The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of

Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...

Japanese Buddhism Buddhism has been practiced in Japan since about the 6th century CE. Japanese Buddhism () created many new Buddhist schools, and some schools are original to Japan and some are derived from Chinese Buddhist schools. Japanese Buddhism has had a ...

(along with

Sōtō Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngsh� ...

and

Ōbaku The is one of several schools of Zen in Japanese Buddhism, in addition to Sōtō and Rinzai. History Often termed the third sect of Zen Buddhism in Japan, Ōbaku-shū was established in 1661 by a small faction of masters from China and their ...

). The Chinese Linji school of

Chan Chan may refer to: Places *Chan (commune), Cambodia *Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada People *Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田) *Chan Caldwel ...

was first transmitted to

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

Myōan Eisai was a Japanese Buddhist priest, credited with founding the Rinzai school, the Japanese line of the Linji school of Zen Buddhism. In 1191, he introduced this Zen approach to Japan, following his trip to China from 1187 to 1191, during which he w ...

(1141 –1215). Contemporary Japanese Rinzai is derived entirely from the

Ōtōkan The is a lineage of the Rinzai school of Zen (a form of Japanese Buddhism). It was founded by Nanpo Shōmyō, who received the dharma in China in 1265 and returned to Japan in 1267. It is centered at the temple complexes of Myōshin-ji (founded ...

lineage transmitted through

Hakuin Ekaku was one of the most influential figures in Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as the reviver of the Rinzai school from a moribund period of stagnation, focusing on rigorous training methods integrating meditation and koan practice. Biog ...

(1686–1769), who is a major figure in the revival of the Rinzai tradition.

History

Rinzai is the Japanese line of the

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

Linji school The Línjì school () is a school of Chan Buddhism named after Linji Yixuan (d. 866). It took prominence in Song China (960–1279), spread to Japan as the Rinzai school and influenced the nine mountain schools of Korean Seon. History Song d ...

, which was founded during the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...

Linji Yixuan Linji Yixuan (; ja, 臨済義玄 ''Rinzai Gigen''; died 866 CE) was the founder of the Linji school of Chan Buddhism during Tang Dynasty China. Línjì yǔlù Information on Linji is based on the ''Línjì yǔlù'' (臨濟語錄; Japanese ...

(Japanese: Rinzai Gigen).

Kamakura period (1185–1333)

Though there were several attempts to establish Rinzai lines in Japan, it first took root in a lasting way through the efforts of the monk

. In 1168,

traveled to China, whereafter he studied

Tendai , also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...

for twenty years. In 1187, he went to China again, and returned to establish a Linji lineage, which is known in Japan as

Rinzai The Rinzai school ( ja, , Rinzai-shū, zh, t=臨濟宗, s=临济宗, p=Línjì zōng) is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (along with Sōtō and Ōbaku). The Chinese Linji school of Chan was first transmitted to Japan by Myōan ...

. Decades later, (1235–1308) also studied Linji teachings in China before founding the Japanese

lineage, the most influential and only surviving branch of Rinzai. The time during which Rinzai Zen was established in Japan also saw the rise of the

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

to power. Along with early imperial support, Rinzai came to enjoy the patronage of this newly ascendant warrior class.

Muromachi (or Ashikaga) period (1336–1573)

During the

Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...

, the Rinzai school was the most successful of the schools because it was favoured by the ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

''. The school may be said to have truly flowered and achieved a distinctly Japanese identity with Shūhō Myōchō (aka Daitō Kokushi 1283–1337) and

Musō Soseki was a Rinzai Zen, Zen Buddhist monk and teacher, and a calligraphist, poet and garden designer. The most famous monk of his time, he is also known as ("national Zen teacher"), an honorific conferred on him by Emperor Go-Daigo.''Musō Soseki'' ...

(1275–1351), two influential Japanese Zen masters who did not travel to China to study.

Five Mountain System

In the beginning of the Muromachi period, the system was fully worked out. The final version contained five temples of both Kyoto and Kamakura, presided over by

Nanzen-ji , or Zuiryusan Nanzen-ji, formerly , is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Emperor Kameyama established it in 1291 on the site of his previous detached palace. It is also the headquarters of the Nanzen-ji branch of Rinzai Zen. The precincts ...

. A second tier of the system consisted of Ten Temples. This system was extended throughout Japan, effectively giving control to the central government, which administered this system. The monks, often well educated and skilled, were employed by the ''shōgun'' for the governing of state affairs.

Rinzai-monasteries

Not all Rinzai Zen organisations were under such strict state control. The Rinka monasteries, which were primarily located in rural areas rather than cities, had a greater degree of independence. The Ōtōkan lineage, which centered on

Daitoku-ji is a Buddhist temple, one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. It is located in Kita-ku, Kyoto, Japan. The "mountain name" ('' sangō'') by which it is known is . The Daitoku-ji temple complex today covers more ...

, also had a greater degree of freedom. It was founded by Nanpo Shōmyō, Shūhō Myōchō, and Kanzan Egen. A well-known teacher from Daitoku-ji was

Ikkyū was an eccentric, iconoclastic Japanese Zen Buddhist monk and poet. He had a great impact on the infusion of Japanese art and literature with Zen attitudes and ideals,Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan, entry "Ikkyū" by James H. Sanford as well ...

. Another Rinka lineage was the Hotto lineage, of which

Bassui Tokushō was a Rinzai Zen Master born in modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture who had trained with Sōtō and Rinzai Zen-masters. Bassui was unhappy with the state of Zen practice in Japan during his time, so he set out in life with the mission of revitalizing ...

is the best-known teacher.

Tokugawa (1600–1868)

By the 18th century, the Rinzai school had entered a period of stagnation and decline. At that time, the monk

(1686–1769) became prominent as a revitalizer and organizer of Rinzai Zen, and his vigorous methods spearheaded a long-lasting revival. Hakuin's systemization of the

kōan A (; , ; ko, 화두, ; vi, công án) is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the "great doubt" and to practice or test a student's progress in Zen. Etymology The Japanese term is the Sino-J ...

training system serves today as the framework of formal Rinzai practice.

Hakuin and his heirs

Most Rinzai lineages pass through

(1685-1786), the 18th century revivalist, who considered himself to be an heir of Shōju Rōnin (Dokyō Etan, 1642–1721), though Hakuin's formal dharma transmission from Shōju Rōnin entails some unanswered questions,. When he was installed as head priest of Shōin-ji in 1718, he had the title of ''Dai-ichiza'', "First Monk": Another influential figure in the 18th century Rinzai revival was

Tōrei Enji (8 May 1721 - 10 April 1792) was an eminent Japanese Zen Buddhist monk, teacher, author, painter and calligrapher. He was the chief disciple and Dharma heir of famed Japanese Rinzai master Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1786) and was a major figure in the r ...

(1721–1792), a major student of Hakuin and an influential author, painter and calligrapher.Joskovich, Erez Hekigan. ''The Inexhaustible Lamp of Faith: Faith and Awakening in the Japanese Rinzai Tradition.'' Japanese Journal of Religious Studies 42/2:319-338. Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture. He is the author of the influential ''The Undying Lamp of Zen'' (''Shūmon mujintō ron''), which presents a comprehensive system of Rinzai training.Cleary, Thomas (2010). ''The Undying Lamp of Zen: The Testament of Zen Master Torei,'' Shambhala Publications, p. viii. All contemporary Rinzai-lineages stem from Inzan Ien (1751–1814) and Takujū Kosen (1760–1833), both students of

Gasan Jitō Gasan Jitō was a Zen master in the Japanese Rinzai school. He received Dharma transmission In Chan and Zen Buddhism, dharma transmission is a custom in which a person is established as a "successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers and dis ...

(1727–1797). Gasan is considered to be a dharma heir of Hakuin, though "he did not belong to the close circle of disciples and was probably not even one of Hakuin's dharma heirs". Through Hakuin, all contemporary Japanese Rinzai-lineages are part of the

lineage, brought to Japan in 1267 by

Nanpo Jomyo Nampo or Nanpo may refer to: ;Korea * Nampo, or Namp'o, a city in North Korea * Nampo-dong, Chongjin, Songpyong-guyok, Chongjin, North Hamgyong Province, North Korea * Nampo-dong, Busan, Jung District, Busan in South Korea ** Nampo Station (Busan) ...

, who received his dharma transmission in China in 1265.

Meiji Restoration (1868–1912) and Imperial Expansionism (1912–1945)

During the

Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

(1868–1912), after a coup in 1868, Japan abandoned its feudal system and opened up to Western modernism.

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

became the state religion, and Buddhism adapted to the new regime. Within the Buddhist establishment the Western world was seen as a threat, but also as a challenge to stand up to. A Rinzai university was founded in 1872,

Hanazono University is a private university in Kyoto, Japan that belongs to the Rinzai sect (specifically the Myōshin-ji temple complex, which it is next to). The university and the neighborhood are named for Emperor Hanazono, whose donated his palace to make My� ...

, initially as a seminary for those entering the priesthood. Hanazono University has grown to become the major Rinzai higher education institution in Japan.

Post-war (1945–present)

Modern Rinzai Zen is made up of 15 sects or branches. Some influential modern Rinzai figures include

Ōmori Sōgen was a Japanese Rinzai Rōshi, a successor in the Tenryū-ji line of Rinzai Zen, and former president of Hanazono University, the Rinzai university in Kyoto, Japan. He became a priest in 1945. Biography Ōmori Sōgen was a teacher of Kashima ...

(大森曹玄, 1904–1994),

Sōkō Morinaga was a Rinzai Zen roshi. He was head of Hanazono University and abbot of Daishu-in in Kyoto, one of the sub-temples of the Ryōan-ji temple complex. Biography He began his Zen training in his early twenties at Daishuin under Goto Zuigan, former ...

(盛永宗興, 1925–1995), Shodo Harada (原田正道),

Eshin Nishimura Eshin Nishimura (西村惠信; born 1933) is a Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest, the former president of Hanazono University in Kyoto, Japan, and also a major modern scholar in the Kyoto School of thought. A current professor of the Departm ...

(西村惠信; born 1933), Keidō Fukushima (福島慶道, 1933 – 2011) and

D.T. Suzuki , self-rendered in 1894 as "Daisetz", was a Japanese-American Buddhist monk, essayist, philosopher, religious scholar, translator, and writer. He was a scholar and author of books and essays on Buddhism, Zen and Shin that were instrumental in s ...

(鈴木大拙貞太郎, 1870–1966).

Literary Sources

Rinzai is a

Mahayana ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhist traditions, texts, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BCE onwards) and is considered one of the three main existing bra ...

Buddhist tradition which draws from the various Indian

Mahayana sutras The Mahāyāna sūtras are a broad genre of Buddhist scriptures (''sūtra'') that are accepted as canonical and as ''buddhavacana'' ("Buddha word") in Mahāyāna Buddhism. They are largely preserved in the Chinese Buddhist canon, the Tibetan B ...

(like the '' Diamond Sutra'' and the '' Heart Sutra'') and shastras (treatises) of the Indian masters. Apart from this, Rinzai also closely studies the works of the

Chinese Chan Chan (; of ), from Sanskrit '' dhyāna'' (meaning "meditation" or "meditative state"), is a Chinese school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. It developed in China from the 6th century CE onwards, becoming especially popular during the Tang and So ...

tradition, particularly that of the masters of the

(d. 866) and

Dahui Zonggao Dahui Zonggao (1089–10 August 1163) (; Wade–Giles: Ta-hui Tsung-kao; Japanese: Daie Sōkō; Vietnamese: Đại Huệ Tông Cảo) was a 12th-century Chinese Chan (Zen) master. Dahui was a student of Yuanwu Keqin (Wade–Giles: Yuan-wu K ...

(1089–1163) and various traditional records of that school, like the ''

Transmission of the Lamp ''The Jingde Record of the Transmission of the Lamp'' (), often referred to as ''The Transmission of the Lamp'', is a 30 volume work consisting of putative biographies of the Chan Buddhist and Zen Buddhist patriarchs and other prominent Buddhist ...

,'' and the ''Línjì yǔlù'' (臨濟語錄; Jp: ''Rinzai-goroku'', ''the Record of Linji'')''.'' Important Japanese sources of the Rinzai school include the works of

and his student

. Torei's ''Undying Lamp of Zen'' (''Shūmon mujintō ron'') presents a comprehensive Rinzai path as it existed at the time of Hakuin and is a major source for Rinzai Zen practice. A more modern overview of Japanese Rinzai praxis is

Omori Sogen was a Japanese Rinzai Rōshi, a successor in the Tenryū-ji line of Rinzai Zen, and former president of Hanazono University, the Rinzai university in Kyoto, Japan. He became a priest in 1945. Biography Ōmori Sōgen was a teacher of Kashima S ...

's ''Sanzen Nyumon (An Introduction to Zen Training).''

Practice

Rinzai Zen is marked by the emphasis it places on ''

kenshō ''Kenshō'' (見性) is a Japanese term from the Zen tradition. ''Ken'' means "seeing", ''shō'' means "nature, essence". It is usually translated as "seeing one's (true) nature", that is, the Buddha-nature or nature of mind. Kenshō is an ...

'' (見性, "seeing one's true nature" or "to see clearly into the

buddha-nature Buddha-nature refers to several related Mahayana Buddhist terms, including '' tathata'' ("suchness") but most notably ''tathāgatagarbha'' and ''buddhadhātu''. ''Tathāgatagarbha'' means "the womb" or "embryo" (''garbha'') of the "thus-gone ...

") as the gateway to authentic

Buddhist practice Buddhism (Pali and sa, बौद्ध धर्म ''Buddha Dharma'') is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the B ...

.Moore (2018), pp. 9-10. Rinzai also stresses the importance of post-kensho spiritual training which allows one to actualize awakening and embody it for the benefit of all beings. Another central element of Rinzai Zen practice is the student's relationship with a Zen teacher, which includes the formal practice of ''

sanzen , aka , means going to a Zen master for instruction. In the Rinzai school, it has the same meaning as ''dokusan'', which is specifically a private interview between student and master,Fischer-Schreiber 1989, pg. 306 often centering on the student' ...

'', a private interview between student and master and the various methods of "direct pointing" which are used by Rinzai masters to guide the student to the experience of kensho. Formal Rinzai training focuses on

zazen ''Zazen'' (literally " seated meditation"; ja, 座禅; , pronounced ) is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition. However, the term is a general one not unique to Zen, and thus technicall ...

(seated meditation). Various practices such as different forms of breath meditation (such as breath counting,

diaphragmatic breathing Diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, belly breathing, or deep breathing, is breathing that is done by contracting the diaphragm, a muscle located horizontally between the thoracic cavity and abdominal cavity. Air enters the lungs as the ...

and tanden breath cultivation),

introspection, wato, and

mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...

practice (such as using the mantric syllable Ah) are used in zazen. Various other non-seated practices like

walking meditation Walking meditation, sometimes known as kinhin (Chinese language, Chinese: 經行; Pinyin: ''jīngxíng''; Romanization of Japanese, Romaji: ''kinhin'' or ''kyōgyō''; Korean language, Korean: ''gyeonghyaeng''; Vietnamese language, Vietnamese: '' ...

(Jp. ''kinhin''),

ōryōki ''Ōryōki'' ( ja, 応量器) (, ja, はったら, hattara), is a transliteration of Sanskrit ', also called ''應量器'' ( zh, p=yìng liàng qì), means "vessel that contains just enough" is a set of nested bowls and other eating utensils for ...

(a meditative meal practice), and samu (physical work done with

mindfulness Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one's attention to the present-moment experience without evaluation, a skill one develops through meditation or other training. Mindfulness derives from ''sati'', a significant element of Hind ...

) are a part of rinzai zen cultivation. The practicing of chanting (''okyo'')

Buddhist sutras Buddhist texts are those religious texts which belong to the Buddhist tradition. The earliest Buddhist texts were not committed to writing until some centuries after the death of Gautama Buddha. The oldest surviving Buddhist manuscripts a ...

or dharanis is also a major element of Rinzai practice. When engaged in formal zazen, kōans are a common object of meditation, while ''

shikantaza is Dogen's Japanese translation of the Chinese phrase ''zhǐguǎn dǎzuò'' (只管打坐 / 祇管打坐), "just sitting." The phrase was used by his teacher Rujing, a monk of the Caodong school of Zen Buddhism, to refer to the meditation-pr ...

'' ("just sitting") is less emphasized in rinzai, but still used. This contrasts with Sōtō practice, which has de-emphasized kōans since Gentō Sokuchū (circa 1800), and instead emphasizes shikantaza. The Rinzai school developed its own formalized style of ''

'' introspection and training. This includes a standardized curriculum of '' kōans'', which must be studied and "passed" in sequence. This process may include standardized questions (''sassho'') and common sets of "capping phrases" (''

jakugo , or of a '' kōan'' is a proof of solution of the case riddle, but not the solution itself. In Zen Buddhism, kōan is used both as a meditation device and as an expression of – a radical experiential insight into the nature of things and ...

'') or poetry citations that are memorized by students as answers. A student's understanding of a kōan is presented to the teacher in a private interview (''

dokusan Some Buddhist terms and concepts lack direct translations into English that cover the breadth of the original term. Below are given a number of important Buddhist terms, short definitions, and the languages in which they appear. In this list, an a ...

'', ''daisan'', or ''sanzen'') and the teacher's job is to guide the student to kensho, in part by judging the student's '' kyōgai''. Kōan-inquiry may be practiced during ''

'' (sitting meditation)'',

kinhin Walking meditation, sometimes known as kinhin ( Chinese: 經行; Pinyin: ''jīngxíng''; Romaji: ''kinhin'' or ''kyōgyō''; Korean: ''gyeonghyaeng''; Vietnamese: ''kinh hành''), is a practice within several forms of Buddhism that involve moveme ...

'' (walking meditation), and throughout all daily activities. In general, the Rinzai school is known for the rigor and severity of its training methods. The Rinzai style may be characterized as somewhat martial or sharp (following in the spirit of

). Since the adoption of rinzai zen by the Hōjō clan in the 13th century, some rinzai figures have even developed the

arts (''

budō is a Japanese term describing modern Japanese martial arts. Literally translated it means the "Martial Way", and may be thought of as the "Way of War" or the "Way of Martial Arts". Etymology Budō is a compound of the root ''bu'' ( 武:ぶ), ...

'') within a zen framework. One influential figure was the Rinzai priest

Takuan Sōhō was a Japanese Buddhist prelate during the Sengoku and early Edo Periods of Japanese history. He was a major figure in the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. Noted for his calligraphy, poetry, tea ceremony, he is also popularly credited with the ...

who was well known for his writings on zen and ''

'' addressed to the

class (see ''

The Unfettered Mind is a three-part treatise on Buddhist philosophy and martial arts written in the 17th century by Takuan Sōhō, a Japanese monk of the Rinzai sect. The title translates roughly to "The Mysterious Records of Immovable Wisdom". The book is a series ...

''). In this regard, Rinzai is often contrasted with another sect of zen deeply established in Japan,

, which has been called more gentle and even rustic in spirit. A Japanese saying reflects these perceptions: "Rinzai for the

Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

, Sōtō for the peasants" (臨済将軍、曹洞土民, ''Rinzai Shōgun, Sōtō Domin''). The Rinzai school also adopted certain Taoist energy cultivation practices. They were introduced by

Hakuin was one of the most influential figures in Japanese Zen Buddhism. He is regarded as the reviver of the Rinzai school from a moribund period of stagnation, focusing on rigorous training methods integrating meditation and koan practice. Biograp ...

(1686–1769) who learned them from a hermit named Hakuyu. These energetic practices are called ''naikan.'' They are mainly based on focusing the mind and one's vital energy ('' ki'') on the '' tanden'' (a spot slightly below the navel). Certain Japanese

arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...

such as

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ...

calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...

gardening Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants as part of horticulture. In gardens, ornamental plants are often grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants, such as root vegetables, leaf vegetables, fruits ...

, and the

tea ceremony An East Asian tea ceremony, or ''Chádào'' (), or ''Dado'' ( ko, 다도 (茶道)), is a ceremonially ritualized form of making tea (茶 ''cha'') practiced in East Asia by the Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans. The tea ceremony (), literally transl ...

are also often used as methods of zen cultivation in rinzai.

is famously known for his ''sumi-e'' (ink and wash) paintings as well as for his

is said to have popularized green tea in Japan and the famed master of Japanese tea,

Sen no Rikyū , also known simply as Rikyū, is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on ''chanoyu,'' the Japanese "Way of Tea", particularly the tradition of '' wabi-cha''. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspects ...

(1522–1591), was also trained in rinzai.

Contemporary Rinzai schools

Rinzai Zen in Japan today is not a single organized body. Rather, it is divided into 15 branches (or 16, if Ōbaku is included), referred to by the names of their head temples, of which half are based in

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

(8, plus Ōbaku). The largest and most influential of these is the

Myōshin-ji is a temple complex in Kyoto, Japan, and head temple of the associated branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism. The Myōshin-ji school is by far the largest school in Rinzai Zen, approximately as big as the other thirteen branches combined: it contains wit ...

branch, whose head temple was founded in 1342 by

Kanzan Egen (1277–1360) was a Japanese Rinzai Zen Buddhist monk, founder of Myōshin-ji Temple and a principal member of the extant Ōtōkan lineage, from which all modern Rinzai Zen derives. Centuries later, Emperor Meiji conferred the posthumous na ...

(1277–1360). Other major branches include

and

Tenryū-ji , formally known as , is the head temple of the Tenryū-ji branch of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism, located in Susukinobaba-chō, Ukyō Ward, Kyoto, Japan. The temple was founded by Ashikaga Takauji in 1339, primarily to venerate Gautama Buddh ...

(both founded by

(founded by Shūhō Myōchō), and

Tōfuku-ji is a Buddhist temple in Higashiyama-ku in Kyoto, Japan. Tōfuku-ji takes its name from two temples in Nara, Tōdai-ji and Kōfuku-ji.Japan ReferenceTōfuku-ji/ref> It is one of the Kyoto ''Gozan'' or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto". Its ...

(founded by

Enni Ben'en Enni Ben'en (圓爾辯圓, pinyin: ''Yuán'ěr Biànyuán''; 1 November 1202 – 10 November 1280), also known as Shōichi Kokushi, was a Japanese Buddhist monk. He started his Buddhist training as a Tendai monk. While he was studying with Eisa ...

, 1202–1280). These branches are purely organizational divisions arising from temple history and teacher-student lineage, and do not represent sectarian divides or fundamental differences in practice. There are nevertheless small differences in the way kōans are handled. These head temples preside over various networks, comprising a total of approximately six thousand temples, forty monasteries, and one nunnery. The Myōshin-ji branch is by far the largest, approximately as big as the other branches combined: it contains within it about three thousand five hundred temples and nineteen monasteries.

Japanese Rinzai schools

The 15 branches of Rinzai, by head temple, are: *

Kennin-ji is a historic Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, and head temple of its associated branch of Rinzai Buddhism. It is considered to be one of the so-called Kyoto ''Gozan'' or "five most important Zen temples of Kyoto". History Kennin-ji was ...

(1202) *

(1236, founded by

, 1202–1280) *

Kenchō-ji Kenchō-ji (建長寺) is a Rinzai Zen Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the ...

(1253) *

Engaku-ji , or Engaku-ji (円覚寺), is one of the most important Zen Buddhist temple complexes in Japan and is ranked second among Kamakura's Five Mountains. It is situated in the city of Kamakura, in Kanagawa Prefecture to the south of Tokyo. Founde ...

(1282) *

(1291, founded by

) *

Kokutai-ji , originally , is one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen, founded in 1300 by the monk Jiun Myoi in Toyama, Japan. In 1327 Emperor Go-Daigo gave the temple the name Kokutai-ji, and Jiun Myoi became Seisen Zenji. ...

(1300) *

(1315, founded by Shūhō Myōchō) *

Kōgaku-ji , originally Kōgaku-an, is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. located in the city of Kōshū, Yamanashi, Japan. It is the head temple of one of fourteen autonomous branches of the Rinzai school. Its main image is ...

(1380) *

(sect founded 1337, temple founded in 1342 by

) *

(1339, founded by

) *

Eigen-ji is a Buddhist temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is the place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat and pagoda in different regions and languages. Te ...

(1361) * Hōkō-ji (1384) *

Shōkoku-ji , formally identified as , is a Buddhist temple in northern Kyoto, first founded in 1382 by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, with the existing temple complex having undergone several periods of extensive reconstruction and rebuilding in the succeeding eras. ...

(1392) * Buttsū-ji (1397, affiliated with Tenryū-ji until 1905) * Kōshō-ji (1603) 興聖寺上京区の史蹟百選，区民誇りの木／興聖寺，ケヤキ
(100 Selected Historic Sites of Kamigyō ward, Ward Citizen's Pride Trees/Kōshō-ji, Keyaki)

Western Rinzai

A number of Rinzai lines have been transplanted from Japan to Europe, the Americas, and Australia, and non-Japanese practitioners have been certified as teachers and successors of those lineages. Rinzai temples, as well as practice groups led by lay practitioners, may now be found in many nations. North American Rinzai centers include Rinzai-ji founded by

Kyozan Joshu Sasaki , Roshi (April 1, 1907 – July 27, 2014) was a Japanese Rinzai Zen teacher who sought to tailor his teachings to westerners, he lived in Los Angeles, United States. Joshu Sasaki opened dozens of centres and was founder and head abbot of the Mou ...

Roshi and the

Pacific Zen Institute The Pacific Zen Institute (PZI), is a Zen Buddhist practice center in Santa Rosa, California. Established in 1999, its stated mission is to "create a culture of transformation through meditation, koans, conversation, and the arts." It's founding ...

founded by John Tarrant Roshi in California, Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-ji established by

Eido Shimano was a Rinzai Zen Buddhist roshi. He was the founding abbot of the New York Zendo Shobo-Ji in Manhattan and Dai Bosatsu Zendo Kongo-Ji monastery in the Catskill mountains of New York; he was forced to resign from that position of 40 years aft ...

Roshi and Soen Nakagawa Roshi in New York,

Chozen-ji Daihonzan Chozen-ji (大本山超禅寺) is a Rinzai Zen temple located in Kalihi Valley on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It was established in 1972 by Omori Sogen and Tenshin Tanouye. History In 1970 Omori Sogen and Tenshin Tanouye met in Jap ...

founded by Omori Sogen Roshi in Hawaii,

Daiyuzenji Daiyuzenji is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist temple located on the north side of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Daiyuzenji began in 1982 as the Illinois ''betsuin'' (branch temple) of Daihonzan Chozen-ji, a Rinzai headquarters temple founded in ...

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

and

Korinji ''So'tekizan Korinji'' (祖的山光林寺), Korinji for short, is a Rinzai Zen Buddhist monastery (''sodo'') in the Upper Midwest region of the United States near Madison, Wisconsin. The Korinji Foundation, a not-for-profit charitable organiza ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

both founded by

dharma heir In Chan and Zen Buddhism, dharma transmission is a custom in which a person is established as a "successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers and disciples, a spiritual 'bloodline' (''kechimyaku'') theoretically traced back to the Buddha himse ...

s in

Roshi's line, and

Chobo-Ji Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji is a Rinzai-style Zen temple located on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington, North Beacon Hill in Seattle, Washington. Its name translates from Japanese language, Japanese as "Listening to the Dharma Zen Temple on Great Plum ...

founded by Genki Takabayshi Roshi in Seattle, Washington. In Europe there is Havredal Zendo established by a

Dharma Heir In Chan and Zen Buddhism, dharma transmission is a custom in which a person is established as a "successor in an unbroken lineage of teachers and disciples, a spiritual 'bloodline' (''kechimyaku'') theoretically traced back to the Buddha himse ...

of Eido Shimano, Egmund Sommer (Denko Mortensen).

Related Japanese Zen schools

Obaku

Aside from Rinzai and Sōtō, there is a third tradition of Zen present in Japan, the

Zen sect. It was brought to Japan in the 17th century, and shows significant influence from the

Pure Land A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). Th ...

school. This reflects the syncretistic tendencies that developed in Chinese Buddhism in the centuries after the earlier Rinzai lines had been transmitted to Japan. Ōbaku is also descended from the Chinese Linji school, and so technically may be considered a part of the Japanese Rinzai movement; further, its abbots are now part of the same

lineage as Rinzai branches, though they were not so originally (instead following a more recent Chinese lineage). While

Manpuku-ji is a Buddhist temple located in Uji, Kyoto. It is the head temple of the Japanese Ōbaku Zen sect, named after Wanfu Temple in Fujian, China. The mountain is likewise named after Mount Huangbo, where the Chinese temple is situated. History ...

, the Ōbaku headquarters temple, is considered one of the 15 Rinzai branches mentioned above, Ōbaku Zen is administratively separate from the other 14 branches and continues to maintain its own distinct identity.

Fuke

A final Japanese Zen sect that self-identified as descending from the Linji school was the Fuke sect; Fuke Zen was suppressed with the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

in the 19th century and no longer exists. Its influence on the development of music for the

shakuhachi A is a Japanese and ancient Chinese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. The bamboo end-blown flute now known as the was developed in Japan in the 16th century and is called the .

(bamboo flute), however, has been great.

Ichibata Yakushi Kyodan

Ichibata Yakushi Kyodan Ichibata Yakushi Kyōdan is an independent school of Buddhism in Japan which places great importance on what they term ''genze riyaku'' (faith) in Yakushi (Medicine Buddha). Previously affiliated with the Tendai and then the Myōshin-ji branch of ...

(properly written Ichiba Yakushi Kyōdan 一畑薬師教団) is today generally considered an independent school of Buddhism, though it was previously associated with Myōshin-ji (and before that

), and may still be considered part of Rinzai, though its practices and beliefs have little in common with Rinzai. It places great importance in faith in

Yakushi Bhaiṣajyaguru ( sa, भैषज्यगुरु, zh, t= , ja, 薬師仏, ko, 약사불, bo, སངས་རྒྱས་སྨན་བླ), or ''Bhaishajyaguru'', formally Bhaiṣajya-guru-vaiḍūrya-prabhā-rāja ("Medicine Master ...

(Medicine Buddha), and is known as a destination for healing.

Cultural influence

Remarkable results of the early relationship between Rinzai Zen and the ruling classes were a strong Rinzai influence on education and government, and Rinzai contributions to a great flowering of Japanese cultural arts such as

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

Japanese garden are traditional gardens whose designs are accompanied by Japanese aesthetics and philosophical ideas, avoid artificial ornamentation, and highlight the natural landscape. Plants and worn, aged materials are generally used by Japanese garden desig ...

design,

architecture Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...

and even

martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...

. A perhaps unanticipated result is that Soto Zen temples, with their connection and appeal to commoners, eventually came to outnumber Rinzai temples.

References

Book references

Web references

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * *

External links

Official site of The Joint Council for Japanese Rinzai and Obaku Zen (both Japanese and English language)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rinzai School