'The Life of Menzan Zuiho, Founder of Dogen Zen'

摘要

Menzan Zuihoˉ (1683-1769) was one of the most illustrious writers andreformers of Japanese Soˉtoˉ Zen Buddhism in the Tokugawa period (1603-1867). Menzan is thought of primarily as a meticulous and hard workingeditor of the writings of Doˉgen (1200-1253), the founder of the Soˉtoˉ lineage,but under the cloak of simply returning to the old ways, Menzan used thelong neglected texts of Doˉgen in entirely new ways to create a reconstitutedtradition based on careful textual learning rather than on secretly transmittedlore. After his early years in Kyushu, where he came under the influence ofthe newly imported Chinese Buddhism called Oˉ baku Zen, Menzan traveledto the capital where he came into contact with early proponents of a newfocus on Doˉgen. Menzan spent most of his later life in Obama City north ofKyoto, first as abbot of Kuˉinji, and then doing his research and writing at anearby hermitage. In addition to his work on Doˉgen, he did fundamentalresearch on monastic regulations, precepts, ordination, and dharma transmission.Menzan’s groundbreaking research into all aspects of Zen texts andteaching set a new standard for Soˉtoˉ Zen learning and created a frameworkfor Soˉtoˉ thinking and practice which persists to this day. With over one hundredtitles to his credit, most of which saw print during his lifetime,Menzan’s output dwarfs all other authors of his school. Although Menzanpresented himself a conservative editor and historian, in fact he broughtabout sweeping changes in the doctrinal basis and the daily practice of SoˉtoˉZen.