Teachings – SOTOZEN BUDDISM

Keizan Zenji

Keizan Zenji was born in 1264 in Echizen Province, which is present-day Fukui Prefecture. At the age of eight, he shaved his head and entered Eiheiji where he began his practice under the third abbot, Gikai Zenji. At the age of thirteen, he again went to live at Eiheiji and was officially ordained as a monk under Ejo Zenji. Following the death of Ejo Zenji, he practiced under Jakuen Zenji at Hokyoji, located in present-day Fukui. Spotting Keizan Zenji’s potential ability to lead the monks, Jakuen Zenji selected him to be ino, the monk in charge of the other monks’ practice.

In contrast to Dogen Zenji, who deeply explored the internal self, Keizan Zenji stood out with his ability to look outwards and boldly spread the teaching. For the Soto Zen School, the teachings of these two founders are closely connected with each other. In spreading the Way of Buddha widely, one of them was internal in his approach while the other was external.

In 1321 at the age of fifty-eight, a temple called Morookaji in Noto, which is present-day Ishikawa Prefecture, was donated to Keizan Zenji and he renamed it Sojiji. This was the origin of Sojiji in Yokohama, which is, along with Eiheiji, the other Head Temple (Daihonzan) of the Soto Zen School.Keizan Zenji died in 1325 at the age of sixty-five.

Shakyamuni Buddha

Shakyamuni Buddha is sometimes called “Shakuson,” which is an abbreviation of “Shakyamuni” (Sage of the Shakya tribe) and “Seson” (World-honored One).

The Buddha was born a prince in the Shakya tribe about 2,500 years ago in a town called Lumbini which is located in present-day Nepal. His family name was Gautama, his given name was Siddhartha. As a prince, he was blessed with a life of riches. However, he was deeply troubled by the problems of his life and left home at the age of twenty-nine to become a monk. After six years of ascetic practice, he realized the Way at the age of thirty-five in Bodhgaya. At that time, he became the “Buddha” (Awakened One). From that time on, he expounded various teachings exemplified by the law of causality, the impermanence of all things, all things are without self, the peace and tranquility of nirvana, and all existence is suffering.

After his realization until his death in Kushinagara, the Buddha continued his travels to preach the Buddhadharma while also fostering his disciples. The main image of the Soto Zen School is Shakyamuni Buddha. It is because Shakyamuni Buddha realized the Way and taught those teachings, which were then accurately transmitted through the successive generations by his disciples, that today we are also able to encounter the Buddhadharma.

Dogen Zenji

Dogen Zenji, the founder of Soto Zen School as well as of Daihonzan Eiheiji, was born on January 26, 1200 CE. At the age of thirteen, he climbed Mt. Hiei, and the next year he shaved his head and became a monk. It is said that he became a monk because he felt the impermanence of the world on his mother’s death when he was eight years old.

Dogen Zenji left Mt. Hiei in search of the true Dharma (the true Buddhist teaching). He visited temples in many different districts, but was not able to find his answers.

True to his words, he traveled by boat to China at the age of 24 in search of the true way of Buddha. In China he met Nyojo Zenji on Mt. Tendo where their practice focused on zazen. Dogen Zenji brought back with him the teaching of only/just single-minded sitting (shikan-taza).

In 1243, at the invitation of his supporter Hatano Yoshishige, Dogen Zenji left Kyoto and moved to the mountains of Echizen.

In 1244, the monastery that had been funded by Hatano Yoshishige was completed. At first named Daibutsuji, the name was later changed to Eiheiji. This is the present-day Daihonzan Eiheiji.It was here that Dogen Zenji continued to practice strictly while fostering his disciples. In 1253, he fell sick and died at the age of 53.

Daihonzan Eiheiji

Daihonzan Eiheiji was founded in 1244 CE by Koso Dogen Zenji. Originally, the temple was named Sanshoho Daibutsuji, but was later renamed as Kichijozan Eiheiji. Eiheiji was built through the great mind of Dogen Zenji, who endeavored to create a principal practice center where the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha would be correctly transmitted and where the Way of Buddha, which is the source of people’s eternal peace and happiness, would be practiced. Eiheiji is proud of its 750 year-old tradition where even today more than 200 monks strive at Zen practice through night and day. Eiheiji is surrounded by ancient Japanese cedars and the sounds of murmuring streams. Visitors are struck by the profound nature of Zen and naturally straighten up when they arrive there.

Daihonzan Sojiji

Daihonzan Sojiji was founded in 1321 CE when Taiso Keizan Zenji renamed the already existing temple Morookaji in Ishikawa Prefecture as Shogaku-zan Sojiji. During the Meiji Period (late 19th century) when the original temple was lost to fire, Sojiji was moved to Yokohama, where it is still located today. Sojiji is proud to be one of the main dojos of international Zen and is located in Yokohama, known as Japan’s gateway to the sea. The temple complex is extensive and the massive size of the temple buildings is impressive. Sojiji is an open practice center where the teaching of Keizan Zenji is truly practiced in its original form. Also, because of Sojiji is located in such a convenient place it also has been able to hold various training sessions for company employees, zazen groups, and other community outreach programs. Sojiji has also continued Keizan Zenji’s commitment to education by establishing a school on the temple grounds called Soji Gakuen.