuishin, or Senne and Jaquien and their disciples and their Zuishin, tried to refuse such activity. As a progressive attitude. Because within the progressive attitude, they were afraid to miss through a pure well of Dogen's teaching, undefiled. So they really tried to keep the pure nature of the Dogen's teaching. And then, an interesting point is,

[21:12]

when Gien became an abbot of the Ehe Monastery, Gien, the fourth abbot, Ehe Monastery was completely, what would you call it, coming down, run down, not developed. So, during the years, the third and fourth abbots of the Ehe Monastery, Ehe Monastery was mostly dissuaded. And then, the fifth Patriarch, really devoted himself to rebuild, to redevelop. How many monks? About how many monks? In the monastery? I don't know. There is no materials to know.

[22:14]

What year did Gien become abbot? Gien? Gien... Gien... He said 1282. 1282. Yes, that's at that time. So, the third, in the times of Keizan and Zenji, the first abbot of Sojichi Monastery,

[23:23]

a disciple of Gikai, a disciple of Gikai, a dharma line of Dogen Zenji was gradually assuming the form of religious denomination as the order of Soro school. So, from the system, the times of the Gikai, this Dogen Zenji's teaching was developing toward the form of order of Soro school. Then, in the times of Keizan and Zenji, the founder of the first abbot of Sojichi Monastery, this Dogen Zenji's teaching as the form of order of Soro school was really developing. It's peak. Did the emperor pay for Gikai's trip to China?

[24:36]

Did the emperor pay for Gikai's trip to China and for the building of AEG? No. Hatano Yoshishige supported the AEG Monastery financially anyway. And many others, maybe laymen. But according to the material, well, historical materials, Hatano Yoshishige, Hatano, Hatano was the biggest supporter for AEG Monastery. Well, the... Okay. Next, I have to explain about the disciples Senne and his disciple Kyogo.

[25:37]

Because this group was a little different from this group. Kyogo or Kyogu? Kyogo. Kyogo. Kyogo. So, what is the standpoint of Senne and Kyogo at that time? unlike the teaching style of Ejo, Ejo and Gikai and Gien, to Keizan, [...] about Sojiji Monastery, and his disciple, Kyogo,

[26:41]

attempted to preserve the pure well of the Dogen Zenji's teachings and defiled. For this, Senne left AEG Monastery for Kyoto to build Yokoji Temple at the place which the Dogen Zenji's body had been cremated. His disciple Kyogo became the second abbot of Yokoji. After Yokoji, Senne edited the book Gosho, [...] editing the Dogen Zenji's talks on Shobo Genzo,

[27:51]

and Kyogo annotated it. So, the Gosho was, the book Gosho was completed in 1308. 1308. Excuse me, did he, did Senne edit, I mean, did Senne compile Gosho? Compile? Yes. He didn't write it. He compiled Dogen's talks. Yes, that's right, compile. Dogen's talks about what he wrote? Shobo Genzo. He gave a lecture on Shobo Genzo, and then Senne took a note. So, first Dogen wrote, and then... No, no, wrote. Talks. So, the Gosho contains what we now call the various fascicles, or commentaries on the fascicles? Commentary. Commentary. Kyogo annotated it.

[28:54]

Kyogo appended it. What are the contents of Gosho? Gosho, what are the contents of Gosho? Yes. Contents of Gosho consist of the compiling the talks of Dogen's Zenji's. Similar to Zen Monkey? No, different. But I mean, those kind of talks... And with the commentary by Kyogo. And then the talks that Dogen gave, were they like what appear in the Shobo Genzo fascicles? Yes, each. 75 volumes. So, the Gosho is very similar to the Shobo Genzo. Yes, very similar. So, each chapter, each volume, on each volume, Dogen Zenji gave a lecture, and then Sedner took a note,

[29:55]

and after that, his disciple Kyogo appended commentary to it. This is called Gosho. This is the oldest textbook when you study Shobo Genzo. It's a very important one. So, Gosho was completed in 1308, mostly 56 years later after Dogen Zenji's death. Okay. Excuse me once more. Gosho, when we say Gosho, do we mean the compiled lectures and commentary together? That's Gosho? Yes, together. Commentary by not Sedner, Kyogo, his disciple. So, Kyogo, Gosho,

[31:01]

Gosho was completed by both teachers and disciples. Together. Okay. And these days, all Buddhist temples had to have some relation with the Hiei Mountain Tendai school. Otherwise, they wouldn't be allowed to exist in Kyoto. Hiei Mountain had very strong powers to control all Buddhist schools. If you ignore the Hiei Mountain, you can't have a temple in Kyoto. So, for example,

[32:04]

Eisai, Eisai Zen Master, and who Dogen Zenji studied first, the Eisai One, two, Eisai taught the Zen Buddhism mixed with Tantric and Tendai teachings at Kenninji Temple. So, for Eisai's Zen, it's not pure Zen. Eisai's Zen was a combination of Tendai and Shingon. Otherwise, his teaching the Eisai's Zen Buddhism didn't exist. This is one example, and second example,

[33:06]

Ennin Benren, Ennin Benren, 12 Ennin Benren, Ninn Benren. Well, someday, not someday, I would like to make a chart of the lineage. Otherwise, you don't understand. I have already, but... Ennin Benren taught in the same way as Eisai at the Tofuku-ji he built. The same applies to the case of

[34:11]

Yoko-ji Temple in which Senrei and Kyogo could live. They both used to be the excellent students of Tendai Buddhology. So, Yoko-ji was terribly desolated in 1358 or so. So, being unable to stand the side of the desolate temple, Mujaku Myo-yu, a disciple of Gassan Joseki, built the Senpuku-ji in Kyushu. A treasured gosho, a treasured gosho in his temple. Thanks to his effort, we can see, we can have a chance to see the gosho.

[35:13]

OK. Mujaku... Mujaku Myo-yu. Mujaku Myo-yu. What was the name of his temple in Kyushu? Senpuku-ji. Senpuku-ji. Senpuku-ji. Hai. Yes, gosho at that time, in 1358 or so,

[36:15]

gosho still was there. Oh, yes, we have. Yes, Senpuku-ji. Yes, yes. Huh? Yoko-ji? Yoko-ji what? Oh, yes. Yes, yes. Because at that time, in 1358, the temple was really desolated, so no one can live. Yeah. So, Mujaku Myo-yu. No, no. Mujaku...

[37:17]

Gassan. Gassan, yes. Yes, a disciple of Gassan. Gassan was a disciple of Kyoko? No. Gassan is a disciple of Keisan. So the line of people that went to Kyoto to get away from the difficulty in Ehe-ji, then they established the temple Yoko-ji in Kyoto. But that temple slowly became dilapidated. The teachings didn't stay there. So then when Keisan's disciples came and got the manuscript from there... Yes. According to gosho, it emphasizes the Dogen Zen-ji's teachings, which are different from the Zen Buddhism in the Shang Dynasty of China

[38:18]

and the Japanese Rinzai Zen. Well, the... For instance, it is... The differences are the outlook on Zazen or the outlook on the scriptures. The Dogen Zen-ji emphasizes Zazen as a Shikantaza. About the outlook on the scriptures, usually the Zen students think scriptures are not useful. According to the teaching, no dependence on a word. Zen emphasizes. Or the teachings outside scriptures. So usually Rinzai Zen monks

[39:21]

refuse to study scriptures and just concentrate, contemplate the koan. But according to the Dogen, the scriptures are very important to study Zen, too. So in the gosho, they try to emphasize that point, what is different from other Zen Buddhism. Next is the Jakuin... This group, Jakuin and... Jakuin and his disciple Gyun. Gyun.

[40:28]

Jakuin. The fourth center. Gyun. Gyun. Gyun. So Jakuin left. Well, you know the Jakuin I mentioned yesterday. Jakuin used to practice under the Juchin in China with Dogen Zen-ji. When Dogen Zen-ji returned to Japan in 1227, and Juchin, Dogen's teacher, died in 1228. Then in 1228, the Jakuin came to Japan

[41:31]

to practice under the guidance of Dogen Zen-ji. So he is... Jakuin was a Chinese monk. So... Well, the Jakuin left the A.H. Monastery at the age of 55 in 1261. In 1261. So Dogen Zen-ji died in 1253. In 1253. So... Jakuin was in the A.H. Monastery for eight years after Dogen's death. And then he left. No, no. To Hokyo-ji. Hokyo-ji.

[42:32]

So Jakuin was the first abbot of Hokyo-ji. Ho-kyo-ji. Yes. Hokyo-ji and Kippo-ji I mentioned before. No, no. No. I don't think so. That is Kosho-ji in Kyoto. Kippo-ji and Hokyo-ji are both a very good place for the monks to practice harder. Because the A.H. Monastery is sort of a sightseeing place to visit. Many people visit. Very noisy. In Hokyo-ji and Kippo-ji,

[43:35]

well, several. Not many. Several monks study there. Very nice. Very nice. If you go to... If you have a chance to go to Japan, visit there. Okay? Very countryside. Out of way of country. Why don't you bring the whole bus? Here. Making the pipe. Under the ocean. It's cold. Hokyo-ji was very cold. Kippo-ji is very cold. They don't have a heater. Just a small hibachi. Inside and outside, completely same temperature. So, I think,

[44:47]

I think Gyakuen practiced Zazen for 18 years. 18 years after leaving A.H. Monastery by himself. By himself? So he died at the age of 95. He really lived by himself? No disciples? Disciples only gyu. Gyu. Gyu-un was born in Kyoto. Gyu-un was the 5th abbot of A.H. Monastery. Gyu-un, a disciple of Gyakuen, was born in Kyoto in 1252 and studied Tendai and Kegon at Hiei Mountain. At 23 years old, he practiced under the guidance of Gyakuen

[45:49]

and had the dharma transmission from him. 23 years old. In 1299, Gyu-un became the abbot of Hokyo-ji Temple. Hokyo-ji Temple after his teacher's death. In 1314, he became the 5th abbot of A.H. Monastery. He first revived the desolate buildings of A.H. because they had been left out of consideration during the years from the 3rd to the 4th generation of A.H. Monastery which they had been creating. Excuse me, Roshi. Can we back up over that point again? Was the reason why the temple buildings became dilapidated

[46:53]

was because those abbots felt that in order to preserve them, they had to get money from the laymen and they didn't want to do that? No. Particularly Gyu-un. They don't. He doesn't. He doesn't. He felt that the preservation of the teaching was somewhat different from preserving the buildings or that to take care of the buildings was... No. He really ignores taking care of buildings and taking care of financial situation. Did they emphasize Azen? Yes. Yes, of course. And also the Gikai, you know, at that time, conflict between the Gikai and 3rd and 4th abbot of A.H. Monastery lasted for long. So it's very hard that they tried to take care of the temple

[47:57]

financially and anyway. In many ways, there were lots of difficulties. So temple, the A.H. temple, was gradually... desolated. Desolated. So it is said... Excuse me. So according to the book titled The Historical Record of Hokyo-ji Temple, Hokyo-ji Temple, it is said that A.H. Monastery was arranged by using the Buddhist articles of Hokyo-ji Temple. You know, Jaquen and Gion, Gion used to be the abbot of Hokyo-ji.

[49:00]

So Gion brought lots of stuff from Hokyo-ji and put them in A.H. Monastery in order to arrange the situation. So you understand how poor, how poor A.H. Monastery was. Particularly, Gikai wanted to ask, but Gion didn't want. Dogen said everything should just come so we don't ask anything. Gion said it should just come. We don't go and ask. Dogen's teaching, okay, you should study carefully Dogen's teaching. Dogen's teaching includes both. So progressive and conservative attitude.

[50:04]

So that's why there are lots of troubles. Dogen Zenji says, why don't you teach the laymen, okay, strongly. Or if you read Shukke, the chapter of the Shobo Genzo, Shukke means the home repertory, something like that. He said, Dogen's teaching really emphasizes monk's life, priest's life. So don't care. He seems to, he seems that he doesn't care, you know, the layman's teaching for the layman. But Dogen Zenji's teaching has the tendency of two teachings,

[51:05]

progressive and conservative. So you should both because your life is both. Your life is based on progressive and conservative. Do you understand that? If you take care of your life just in terms of progressive attitude, you really become a wild pig. So it's very dangerous. So you have to look at your past life and old fashion, their teaching, carefully, and then you have to move toward the future anyway. So, a few things, okay?

[52:07]

Let me take a few more minutes. So Gion built the biggest bell, the first in A.H. Monastery in 1328. It is now treasured. A.H. Monastery treasures that bell in a special place. The A.H. has built another big bell I think five years ago or so. No. They keep it. Huh? Yes. Modern, huge big bell. Twice. Twice as big as the old bell. Anyone twice as big as the old bell?

[53:10]

The Gion edited Shobo Gendo's 60 volumes and his works was Himmoku-ju. Himmoku-ju. Himmoku-ju, that is the book, the summary of each chapter of Shobo Gendo, that book is the, the summary of each chapter of Shobo Gendo is presented by the verses, short verses. That is Himmoku-ju. It is the Gion's work. At the age of 77, A.H. Monastery was taken over

[54:18]

by Donki, his disciple, Gion's disciple, Donki. Not Donki, Donki. Oh, Donki. Donki. Not Donki, but Donki. He died at the age of 81, in 1333. But Gion, the characteristic of Gion Zen Master's teaching was based on being open-minded towards the Japanese Rinzai. But Senrei and Kyoko were very strict, tried to keep a pure nature of Doken's teaching. But Gion is more open-minded towards Rinzai. So, Getsudo Shuki, or

[55:24]

the few Rinzai Zen Masters were practiced under the guidance of Gion. Partly because his teacher, Gyaku-en, Gyaku-en was a Chinese Zen teacher in the Sang Dynasty. So, the Gion studied Shobo Genzo under Gyaku-en. So, I think the characteristic of Gion's teaching was very influenced by Gyaku-en's thought and the way of Gyaku-en's teaching. So, his teaching was more open-minded towards Rinzai.

[56:25]

So, the history of the Soro Zen, in a sense, is said to try to be reconciled with and to get closer to Rinzai teaching or to the path and to be alienated from Rinzai. So, that Soro Zen, still, Soro Zen, sometimes, then Soro Zen Masters hate the Rinzai. But some Zen Masters, that's alright, you know, why don't you accept Rinzai? Many Soro Zen practiced under the Rinzai. Okay. Next, tomorrow, I think, I will be saying the Keizan, the Keizan Zen line of Soro school

[57:36]

in Muromachi period, Muromachi period. I will be saying the Keizan.

[58:04]

@Text_v004
@Score_JJ