Ōtōkan

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The Ōtōkan lineage(応灯関、應燈關) is a lineage of the Rinzai school of Zen (a form of Japanese Buddhism). It was founded by Nanpo Jomyo, who received the dharma in China in 1265 and returned to Japan in 1267.

Lineage (Buddhism) Lines of transmission in different schools of Buddhism

A lineage in Buddhism is a line of transmission of the Buddhist teaching that is "theoretically traced back to the Buddha himself." The acknowledgement of the transmission can be oral, or certified in documents. Several branches of Buddhism, including Chan and Tibetan Buddhism maintain records of their historical teachers. These records serve as a validation for the living exponents of the tradition.

The Rinzai school is one of three sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism.

Zen school of Mahayana Buddhism

Zen is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty as the Chan school (Chánzong) of Chinese Buddhism and later developed into various schools. Chán Buddhism was also influenced by Taoist philosophy, especially Neo-Daoist thought. From China, Chán spread south to Vietnam and became Vietnamese Thiền, northeast to Korea to become Seon Buddhism, and east to Japan, becoming Japanese Zen.

Contents

It is centered at the temple complexes of Myōshin-ji (founded by Kanzan Egen, the third patriarch) and Daitoku-ji (founded by Daito Kokushi, the second patriarch) in Kyoto, and sometimes referred to as the "Myōshin-ji lineage" accordingly. It now consists of two main lines, the Inzan line and the Takujū line, which date to circa 1800.

Myōshin-ji Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan

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 within it about 3,400 temples throughout Japan, together with a handful overseas, of the approximately six thousand total Rinzai temples, and also has nineteen associated monasteries, of the total of forty monasteries and one nunnery.

Daitoku-ji

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 Ryūhōzan (龍宝山). The Daitoku-ji temple complex today covers more than 23 hectares.

Kyoto Designated city in Kansai, Japan

Kyoto, officially Kyoto City, is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture, located in the Kansai region of Japan. It is best known in Japanese history for being the former Imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years, as well as a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area.

History

The Otokan lineage was founded by Nanpo Jōmyō 南浦紹明 (1235–1308), who received transmission in China from the monk Xutang Zhiyu 虚堂智愚 (Japanese Kido Chigu, 1185–1269) in 1265, who then returned to Japan in 1267. It was then spread by his student Shuho Myocho (second generation) and Kanzan Egen (third generation), who made it an influential school.

Kanzan Egen (関山慧玄/關山慧玄) (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 name Muso Daishi (無相大師) to Kanzan.

It is today the only surviving lineage in the Rinzai school, [1] and is historically the most influential. It is the lineage to which Hakuin Ekaku belonged, from whom all contemporary Rinzai lineages descend. It is also the lineage of the Ōbaku sect, which is closely related to Rinzai. Other Rinzai lineages previously existed, but no others survived the 19th century.

Hakuin Ekaku Japanese Zen Buddhist master

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, refocusing it on its traditionally rigorous training methods integrating meditation and koan practice.

Ōbaku school of Zen in Japanese Buddhism

The Ōbaku-shū (黄檗宗) is one of several schools of Zen in Japanese Buddhism, in addition to Sōtō and Rinzai.

The name Ōtōkan, traditionally written 應燈關, in modern Japanese written 応灯関, is analyzed as ō-tō-kan, and is derived from the names of the first three patriarchs:

In detail: Daiō Kokushi 大應國師, Daitō Kokushi 大燈國師, and Kanzan Egen 關山慧玄. [1] [2]

Lineage

The lineage is as follows. [3] [4] [5] Direct inheritance is given, with side branches (that have since died out) generally not given.

This lists the lineage from Nanpo Jomyo (first Japanese) through Hakuin Ekaku (fountainhead of all extant Rinzai lineages) and his immediate disciples, branching with Inzan Ien and Takujū Kosen. Note that Shoju Rojin did not grant Hakuin Ekaku permission to teach, but today Hakuin is considered to have received dharma transmission from Shoju, [6] since Hakuin himself regarded Shoju Rojin's influence in his understanding of Zen. [7]

  1. Nanpo Jōmyō 南浦紹明 (1235–1308), posthumous name Enzu Daiō Kokushi 圓通大應國師, usually simply Daiō Kokushi 大應國師
  2. Shūhō Myōchō 宗峰妙超 (1282–1337), usually known as Daitō Kokushi 大燈國師, founded Daitoku-ji
    Tettō Gikō (1295–1369)
    Gongai Sōchū (1315–1390)
  3. Kanzan Egen 關山慧玄 (1277–1360), founder of Myōshin-ji
  4. Juō Sōhitsu (1296–1380)
  5. Muin Sōin (1326–1410)
  6. Tozen Soshin (Sekko Soshin) (1408–1486)
  7. Toyo Eicho (1429–1504)
  8. Taiga Tankyo (?–1518)
  9. Koho Genkun (?–1524)
  10. Sensho Zuisho (?–?)
  11. Ian Chisatsu (1514–1587)
  12. Tozen Soshin (1532–1602)
  13. Yozan Keiyō (?–?)
  14. Gudō Toshoku (1577–1661)
  15. Shidō Bu'nan (1603–1676)
  16. Shoju Rojin (Shoju Ronin, Dokyu Etan, 1642–1721)
  17. Hakuin Ekaku 白隠慧鶴 (1686–1769), very influential revivalist
  18. Gasan Jitō 峨山慈棹 (1727–1797)

At this point the lineage splits in two:

Further generations are extensive, [8] including all current Rinzai masters; some examples are listed below.

Takujū:

  1. Ryochu Nyoryu 良忠如隆 (1793–1868), abbot of Manpuku-ji

Schools

The two main schools today are Takujū and Inzan. These have a few differences in practice:

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References

  1. 1 2 What is Zen? - History: The Transmission of Zen to Japan, Official Website of Rinzai and Ōbaku Zen
  2. ↑ Dumoulin 2005, p. 185-186.
  3. ↑ Korinji – Lineage, Sotekizan Korinzenji
  4. ↑ Origins of the Ōtōkan Rinzai Lineage in Japan
  5. ↑ Rinzai (Lin-chi) Lineage of Joshu Sasaki Roshi
  6. ↑ Zen Buddhism: from perspective of Japanese Soto & Rinzai Zen Schools
  7. ↑ Mohr 2003, p. 311-312.
  8. ↑ Hakuin School of Zen Buddhism, by T. Matthew Ciolek

Sources

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